Profile: Darci McConnell, Grosse Pointe Park City Council

GROSSE POINTE PARK, MI — There are three open seats for Grosse Pointe Park City Council in November's general elections.

To help readers make informed choices, Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

Darci McConnell is running for Grosse Pointe Park City Council. Here's how she filled out her profile:

Live in Grosse Pointe? Click here to subscribe to our free breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox and mobile devices. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and download our free mobile app on Android or iPhone.

Age (as of Election Day)

54

Position Sought

Grosse Pointe Park City Council

Party Affiliation

N/A

Family

Mentor/Auntie Darci

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

B.A., English/Communication, University of Michigan '90, Completion of executive education programs at Dartmouth and Harvard.

Occupation

President, McConnell Communications (PR/Marketing firm) 17 years

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

I was appointed to the Grosse Pointe Park City Council by a unanimous vote of the sitting council members in November, 2020. I am also a precinct delegate.

Campaign website

www.darcifrorcouncil.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

My late grandfather, Leonard R. McConnell, once told me that when you do OK, you need to give back. I took those words to heart and, even when I was not doing OK, giving back remained a constant in my life. That mantra, along with my affinity for good government and giving a voice to the voiceless, is why I made the decision to serve on the Grosse Pointe Park City Council. I was appointed to the Council in November 2020 from a pool of 13 candidates by a unanimous vote of the sitting council members. I want to continue to build on the innovative work that I’ve done, which is prioritizing upgrades to our water and sewer system; be responsive to the citizens and help residents get any concerns addressed; be a good steward of the city’s money as part of my duty during the budget process; continue to help businesses impacted by the pandemic grow and thrive; and keep Grosse Pointe Park a safe place to live, work and play.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

The biggest issue facing Grosse Pointe Park is overhauling our water and sewer system and mitigating the impact of storms to our homes. We must adequately fund any upgrades to our system, advocate for our city with elected officials at every level of government and educate our residents about ways to offset any damages from storm events. We must do so in a manner that is informed by best practices in other cities, incorporates residents’ voices and is done responsibly within our budget. I'm proud to have secured a visit by Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence to survey storm damage; that I was able to conduct wellness checks on residents and also provided updates and delivered claim forms; for speaking up at the GLWA meeting; and most recently, that I successfully advocated for a review of our entire system, and that I was able to steer $50,000 in Rescue Fund dollars to be used to reimburse residents for remedies such as downspout disconnections.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I'm extremely proud of the work that I've done in just a short time on the council. I've created two initiatives to support residents and businesses impacted by the pandemic; hosted two teletown halls on the COVID-19 vaccine and another with FEMA and the state insurance agency; helped create a richer search process for the public safety director; helped to enhance our communication with residents; and as mentioned previously, was very active during the storm event in many ways that were helpful to our city. What also makes me unique is my 31 years of work as a communicator, 17 years experience as a business owner and having lived in The Park for 18 years. My firm has worked with cities of similar size and my experience with local government dates back to high school, when I interned with the president of the Lansing City Council. I also have a long record of community service, ranging from helping to raise more than $600,000 to process untested rape kits to being a Big Sister through Big Brother/Big Sister; to helping found the Grosse Pointe Harper Woods branch of the NAACP and serving as a board member of The Family Center.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

N/A

How do you think local officials performed in responding to the coronavirus? What if anything would you have done differently?

I'm proud of two initiatives that I undertook - Food for the Holidays and #SustainGPP to support businesses and residents impacted by the pandemic; that I hosted two TeleTown Halls on the vaccine and that I was fortunate enough to volunteer on the day that vaccinations took place in The Park.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

I want to continue to build on the innovative work that I’ve done, which is prioritizing upgrades to our water and sewer system; be responsive to the citizens and help residents get any concerns addressed; be a good steward of the city’s money as part of my duty during the budget process; continue to help businesses impacted by the pandemic grow and thrive; and keep Grosse Pointe Park a safe place to live, work and play.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

Please see answer above.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Never think about how far you have to go, but how far you've come.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity to serve, and I hope that the transparent, innovative work I’ve done allows me to earn the support of Park residents to stay on council.