DETROIT – Wayne County Commissioner Bernard Parker announced Wednesday he will not be on the ballot for re-election in the 2012 Wayne County election.
Instead, he will seek to become the City Council representative for the newly formed District 4 on the east side of Detroit.
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Parker was first elected to the commission in 1992.
In a statement, he said his decision to leave the county is based, in part, on the restructuring of district lines for Wayne County.
According to Parker, because of the realignment of county districts, he would no longer be able to serve the community he was born and raised in.
Parker said the new County District 2 will include the five Grosse Point communities, Harper Woods, and Northeast Detroit.
He said running for Detroit City in the newly formed District 4 would allow him to serve the same Northeast Detroit community he worked with as a commissioner.
"I still want to serve the Eastside of Detroit but believe I can best do that as a City Council member representing District 4," Parker said. "I believe that I shouldn't seek the Commission seat when I have the intention of running for City Council." Parker served as the Chair of the Committee on Ways and Means for eight years and approved a balanced budget each of those years.