As always, this guide was compiled using a variety of online, print, and other sources. I have done my very best to make sure that the information is accurate, but corrections are absolutely welcome.
Robert Zwolak: Resident of Hamtramck for over 60 years. Attended University of Detroit, University of California Los Angeles, San Fernando Valley community college. Has taken courses at Michigan State University-Extension and at the Michigan Municipal Clerks Institute. Former member of the Air National Guard in California and in Michigan. Former publisher of a Hamtramck newspaper, a newspaper in Highland Park, and involved in the founding of El Central of Southwest Detroit. Owned a bicycle shop on the North end of Joseph Campau. Known to ride a high wheel to work. Appointed to council by Governor Milliken in 1972 after four councilmen were recalled for bankrupting the city. Hamtramck city councilman for at least three terms. Former Hamtramck City Clerk for eight years. Former President of the Chamber of Commerce and Rotary member. Former member of the Hamtramck Civil Service Commission. Former member of both Hamtramck Charter Revision Commissions. Decades of experience with Robert’s Rules. Always looks closely at the fund warrant list and payroll. Voted against forming an EDC, against the NEZ on Joseph Campau, and against the illegal RFP for fire service. Started the petition to put the call to prayer issue on the ballot. Complained about dirty catch basins before most knew what they were. Voted for the DDA TIF. Sponsored the anti-profiling ordinance. Advocate for better care of Veterans’ Memorial Park, needs assessments, implementation of the city charter, better oversight of administrative employees, traffic patrols, and code enforcement during the last election. Is currently calling for gradual elimination of the income tax, more oversight of the legal department, more crime reporting to the citizens, information sharing with the public, and water rate and tax reductions. Promises to continue his role of fiscal oversight and end all pay-to-play activities. Filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 1999.
Akm Rahman: Director of Hope Center Detroit. Administers a food distribution program, computer training, citizenship and ESL classes. Has worked with the DLEG for 10 years. Co-chair of “Hamtramck Citizens Voting No to Special Rights” in regards to the failed “Natural Rights” ordinance. Wants to provide an incentive package to city employees who live in the city. Filed Chapter 7 Bankruptcy in 1998. Owns several properties in Hamtramck and Detroit that have been in and out of tax foreclosure. Ordered to turn over a website name by an arbitrator.
Abdul Algazali: Chiropractor. Former board member of the Chamber of Commerce. Former member of the Plan Commission and Human Relations Commission. Appointed to “acting mayor pro tem“, a made-up position, not actual mayor pro tem. Co-sponsored the Anti-profiling ordinance. Always votes against tax and rate increases. Started complaining about traffic patrols after receiving a ticket.
Taras P. Nykoriak: 22 years old. Michigan Notary Public. Translates Ukrainian, Polish, and Russian languages in courts around Detroit. Ran as a Republican for Sheriff in 2008. Platform includes more street sweeping and less unnecessary legal services. Filed lawsuits, settled last month, against Experian for $7000 and TransUnion for $3000, alleging inaccuracies. Upon settling the first two suits, filed a new lawsuit against GMAC for alleged violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, seeking $10,000.
Karen Majewski (incumbent): Member of the Solidarity Slate. 54 years old. Resident of Hamtramck 10 years. Ph.D. in American Culture from the University of Michigan. Curator of the Polish and Rare Books Collection at Orchard Lake Schools. Former executive secretary and Director of the Polish American Historical Association for 10 years. President of the City Council 2003-2005. Mayor 2005 to present. Former member of the Hamtramck Historical Commission. Appointed to the MML Board of Trustees in 2008. Supports surveillance cameras on Joseph Campau. Supported taxpayer-funded demolition of Shopper’s World for an Aldi. Purposefully limits the ability of long-term residents and business owners to comment on public affairs. Quarrels with residents during pubic comment. Accused of vandalizing the archive collection at Orchard Lake where she is still employed. Took responsibility for filing the residency complaint against Cathie Gordon. Claims not to want a merger of police and fire services with another municipality, but participated in the lay off of 6 firefighters on Fourth of July weekend, and voted to issue an illegal RFP for fire suppression services in 2006. Participated in an illegal meeting with a potential city manager. Member of the council when it failed to remove Housing Commission appointees. Supported establishment of an EDC, BRA and DDA TIF. Raises campaign contributions primarily from city contractors. Filed campaign statements with the County Clerk showing that her campaign fund had a negative balance from the Primary Election of 2005 until mid 2007, with outstanding debts of more than $6000. An amended filing for 2008 shows an opening balance that is roughly $4000 more than her ending balance in 2007.
Some information copied from or verified by:
The Hamtramck Citizen
The Hamtramck Review
WayneCountyLandRecords.com
Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER)
Hamtramck Star
Run out of Ypsilanti since 2005
Thanks for the info.
It appears that Bob Zwolak is the most qualified person. Also, I agree with him on the issues he currently stands on. …(If you are a water bill payer, did you notice that water rate went up last summer?) I hope he qualfies for general election.
I am afraid I am not voting for him in the primary. One of the remaining 3 stooges is getting my vote.
Yeah, the rates just went up again. Our water bill has increased almost $20 per billing period since 2005. It will be very interesting to see how things turn out on Tuesday. (In case it is not obvious, I’m voting for Bob.)
I had to make a correction this morning. When I divided up the candidates in the end, I put Taras Nykoriak in the wrong race. Sorry!
And Bob is also the only one who came out and said that he “Dosen’t have a problem with Gays and Lesbians per say as long as they don’t bother me or the community”
Copied from the Candidate Guide thread, via Konrad:
There’s also a youtube channel with videos of all the candidates speaking about themselves. The link is http://www.youtube.com/user/HamtramckCandidates#play/uploads
Mark, interesting observation. I wonder what exactly “.. bother me or the community” means.
How would a GLTB person bother the community?
Isn’t it true that Hillary was recently let go from her post with the Hamtramck Historical Commission for speaking (errr, inciting) on behalf of this group at City Council meetings? Maybe she resigned after being reprimanded, but readers should know about Mrs. Cherry’s past if you are going to trust Mrs. Cherry’s opinions about City happenings.
No, I am the current secretary of the Historical Commission and have been since 2005. I was the chair of both the Sustainability Committee and the Community Policing Committee of the Weed & Seed Steering Committee from the beginning in 2006 until January 2009, and also served as an executive board member of Hamtramck Community Initiative.
After speaking on my own behalf about proven ways to prevent crime at a city council meeting, Scott Klein and Catrina Stackpoole chose to tell people that I spoke on behalf of the HCI Weed & Seed group when I did not, and his supporters, without bothering to watch the video of the meeting themselves, sent me e-mails on behalf of HCI Weed & Seed, without authorization by the committee. I determined that the group was no longer about community policing or crime prevention, the reason I got involved in the first place, and I resigned. I am still a member of the Community Policing committee.
I hope that people don’t take my word for things and do their own research.
What’s interesting to me about “Historical Preservations’” comment is that it warns readers to mistrust Hillary for reasons that were clearly misunderstood by the commenter.
The veiled “Mrs Cherry’s past” is also tossed out there. No specific complaint, just a vauge smear. Classy.
A brilliant example of #4: Political supporters will write letters to the newspaper filled with ad hominem attacks against others who disagree with them.
Looks like we’ll have to amend that tactic to include this website.
No one need mistrust the Cherrys for any reason other than the reasons they themselves give. Clearly Mrs. Cherry has had personal problems with some of the candidates she is “reporting” on. Some of this reporting is downright spiteful.
Readers deserve a bigger picture. It’s no different than the Hamtramck Star disseminating information THEY believe voters need. Both the source of the news and the news itself is important. Checks and balances, friends. Just trying to keep everyone honest.
Anonymously trying to “keep everyone honest”. That’s a testament to honesty if I’ve ever seen one.
I think steven must get an email whenever theres a post to remind him he needs to post something to make sure he meets his quotas for the month.
For the past several years Hamtramck Star has been a valuable place where you can find comprehensive information on our city. This service should have been available from the city, not from private citizens.
Unlike our local newspaper, which tends to flirt with the racial lines when it comes to election, Hamtramck Star has provided the most valuable information availabe to the residents. Informing about a candidate’s past does not necessarily mean having an issue with the candidate.
I think majority people appreciates the information.
I am not suggesting that this is the only source of information everyone should rely on, but If you have time to research, I am sure that similar information can be found from the library, internet and other historical resources.
Historical Preservations – What specific reporting do you find to be ‘spiteful?’ I have found much valuable information on this site that city officials and others have actively tried to keep from the public. I don’t always agree with Hillary, and it’s true that she doesn’t provide a word-for-word transcript of city council and other meetings she attends, I wouldn’t expect her to, (although I would expect so from the city, but that’s a different matter) but I have come to trust that she will report on things as accurately as possible. The discussion of the events she covers is not the same thing, and I believe she makes a distinction between those two.
If you have serious allegations, then make them, for us all to read. Providing supporting information would be helpful. If you have a better source of information on any of these candidates, make it known, or make it otherwise available. As a reader of this site, I am not a Cherry disciple, and I view everything with a healthy skepticism. Your anonymous and vague implications will get just as much skepticism.
Understanding the type of media bias is an important part of gathering any kind of information. For the Hamtramck Star I believe the main bias is that there is only one real reporter, who does a fantastic job, but nevertheless is limited by not having a staff and other resources. A healthy distrust of established political figures is something I would personally like to see in more news, and I am always happy to see it here.
Having basically no substance, I can only evaluate your posts as either a candidate or supporter who was unhappy about some particular fact becoming more widely known. Giving me some reason to believe you might help your cause. Otherwise, you’re just trolling. Countering facts which reside in the public domain with accusations of being ‘spiteful’ is simply not a credible argument. It’s in fact, not even an argument, it’s a particular kind of fallacy appealing to something besides reason.
The long and short of it is that you have completely failed at providing any information, and have also failed at discrediting any of the information Hillary has provided. Your opinion, that Hillary has reported spitefully, lacks the courage of your convictions, since you posted anonymously, and thus you have failed at impressing upon me any opinion whatsoever. I hope you do better in the future.
I also plan to vote for Bob, mostly because in the two or three years I’ve been attending block club meetings, he is the only politician, candidate, or council member I have ever seen attend a meeting. And not only did he attend, he participated and showed me his willingness to actively work to better this community.
Wow rh,
You sure sound like a Cherry disciple. Pretty much everything you said sounds like quotes from Steven!!
I’m pretty sure Steven wouldn’t want me as a disciple, but I don’t know him very well. I believe we’ve met once.
I’m my own person, and I despise discourse with stupid people who are incapable of constructing an argument of any kind. There are several threads on this site where you can find that we probably don’t agree on much, except for perhaps an intolerance for morons.
If what I’ve written seems like Mr. Cherry, than he must be a brilliant individual indeed. While we’re sharing our opinions of each other, what you’ve written sounds like a sad attempt at discrediting some seemingly fairly sound journalism. Are you trying to discredit me by associating me with Steven? Have you some personal grudge against my appeal to make some sense, or to criticize thoughtfully rather than idiotically? I will respond in kind.
You just plain suck.
Oh yeah, Bob Zwolak is the only guy I ever met at a city council meeting who made any sense whatsoever. I also really dig his ‘grumpy old man’ persona at the meetings. He’s got my vote for sure.