Melvindale mayoral race becomes contentious

Surveillance footage at Coogan Terrace allegedly shows off-duty Melvindale police officers distributing campaign fliers supporting mayoral candidate Nicole Shkira the afternoon of Sept. 27 on the sixth floor. Campaigning is not allowed in the government housing facility. Shkira said a resident let them in, and claimed Mayor Wheeler Marsee had campaigned at Coogan Terrace, which he denied.

By SUE SUCHYTA

Sunday Times Newspapers

MELVINDALE – The city’s mayoral race, which has pitted incumbent Mayor Wheeler Marsee against former City Councilmember Nicole (Barnes) Shkira, has become more contentious as the Nov. 7 general election approaches.

Shkira has the support of many of the city’s police officers, some of whom have spoken at City Council meetings in the last two months laying the Police Department’s problems at the feet of the mayor.

A mayoral campaign sign for Nicole Shkira does not contain the required “paid for” disclosure on the sign. Shkira said she paid for the signs herself, which she said relieves her of the disclosure requirement.

In addition, when Marsee requested a motion at an October council meeting to transfer former Police Chief Chad Hayes’ decommissioned handgun — which Marsee has had for four years — to him, subject to payment, one of Shkira’s supporters declared the motion to be illegal.

However, Marsee said an inquiry with state officials indicated that the mayor had not violated any laws with respect to the decommissioned handgun.

On the afternoon of Sept. 26, surveillance camera footage allegedly shows off-duty Melvindale police officers placing campaign fliers for Shkira between the doorknobs and the residents’ doors in Coogan Terrace, which is in violation of federal subsidized Housing and Urban Development regulations.

Shkira said Nov. 1 that a resident let them in, and said they were not interacting with residents but merely distributing fliers. She said on Nov. 1 that she was told Marsee had campaigned at Coogan Terrace in the past, which the mayor vehemently denied in writing.

Marsee said he had attended a few meetings at Coogan Terrace in the past in his role as mayor, but that he has never campaigned there.

Coogan Terrace Executive Director Cynthia Telfer said no permission was given to anyone to campaign or pass out fliers at Coogan Terrace.

Sue Herman of the Housing Commission, who complained of the illegal campaigning by police officers, reported in writing that a police car parked in front of her house for several minutes in what she perceived to be an act of intimidation.

Business owners in the city have complained to the city’s public safety commission that uniformed police officers have been campaigning while on duty and in uniform, and the business owners fear they must support the police officers from whom they rely for protection.

A complaint has since been filed with Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.