CALUMET CITY — Michelle Markiewicz Qualkinbush’s title will change, but her role will not.
After more than 35 years as an elected official in Calumet City, Markiewicz Qualkinbush will leave city hall for the last time Friday afternoon.
Thaddeus Jones, who defeated Markiewicz Qualkinbush in a hotly contested Democratic primary in February and won the general election against token opposition earlier this month, will be sworn in Saturday afternoon as the city’s first black mayor.
“I work as hard as a I did in 2003. I’m still working today,” Markiewicz Qualkinbush said Thursday afternoon. “I’m going to be the (city’s) biggest cheerleader.”
Born and raised in Calumet City, Markiewicz Qualkinbush began working for the city in 1977. She was promoted to deputy city clerk two years later and was elected to the first of five terms as city clerk in 1985.
She ran for mayor to complete an unexpired term in 2003, and won a court challenge to the initial results that showed her losing by 24 votes. After being declared the winner by 57 votes, Markiewicz Qualkinbush was reelected in 2005, 2009, 2013 and 2017.
Jones’ election marks a turning point for a city that, according to U.S. Census statistics, is now 74% black, 16% Hispanic or Latino, and 10% white.
“I think we were very good at creating a wonderful team of department heads who were diverse,” Markiewicz Qualkinbush said. “I appointed the first African American female to hold the office of city clerk. Our city council is very reflective of who our town is made up of.”
Infrastructure improvements are another point of pride for Markiewicz Qualkinbush. She pointed to the new Blues Water Run, a park on the banks of the Little Calumet River across from River Oaks Center. A groundbreaking ceremony was held last week for the park, whose $2.4 million cost will be covered by grant money. Another major project funded by grants will be the replacement of lead water service lines over the next five years.
Navigating the pandemic was a challenge for Calumet City as it was for every other municipality. “We’ve seen declines in property taxes, declines in gas taxes,” Markiewicz Qualkinbush said. “Our businesses have taken a hit. They’re still recovering from that.”
Markiewicz Qualkinbush is glad to see pandemic restrictions lifting, but she believes the best news for the city could be down the road.
“I still say that I think Calumet City is the best location for that (south suburban) casino,” she said. “I think that will change our future and the (future of) the south suburbs in general.”
Casino operator Delaware North is one of four companies vying for the right to operate a south suburban casino, which it would locate at River Oaks Center. Delaware North officials said a temporary casino could be up and running in the former Carson’s store at the mall within 90 days of license approval, with a permanent facility to be built on the south parking lot.
River Oaks still has two anchor stores in Macy’s and JC Penney, and Markiewicz Qualkinbush said the former Sears building “has some exciting possibilities.”
While brick-and-mortar retailers struggled to retain customers even before the pandemic lockdown, Markiewicz Qualkinbush believes a casino could help bring back customers.
Keeping the city’s other commercial corridors — along Sibley Boulevard, River Oaks Drive and Burnham Avenue, among others — thriving has been another focus. Tax increment financing (TIF) districts are one tool to aid in that, Markiewicz Qualkinbush said.
The Torrence Avenue commercial corridor was caught up in the unrest last summer in the wake of the killing of George Floyd by former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin.
“As we saw the looting incidents at the mall … I think it was heartbreaking to watch,” Markiewicz Qualkinbush said. “I think we’re going to get there (in terms of achieving social justice). As a nation, we have a lot to learn. As far as our (police) department is concerned, we do a lot of training. There have been incidents along the way we’ve held folks accountable for.”
Now Markiewicz Qualkinbush is ready to pass the torch to Jones.
“I met with the new mayor trying to create a smooth transition,” she said. “I think the town knows I love the town and I worked hard.”
Source: www.nwitimes.com