Monique Owens facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Monique Owens
Mayor of Eastpointe, Michigan
In office November 2019 – November 13, 2023
Preceded by	Suzanne Pixley
Succeeded by	Mike Klinefelt
Eastpointe City Council
In office 2017–2019
Personal details
Born	(1984-02-21) February 21, 1984 (age 41) Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Political party	Republican (2022) Democratic (2022)
Children	2
Residence	Eastpointe, Michigan

Monique Owens (born February 21, 1984) is an American politician. She served as the mayor of Eastpointe, Michigan from 2019 to 2023. Before becoming mayor, she was a member of the Eastpointe City Council from 2017 to 2019. She was the first African-American person to hold either of these important positions in Eastpointe.

During her time as mayor, there were some disagreements and challenges. For example, a lawsuit was filed claiming she stopped people from speaking freely at public meetings. She also faced a legal issue for making incorrect statements on an application for her business. Residents also had concerns about her actions during meetings and her views on certain community issues. In September 2023, she accepted responsibility for making a false statement related to a business application. She was given a sentence that included community service and a period of probation. She was not re-elected as mayor in the 2023 primary election.

About Monique Owens

Early Career and Public Service

Monique Owens began her career working for the Detroit Police Department. Later, she served as a Wayne County Sheriff's deputy for 11 years. This role involved helping to keep the community safe.

Entering Politics in Eastpointe

Owens moved to Eastpointe in 2010. She soon became involved in local government.

Serving on the City Council

In 2017, Monique Owens was elected to the Eastpointe City Council. This was a historic moment because she was the first African-American person to serve on the council.

Around that time, the U.S. Department of Justice had concerns about how Eastpointe elected its council members. A lawsuit was filed, but it was settled after Owens was elected. This led to a new way of voting for council members in Eastpointe, called ranked-choice voting, starting in 2019.

Community Inclusion Discussions

During her time on the council and as mayor, Owens voted against resolutions that supported Pride Month. She stated that Eastpointe already accepted everyone.

Becoming Mayor of Eastpointe

In 2019, the previous mayor, Suzanne Pixley, decided not to run for re-election. Monique Owens ran for mayor and won by a very small number of votes on November 5, 2019. She received just 19 more votes than the person who came in second place.

Property Tax Exemptions

In 2021, Owens asked for a special property tax exemption for her home, which is given to people with low income. The city board approved her request for that year.

She applied again in 2022, but the board said no because her income was too high for the guidelines. Owens appealed this decision, but a judge upheld the city's choice in February 2023. Records showed she owed taxes for 2022, which were later paid. She applied for the exemption a third time in 2023, but it was again denied.

Applying for a City Manager Role

In 2021, Owens applied for a full-time job as city manager in Harper Woods, Michigan. She was offered the job and accepted it. She planned to continue being mayor of Eastpointe while working as city manager. However, the next day, the mayor of Harper Woods announced that Owens did not meet the job's requirements, so she did not get the position.

Museum Visit Incident

In October 2021, there was a disagreement involving Owens at the Michigan Military Technical & Historical Society Museum. A school board member criticized her behavior. Reports said Owens visited the museum when it was closed to the public and went into areas meant only for staff. Museum staff also said she broke a rule about not having drinks near exhibits. A museum board member filmed the visit, which Owens objected to.

2021 City Election Outcomes

In Eastpointe's 2021 election, Owens supported two candidates for city council. However, both of her chosen candidates lost to others.

In the same election, voters also approved a change to the city's rules. This change meant that if more than two people ran for mayor, there would be a primary election first.

City Council Censure

On April 5, 2022, the Eastpointe City Council voted to formally disapprove of Owens's actions. This is called a censure.

Running for State Senate

In 2022, Owens decided to run for a seat in the state senate. She first filed to run as a Republican, but then changed her mind and ran as a Democrat in the same district.

During a community event in June, Owens spoke to the crowd even though the event organizers did not want her to. This led to a confrontation with a city councilman. She reported the incident to the police, but the case was dismissed. She also asked for a protective order against the councilman, but a judge denied her request in September 2022, saying there was no evidence he was dangerous.

Newspapers had different opinions about her campaign. One newspaper supported her, while another expressed concern about her changing political party. Owens lost the primary election by a large margin.

College Degree Information

During her 2022 state senate campaign, Owens stated she had a bachelor's degree in political science. However, a local newspaper reported that her degree was actually in criminal justice.

Public Speaking and Lawsuit

In 2022, Owens was part of a federal lawsuit. The lawsuit claimed she violated the rights of residents by interrupting them when they tried to speak at public meetings.

At a meeting on September 6, 2022, Owens repeatedly interrupted residents during the public comment section. She said speakers could not talk about a police matter involving her. The city's attorney advised that speakers' topics could not be restricted, but Owens continued to interrupt. Because of this, all four city council members walked out of the meeting, which effectively ended it.

In November 2022, a group called the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) filed a lawsuit against Owens and the City of Eastpointe. The lawsuit claimed Owens violated the First and Fourteenth Amendment rights of residents by shouting them down and stopping them from speaking. The lawsuit aimed to stop what it called "Mayor Owens's abuse of authority."

In December 2022, a judge issued an order that stopped Owens from shouting down speakers or limiting what they could talk about. This order was to stay in effect until the case was resolved.

Financial Disclosure Requirements

In December 2022, the Eastpointe Board of Ethics looked into a complaint against Owens. The complaint said she had not filed annual financial disclosure forms, which are required by the city's rules. She had not filed a form since 2017.

In January 2023, the Ethics Board asked Owens to submit her disclosure statements for 2021 and 2022 within 30 days.

Legal Issue with a Business Application

On March 9, 2023, Owens faced a legal charge related to a business application. Prosecutors said she incorrectly applied for a COVID relief grant for her business and received $10,000. She was accused of falsely stating that her business was mostly owned by veterans and had many employees. Records showed she had not served in the armed forces and had no employees other than herself.

In September 2023, Owens accepted responsibility for a misdemeanor charge of making a false statement. As part of the agreement, she paid $10,000. In November 2023, she was sentenced to six months of probation, 100 hours of community service, and court costs.

End of Mayoral Term

Owens ran for re-election in 2023 but was not successful. She faced three other candidates in the primary election and did not receive enough votes to move on to the general election. Mike Klinefelt and Mary Hall-Rayford, who was one of the people in the civil rights lawsuit against Owens, advanced to the general election.

In the general election, Mike Klinefelt won and became the new mayor of Eastpointe on November 13, 2023. In her final speech as mayor, Owens spoke about feeling abandoned by some people who had supported her.

Personal Life

Monique Owens has twin daughters named Kameron and Kayden. She is a Christian. In 2022, she wrote a children's book titled Mom, What's a Mayor?

Images for kids

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  Monique Owens in September 2022.