Sumpter candidate seeks to unseat Wayne County Commissioner Aug. 2

Toni Clark of Sumpter Township, is running for Wayne County 11th District Commissioner on the Democratic side of the Aug. 2 primary ballot, seeking to unseat Commissioner Abdul “Al” Haidous who is running for reelection.
The winner of the Democratic battle will face unopposed Republican candidate Corey Blue in November.
Toni Clark, D.
Clark, 67, of 23623 Sumpter Rd., has lived in the district for 33 years and is retired.
Clark was elected Sumpter Township Supervisor and ran for township clerk. She was appointed Sumpter Township Deputy Clerk and Deputy Treasurer and also was appointed Augusta Township Deputy Clerk, City of Inkster Clerk, and London Township Deputy Supervisor.
She said she is running for this office because, “I believe it’s time for a change. The County of Wayne has more assistance and the state and federal governments that have been untapped resources that we need to take advantage of.”
Her goals, once elected, are to, “Make sure the 11th District helps all its communities and visit their meetings more often, not just during an election.”
Clark graduated from Vandercook Lake High School in Jackson, MI, and has training and experience in many areas, including real estate, emergency management, bee pollination, supply chain management, surgical procedures, and radon remediation.
Among her many memberships, she belongs to the Michigan Democratic Party, Western Wayne Democratic Club, Michigan Beekeepers Association, Belleville Area Chamber of Commerce, Children of Nuclear Veterans, the American Rosie the Riveter Association, and participated in the Oct. 24, 2015 event at Willow Run that earned a Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of women dressed as Rosie the Riveter.

Abdul “Al” Haidous, D.
Abdul “Al” Haidous, 79, 39225 Glenwood, Wayne, is running for reelection to the Wayne County Commission from District 11.
He has lived in the district for 48 years and he and his wife Mary have five children: Sarah, Norman, Randa, Lena, and Dania. He was a small business owner who retired before being elected Wayne County Commissioner.
He was elected to the Wayne City Council and served as Mayor of Wayne.
Haidous is an honorary member of UAW Local 900 Retiree Chapter.
“I love spending time with my grandchildren and have been known to enjoy taking care of my lawn,” he said.
He said he is running for this office because, “I believe everyone has a responsibility to serve their community in whatever capacity they can. For me, public service has been the way I give back to my community. I started as a City Council Member, then Mayor, and now as Wayne County Commissioner of District 11. My service and experience provide me with a great wealth of knowledge, skills to get things done, and not just weather the storm but emerge stronger.
“I see great possibilities in District 11 and Wayne County and want to continue to work with my constituents to find solutions and new opportunities to improve District 11 while moving us forward. While running a small business and raising my family in the city of Wayne I have seen this District evolve and grow. This gives me a deep and unique understanding of the city of Belleville, Romulus, Wayne, and Flat Rock and the townships of Huron, Sumpter, and Van Buren which comprise District 11. This knowledge has helped me tackle the issues facing our communities. I have a strong track record of involvement and working with all community stake holders across a wide array of projects. I want to continue engaging with the community and working hand in hand with all constituents to help our communities and citizens succeed.”
When asked what his goals are, once reelected, he replied: “My goals are to continue working on infrastructure issues and economic development in District 11 as these have the biggest impact on the community. By strengthening and improving these areas we create a stronger core and position our communities to take advantage of greater opportunities. I have been working systematically with the cities and townships of District 11 to identify infrastructure areas in need of repair and new developments and securing the funds to ensure these projects are completed successfully. In the area of economic development, I have been working with Michigan Workforce to make training programs accessible to our workers and prepare them for new employment opportunities and to draw new businesses to District 11. District 11 has many great resources available to businesses that set up here. As County Commissioner, I will continue to work with stakeholders to promote the cities and townships of District 11 to draw in businesses. This means continuing to create a strong, reliable infrastructure, well trained and prepared work force, and economic development pans and incentives that encourage business growth and benefit our communities.”

Corey James Blue, R.
Corey James Blue, R, 19234 Sumpter Rd., Sumpter Township, is running unopposed on the Republican side of the Aug. 2 primary ballot for Wayne County Commissioner, District 11. He will be on the November ballot to face off against the winner of the Democratic primary race.
Blue, 38, is married to Elizabeth and they have three daughters, El, Violet, and Guinevere, and one son Colin. He has lived in the district for five years.
He is a mechanical engineer with a bachelor of science degree in Mechanical Engineering and an A.S. in Manufacturing. This is his first bid for public office.
He is an automotive enthusiast, enjoying race cars and restoration of classic vehicles, 1/10th and 1/8th scale radio-controlled car racing, and is a weekend welder, machinist and fabricator. He also is a concerned citizen of Wayne County District 11, Belleville Independent reader, and editorial submitter.
Blue said he is running for the commission, “Because the only time the current commissioners care about the electorate is during election season. We are nothing more than votes to them. Elected officials around here view ‘their’ positions more as a career path than actual service to the public. This can be observed in their reactions during public discourse. They never have the realization that their position is actually the people’s position. When it came to COVID mandates our commissioners never once listened to the public, they marginalized the public. I seek to give the public its voice back.”
Once elected, his goals are to: “Stop all local unconstitutional mandates associated with personal health choice and business closures. Giving the public their voice back through listening and improving transparency. Address inflation at the local level by fighting property tax increases that the current administration is pushing. Work to end the sealed bidding process and stop local elected officials from using their various townships as their personal kick-back schemes.”