Candidate Profile: Nancy Darga For Wayne County Commissioner

Nancy Darga, a City of Northville resident is running for Wayne County Commissioner District 9.

Age: 66
Party affiliation: Democratic Party
Family:Husband, Michael Darga, civil engineer age 56, son Alex age 26, recent graduate of Western Michigan University, daughter Anna age 36 intensive care nurse at U of M Hospital, married to Josh Wrobel, grandchildren Emmett age 6, Winston age 3.
Occupation:● A graduate of Michigan State University, Nancy is a registered Landscape Architect with a variety of experiences working in the private, public and non-profit sectors.
● Former Mayor Pro-Tem City of Northville serving on the council for 12 years
● Executive Director Ford Piquette Plant, 6 years
● Director Motor Cities National Heritage Area, 4 years
● President Fortunate Land Planning, 5 years
● Chief of Design Wayne County Parks Division, 25 years
Previous elected experience:● Former Mayor Pro-Tem City of Northville
● Served 12 years on the Northville City Council
● Served 20 years on the Northville Recreation Commission
● Served 8 years on the Housing Commission
● Served 13 years on the Northville Art Council
● I am one of the founders of the Motor Cities National Heritage Area and served for 20 years on the Board
● Served 4 years on the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy Board
Family members in government:No one in my family works in politics or government.
Campaign website: https://www.votenancydarga.com

The single most pressing issue facing our state is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.
I believe the current partisan divide between the State Legislators and the administration is hindering the State’s ability to work together to solve problems brought on by the Pandemic and the resulting economic decline. Bringing these factions together at the State and local level is imperative if we are to be able to come up with solutions for the difficult budgetary challenges we currently face. Creating better funding mechanisms to support schools and rebuild our aging infrastructure is of interest to me. I support the State’s efforts to generate more stable funding to fix our roads. The current proposal to bond more than 500 million to rebuild our water systems will also be instrumental in improving the health of the State but also its ability to redevelop in older areas. A regional plan to develop mass transit connecting the airport, train station, bus terminal to core business districts is needed to promote economic growth. Ultimately, we all need to work together

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?
Unlike my opponent I will always put the needs of our residents over party politics.
My opponent voted in favor of shortening the 2020 Census report period from October to September knowing that we would risk losing funds and a possible Congressional seat because of under-counting in the County. I will fight to protect our parklands unlike my opponent who approved the sale of parklands to private developers. The voters of Wayne County approved a park millage to maintain the parks not to sell them. As a founding member of the Friends of the Rouge River, I have advocated for the protection of Johnson Creek, the last cold-water fishery in southeast Michigan from a proposal to have effluents from a nearby landfill discharged into it. I have actively advocated to protect our waterways while my opponent has avoided the issue. I also supported the effort of three Wayne County Commissioners who introduced a proposal to have the Board of Commissioners meetings videotaped for the sake of transparency. My opponent was one of the Commissioners who voted the effort down. Thankfully due to pressure from the press, taping the meetings was instituted before the pandemic forced the County to meet by Zoom. I support the public's involvement in government.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?
The County is facing a great revenue shortfall due to the Pandemic. While I served on the Northville City Council, we were able to steer the City through the many challenges of the 2008 financial crisis, making the city more efficient, secure, and resilient. This success was made possible by fostering cooperation with other neighboring communities and consolidating our services, as well as renegotiation of our union contracts and paying down our legacy costs. We passed a ten-year bond, allowing the city to rebuild our aging roads, sewers and watermains. These projects proved that even when faced with unexpected hard times we could rise to face them with creative solutions that improved the quality and sustainability of services to our community.

What steps should state government take to bolster economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic for local businesses?
If we are to be able to go back to work and school, then the State and County Health Departments need to develop a decisively and unified protocols for curbing the spread of COVID-19. The current steps being taken by the State and County to steer CARES Act monies into small business grants has proven helpful to the business community. The proposed plans to bond for road repairs and rebuild our water infrastructure will also help to create opportunities for people to work and spark new development. The State’s allowance for the creation of “Entertainment Districts'” has provided restaurants with a means to serve alcohol and food outdoors and operate at closer to normal capacity. One of the challenges we face is to create financial incentives such as “Tax Increment Financing’” to prompt redevelopment of closed businesses. The funding of “Place Making’” projects has also acted like a catalyst for the redevelopment of older urban core areas. There is an ongoing effort to steer industry toward alternative power sources from gas and oil which is creating new businesses. Fostering funding for startups by entrepreneurs and artists are having a ripple effect through our economy and cities

How will you address the calls for racial justice and police reform?
I have family members and friends who are police officers. They risk their lives to keep us safe and it saddens me greatly to see some officers with prejudice put the public in danger as well as other police officers while discrediting the integrity of the police force at large. In talking to police officers, I have worked with, they suggested that recruitment criteria become more stringent, training periods should be lengthened and include classes on verbal de-escalation, safe restraint techniques, and conflict resolution. I support the “duty to intervene,” policy for onsite officers to stop excessive force by other officers. I value the Statewide Accreditation Process and the Michigan Association of Law Enforcement Standards and feel that all policing agencies should participate. In order to weed out personalities and attitudes that are ill suited to policing, access to separation agreements should be allow to other police agencies so they can see the reason for termination or resignations.
While I was Mayor Pro-Tem for the City of Northville, we outfitted our patrol men with body cameras and car cameras funded through a grant. I would also support reforms on police “qualified immunity when excessive force’” is used resulting in death. There is a need for more stringent criteria for “No Knock Warrants.” I support DARE officers in the schools to build trusting relationships with the youth of the community. I would like to see Community Service Departments that were eliminated in Police Departments be reinstated. Many larger Cities have “Citizen Advisory Boards”, that include representatives of neighborhood watch groups and business districts. These Boards become partners in community events and help with surveillance. Officers tell me that many of the people they must intervene with are mentally ill. Support for the Police Department by mental health professionals is greatly needed.

List other issues that define your campaign platform:
I have a vision to revitalize Wayne County which includes strengthening our health and safety services, rebuilding our aging infrastructure, protecting our parks from being sold to private developers, and re-energizing the economy.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?
I want to use my experience, skills, and vision to create opportunities from what others may view as obstacles. The current challenges we face will require a leader with such a viewpoint if we are to be able to revitalize our community. As the first Executive Director of the Ford Piquette Plant, the birthplace of the Model T, I helped turn an abandoned factory into a National Historic Landmark and an established international destination. This was accomplished with the support of many dedicated staffers, volunteers, and other individuals who all came together in an effort to redevelop this part of history and Detroit. I have also served on draft committees for national legislation that has brought millions of dollars of grant funding and private investments into our region. I have worked on all levels of Federal, State, and Local regional planning efforts. I believe that if we are to build a better future for ourselves than it will require those in charge to be driven by a sense of passion and commitment to better their community. I believe I possess such traits along with the necessary experience and skills to be able to revitalize Wayne County