Special Report
ON THE COVER
Man Behind from page A13
honest or transparent about the job on a
daily basis:' Cherrin said. "Mayor Cockrel
has brought transparency to the office of
mayor and he expects the same from his
appointees."
The mayor, for his part, counts Cherrin
as one of his key trusted advisers.
"Daniel brings a sense of professional-
ism to city government;' Cockrel said.
"His unique background as an attor-
ney, lobbyist and public relations execu-
tive allows him to advise me on the best
approach to handling a variety of situa-
tions."
Echoing those sentiments, Curtis
Blessing, one of the mayor's advisers, went
further by adding that Cherrin's future
is almost limitless because of his strong
communication skills and his knowledge
of the law and public policy.
"From the very first day [of the transi-
tion], Dan has been very focused and
disciplined in helping Mayor Cockrel's
efforts to both change the tone of city hall
and to deliver solutions to really big prob-
lems the mayor has inherited from the
former administration," Blessing said. "In
the future, because he is so multitalented,
there will be many opportunities for Dan
to pursue public policy"
Jewish Focus
Cherrin and his wife, Marni, make
religion a cornerstone of their lives.
Attending shul at Congregation Beth
Shalom in Oak Park, the father of Emma,
5, Brianna, 4, and Spenser, 2, believes that
Jewish values are at the core of living a
well-rounded life.
"We are guided by our Jewish values,
which helps us raise our children:' he
said. "We have a kosher home, belong to
a synagogue and remain active in that
synagogue. We send our oldest to Hillel
Day School [in Farmington Hills] and
soon her siblings will follow. We taught
our children early on the traditions of
Shabbat and the various holidays."
While the typical day involves helping
his wife get their kids ready for school,
reading several newspapers and prepar-
ing to help advise the destiny of more
than 800,000 city residents, Cherrin takes
it all in stride. Asked whether another
run for public office is in his future, the
man who shapes perceptions for a living
was noncommittal, but not prepared to
rule it out.
"I have no immediate plans:' he said.
"However, perhaps once my children are
older, I may revisit the opportunity." El
herrin Helps Mayor Shape City's Political Agenda.
Bryan Gottlieb
Special to the Jewish News
B
arely 60 days into his role
as Detroit's 61st mayor, Ken
Cockrel Jr. faces a Herculean
task of righting the course for
America's 11th largest metropolis.
As General Motors and the other
domestic automotivecompanies flirt
with bankruptcy, and the city council
calls for $10 billion in loans to shore
up Detroit's precarious finances, the
stakes couldn't be higher for the mayor,
who just turned 43 at the end of
October.
While his interim term will only last
eight months, barely a blip in the politi-
cal realm, the mayor has already won
praise with several key appointments,
including veteran beat cop James
Barren as police chief and former
Auditor General Joseph Harris as chief
financial officer.
Daniel Cherrin, Cockrel's press sec-
retary, who has known the mayor since
his time as a federal lobbyist for the
Detroit Regional Chamber, acknowl-
edged that it has been a challenge to
take over a city awash in graft, per-
ceived or otherwise.
"Of course, he is a breath of fresh air
compared to the previous administra-
tion, offering folks a fresh start at how
the city government operates," Cherrin
said. "And while he leads the city with
great transparency, he also makes sure
everyone is accountable to the people
for which they serve."
To that end, one of Cockrel's first
acts of business as mayor has been
to clean house of all the Kilpatrick
appointments which were, at best, ill-
advised, or, in many more cases, just
plain cronyism in the grand tradition of
A14
December 11 , 2008
Detroit Mayor Ken Cockrel counts on advice from Dan Cherrin.
yesteryear's political machines.
"He has cleaned up the government
by not wasting any time firing people
whose jobs were undefined and by
investigating people who were improp-
erly placed into the civil service,"
Cherrin said of the mayor.
Cockrel also is reviewing existing
contracts and terminating those that
don't make sense, Cherrin said.
To the latter point, it was recently
reported that Cockrel terminated the
contracts of four investment firms that
were being paid more than $2 million a
year to advise city officials on various
types of securities city government
should invest in. State law clearly
defines the types of securities that may
be purchased by the city.
With only six months left in the
mayor's interim term, Cherrin acknowl-
edged that the administration had to
pick and choose its priorities, with one
of the most important being restoration
of Detroit's image among the local and
regional business communities.
"He has put solid appointees in place
at vital departments and continues
to work with the Detroit Regional
Chamber, Detroit Renaissance and
other business agencies to create a
business agenda," Cherrin said. "He is
also working diligently to save the auto
industry, support immediate funding by
Congress and find opportunities to help
those who may be laid off."
Other priorities include the contin-
ued clean up and greening of the city,
which has become even tougher with
a looming multi-billion dollar budget
crisis. The often-discussed expansion
of Cobo Center is another concern
that the mayor, in conjunction with his
suburban counterparts, has fought to
resurrect.
"It is important to look at the city as
part of the region and take into account
all of our regional assets and how we,
as a region, can work together for the
benefit of the area," Cherrin said. "So
whether it is Cabo, our zoo or a number
of other venues throughout Southeast
Michigan, we need to work together."
Peter Cummings, founder and chair-
man of Ram Realty, whose company
has property holdings downtown,
including the Riverfront condominiums
on Jefferson Avenue, said the change in
administration is one of many positive
elements that makes Detroit an attrac-
tive place for investment.
"Ken Cockrel has been certainly per-
ceived as a positive change after the
unfortunate last year of the Kilpatrick
administration; and the business com-
munity has received it in a positive
light," Cummings said. "I think if you
look at the statistics and the relevant
position of the city with respect to
housing, measured against what is hap-
pening in the suburbs, I think the city is
more than holding its own."
Robert Cohen, head of the Jewish
Community Relations Council of
Metropolitan Detroit, expressed the
Bloomfield Township-based organiza-
tion's commitment to the city. Cohen
acknowledged the mayor's effort in
strengthening ties with Detroit's Jewish
business community.
"The Jewish community of
Metropolitan Detroit remains very
much connected to the city of Detroit,"
Cohen said, adding, "We recognize
that the health and welfare of the
region is inextricably linked with the
city's future. The Jewish Community
Relations Council leadership has
already met with Mayor Cockrel to
express our readiness to help the city
address the many challenges it faces."
A question often asked of any politi-
cian — no matter their political stripe: Is
he (or she) good for the Jews?
"Absolutely," Cherrin said of his
boss. "We have already met with a
number of leaders in the Jewish com-
munity and the mayor looks forward to
being more involved, including inviting
the Jewish community back to the city
of Detroit." 0