Finally!

Monica Conyers has seen the light and resigned from the Detroit City Council. Another shameful chapter in the history of our city has ended.

Of course, it took threats from the city itself as well as from Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox to actually get her to hang it up, so she doesn't deserve much credit for what might have been, if done immediately after her pleading guilty to bribery last Friday, an at least vaguely admirable act. When she actually did step down, it was with a terse three line resignation letter to the council clerk. Don't cry for me, Argentina.

What it means for Detroit is that we finally have the most polarizing vote on the Council gone. Conyers as a political player did more to drive support away from the city than even the former mayor whose name I will not mention. We can now actually get to the work of seeing ourselves in a regional light, a light which will surely allow us to progress on such major issues as Cobo Hall expansion and revamping the water system. A light which should make it easier for new Mayor Dave Bing and recently restored Council President Ken Cockrell Jr. (she thought about challenging that, if you'll recall) to move Detroit forward.

It is, as I have said all too often here, sad that it had to come to this before saner and cooler heads prevailed. Hopefully, we are now beyond crisis and into positive action.

Or do I hope too much?