Conyers, Council Clash On Staff Pay

DETROIT -- Monica Conyers is no longer a member of the Detroit City Council, but she is getting the attention of the council president with a request.

The former council member wants her staff to get extra pay.

Local 4 obtained memos in which Conyers seeks 30 days extra pay for six of her staff members, including one member of her family.

The request comes even though Conyers resigned from office this past Monday after pleading guilty to federal fraud charges.

Council president Ken Cockrel does not buy the idea.

"It would be unprecedented given these circumstances. It's definitely something I think the council realistically cannot do and the reality is these are requests and demands being made by someone who is no longer a member of the city council," Cockrel said.

One of Conyers' staffers said the request might be a good faith gesture to pay the staff for overtime, but their contracts make no provision for overtime pay.

Cockrel said Conyers has not made a rational argument.

"If you're so concerned about your staff being compensated, you should have thought about that before you made certain moves that now put you in this position. The reality is her staff have lost their jobs and they've lost their jobs because of her," Cockrel said.

Even after resigning from the city council, Monica Conyers continued her "Ask the Councilwoman" cable TV show this week. She said she can still use the title.

Ken Cockrel commented on that, saying it amounts to false advertising.