Warren Mayor Jim Fouts won't be mayor, but he's 'not going anywhere'

Warren Mayor Jim Fouts said Thursday that he won't be mayor after his fourth term ends this year, "and that's alright."

But, he added: "Jim Fouts is not going anywhere. I want you to send that message.

"I'm gonna continue to speak up for the citizens of Warren and for good, clean government, which has been sorely missing."

Fouts’ message came about three-quarters of the way through an hourlong news conference at City Hall where he rattled off a laundry list of city accomplishments since becoming mayor in 2007, including diversity hires, new libraries and blight mitigation.

He thanked residents, with several supporters speaking on his behalf and department heads situated around the conference room.

'They made a decision which didn’t make sense'

Fouts took jabs at the City Council and the council’s hired attorney, saying he’s had four years of “hell," with 10 lawsuits filed either against him or the city by the body.

His statements about the Michigan Court of Appeals and the Michigan Supreme Court, whose rulings barred him from seeking a fifth term as mayor, prompted one reporter to ask if he was saying the two courts were corrupt.

“No. I’m saying I don’t know. All I know is that they made a decision which didn’t make sense,” Fouts said. “And I know in the state of Michigan, it’s very common for judges to be wined and dined by law firms. I don’t know about any corruption. I don’t know about anything. … But no, I’m not saying they’re corrupt.”

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His speech, fiery at times, included a list of reforms he’d like to see and came a day after the Michigan Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal by Warren City Clerk Sonja Buffa and the Warren Election Commission after the Michigan Court of Appeals ruled Fouts was not eligible to run again this year.

His hopes were high in March after a Macomb County Circuit Court judge ruled in favor of Buffa and the Warren Election Commission, saying he was eligible.

But they were dashed less than a month later by the Court of Appeals when it ruled in favor of the City Council and Councilman Ron Papandrea, who challenged the initial ruling because of mayoral term limits approved by voters in 2020.

The Court of Appeals judges said Buffa was to “immediately disqualify” Fouts as a candidate for mayor and not place his name on the ballot.

Six other candidates are running for mayor in the Aug. 8 primary, including City Council President Pat Green, state Rep. Lori Stone and Macomb County Commissioner Michelle Nard.

More: Macomb County's culture of corruption: 'It's how it's always been'

Will Fouts run for office again?

Fouts was not named a party in any of the lawsuits, but the decisions by the courts directly affected him.

Asked if he would run for a future political office, Fouts said: “No. 1, I have no desire to run for any position now. But as James Bond said in the movie ‘Never Say Never,’ I can never say never. I don’t know. But, this … this is my passion. This is what I have enjoyed doing for all these years. I go home every night. I return calls. I go to visit people. I enjoy what I do.”

Fouts said he could not publicly support a candidate in a public building, so he did not identify whom he would endorse for mayor, though he did introduce George Dimas, the city’s human resources director, who is among the six mayoral candidates.

Fouts shared some reforms, including electing a new mayor and “all new council” that he hopes will bring needed park improvements, will not attack the fire commissioner and city attorney and will approve a town center around the City Hall, a proposal he has been trying to get through for years. Fouts and his administrative assistant said the City Council has been asked to vote on the proposal “39 times” in the last two years, but hasn’t done so. He said he has a “passion” to see this done.

Councilman Garry Watts, who said he was denied access to the news conference by the “property maintenance door guards” and Fouts’ administrative assistant, said he and citizens are “ready for change.”

Fouts said he wanted to see the city charter reformed and is in favor of reforms for state courts, including discouraging family appointments and a prohibition on law firms “wining and dining judges.” He also said he has a First Amendment right to run for office and that should not be superseded by City Council putting a “vague proposal” on the ballot. He also said citizens should vote for whomever they want.

“I am happy,” Fouts said. “I am going to be on the sidelines rooting on the next mayor of Warren and rooting on a reform council that will bring power back to the people and take it away from a law firm.”

Contact Christina Hall: chall@freepress.com Follow her on Twitter: @challreporter.

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Warren Mayor Jim Fouts, barred from re-election, discloses his plans