(Glad to be back posting again – I’m finally able to come up for air after my company’s first PCI audit – which we did very well on).

I had to admit to a certain amount of internal glee when I heard that Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick FINALLY decided that resigning might be the best thing to do for the city.  I’ve been following Kilpatrick’s case now for over a year, and I was dumbfounded at how much he was able to live in denial about his obvious misbehavior in office.  Mr. Kilpatrick is one of the biggest hypocrites I’ve ever seen – and in a city that is so in need of good role models in high office.

The Detroit Free Press (a fine newspaper) has done an outstanding job of following the issue, and I know the city is breathing a sigh of relief now that this horrible scandal is finally drawing to a close.  Here’s the latest:

The first official step in the transfer of mayoral power takes place at 10 a.m. today, when outgoing Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and incoming leader Ken Cockrel Jr. are scheduled to meet in the mayor’s office.

Bound to be part of the discussions are Kilpatrick’s 100-plus appointees, who serve at the mayor’s pleasure. The group will give up their appointments when the mayor leaves office Sept. 18, a spokesman said.

Cockrel has said he intends to keep some of Kilpatrick’s staff.

Also on Cockrel’s plate is leadership in the Detroit Police Department after Chief Ella Bully-Cummings announced her retirement last week. The future mayor labeled as bizarre Kilpatrick’s decision to have two police executives share the duties of the department.

Cockrel spokesman Daniel Cherrin said there would be no short-term issues in running city departments because Cockrel also is looking to promote from within.

Cockrel has not announced whether he will move into the mayoral residence, the Manoogian Mansion. Kilpatrick, who pleaded guilty to two felonies Thursday stemming from the text message scandal, also has not announced his plans for the near future.

Hopefully now the good people in Detroit can get past this and focus on the many challenges they have in their city…………

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080908/NEWS01/80908015#