Telegram - Serving Metropolitan Detroit Since 1944

Lifelong Detroit resident Jonathan Kinloch was appointed to the Wayne County Commission this past January. Kinloch serves the Commission's 2nd District, which covers part of Detroit and was left vacant by the passing of Commissioner Jewel Ware in early December, 2020. The Wayne County Commission is the legislative branch of county government, fulfilling the duties of approving the county budget, enacting ordinances, and adopting rules and resolutions.

Kinloch's previous experience includes serving on the Detroit Board of Education, the Wayne County Board of Canvassers, and as the Southeast Michigan Community's Liaison to Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Currently, Kinloch serves as Vice Chairman of the Detroit /Wayne County Port Authority and is Chair of the 13th Congressional District Democratic Party. His experiences are vast and varied, and those opportunities began to emerge as Kinloch was in his teen years.

Kinloch recalls of his years growing up on Detroit's West Side an abundance of community events and block clubs, all providing opportunities for volunteering and getting involved socially. In middle school he became active on student council and later volunteered for local organizations and political campaigns. His first big opportunity came at age 18 when he was recommended to the Wayne County Planning and Development Commission. "So I started at a young age understanding the importance of community engagement and involvement," he recalls. "Down through the years, I began to have a desire to serve on a number of community boards that I thought I could both learn from and contribute my service and time."

As a newly appointed Wayne County Commissioner, Kinloch's first issue came in the form of a fire at Parkview Place Senior Apartments in early January. The fire sent eight residents to the hospital and many more were displaced and left shivering in the parking lot of the 199-unit high-rise building. Kinloch received a call from one of those residents and rushed over to see how he could help. He realized that building management was apparently not prepared for such a crisis while he along with other city officials and the Salvation Army provided relief to chilled, displaced residents. For days after, Kinloch remained in touch with the building management and residents to ensure their needs were being met. "That was an example of being there and understanding that our role is to help where we can," he says.

As a Wayne County Commissioner, Kinloch serves on the Public Services, Ways and Means, Seniors and Veterans Affairs, and the Public Safety, Judiciary, and Homeland Security Committees. In addition he sits as the County Commission's representative on the Board of Directors for Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network. "Mental health issues are an important part of major policy discussions that we need to have within our community," he says, adding that he intends to use his role to address those issues.

Kinloch's district is socioeconomically diverse, he explains, and ranges from financially strong communities to financially challenged ones. He intends to use his role on the County Commission to address a myriad of issues of importance to residents including poverty, senior housing concerns and building safety, and access to resources and programs that can help residents to improve their circumstances. He says, "When you serve in public office you have a responsibility and a duty to serve...and to fight the various challenges residents have." One challenge Kinloch is currently giving his attention to is water rates and the resulting water shut-offs.

"I'm excited about the opportunity to address the needs of residents and I'm looking forward to the remainder of this term and having further conversations and finding out the needs that resident's would like to see the Wayne County Commission and Wayne County Government actually focus on."

Jonathan Kinloch can be reached at [email protected] or at 313-224-0916