Monique Owens facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Monique Owens
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| Mayor of Eastpointe, Michigan | |
| In office November 2019 – November 13, 2023 |
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| Preceded by | Suzanne Pixley |
| Succeeded by | Mike Klinefelt |
| Eastpointe City Council | |
| In office 2017–2019 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | February 21, 1984 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 roles 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. Also, some residents were concerned about her actions during meetings and her support for all community members. She was not re-elected in the 2023 mayoral primary election.
Contents
About Monique Owens
Early Career Steps
Monique Owens began her career working for the Detroit Police Department. She then worked as a deputy for the Wayne County Sheriff's Office for 11 years.
Her Political Journey
Owens moved to Eastpointe in 2010. This is where her political career began.
Serving on the City Council
In 2017, Owens was elected to the Eastpointe City Council. This was a big moment because she was the first African-American person to serve on the council in Eastpointe.
Earlier that year, the U.S. Department of Justice had raised concerns about how council members were elected. A lawsuit was settled, which led to Eastpointe using a new voting system called ranked-choice voting for council elections starting in 2019.
Community Support Issues
In 2019, Owens was the only council member to vote against a resolution to celebrate Pride Month. She said that Eastpointe had "always accepted everybody." After becoming mayor, she voted against similar resolutions in 2020 and 2021. She also did not attend the meeting for the 2023 Pride Month resolution.
Becoming Mayor
Election to Lead the City
In 2019, the previous mayor, Suzanne Pixley, decided not to run again. Monique Owens was elected mayor on November 5, 2019. It was a very close election with five candidates. She won by just 19 more votes than Mike Klinefelt, who came in second.
Property Tax Exemptions
In 2021, Owens asked for a special property tax break for her home. The city board agreed and gave her a full tax exemption for that year.
She asked for the tax break again in 2022, but the board said no. They felt her income was too high for the exemption. Owens appealed this decision, but a judge upheld the city's choice in February 2023. She applied for the tax break a third time in 2023, and it was denied again.
Applying for a New Job
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 stay mayor of Eastpointe while also working as city manager. However, the next day, the mayor of Harper Woods announced that Owens did not meet the job requirements. So, she did not get the position.
Museum Disagreement
In October 2021, there was a disagreement involving Owens and the Michigan Military Technical & Historical Society Museum. Reports said that Owens brought someone to the museum when it was closed to the public. She also entered areas meant only for museum staff. Museum staff also said she broke a rule about not having drinks near exhibits.
City Election Outcomes
In Eastpointe's 2021 city election, Owens supported two candidates for city council. However, both of her chosen candidates lost the election.
That same day, voters also approved a change to the city's rules. This change requires the city to hold a primary election for mayor if more than two people run for the position.
Official Censure
The Eastpointe City Council voted to officially censure Owens at a meeting on April 5, 2022. A censure is a formal statement of disapproval.
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 filed to run as a Democrat in the same district.
During a public event, Owens spoke into a microphone against the wishes of the event organizers. A city councilman then confronted her. Owens later 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.
Newspapers had different opinions about her candidacy. The Detroit News supported her, but The Detroit Free Press supported her opponent. They were concerned about her changing political party. Owens lost the primary election to Veronica Klinefelt.
College Degree Information
During her state senate campaign, Owens stated she had a bachelor's degree in political science. However, a local newspaper reported that her degree was in criminal justice.
City Council Walkout and Lawsuit
In 2022, Owens was part of a federal lawsuit. The lawsuit claimed she violated the rights of citizens by interrupting them during public comment sections at council meetings.
At a meeting on September 6, 2022, Owens repeatedly interrupted people who were speaking. She said they could not talk about a police matter involving her. The city's lawyer advised that speakers' topics should not be restricted. When Owens continued to interrupt, all four council members walked out. This ended the meeting.
A group called the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) filed a lawsuit in November 2022. It claimed Owens stopped people from speaking freely. The lawsuit aimed to "stop Mayor Owens's abuse of authority."
In December 2022, a judge ordered that Owens could not shout down speakers or limit what they talked about. This order will stay in place until the case is resolved.
Ethics Board Decision
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 as required by city rules since 2017.
In January 2023, the Ethics Board asked Owens to submit her missing disclosure statements for 2021 and 2022 within 30 days.
Losing the Mayoral Election
In 2023, Owens ran for re-election as mayor. She faced three other candidates. She did not win enough votes in the primary election to move on to the general election. She received 14.1% of the votes. Mike Klinefelt and Mary Hall-Rayford moved on to the general election.
In the general election, Mike Klinefelt won and became the new mayor on November 13, 2023. In her final speech as mayor, Owens spoke about feeling abandoned by some people.
Personal Life
Monique Owens lives in Eastpointe and has two children. She is a Christian. In a 2021 city council meeting, she mentioned that she does not celebrate Christmas. In 2022, Monique Owens wrote a children's book called Mom, What's a Mayor?
Images for kids
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Monique Owens
