Macomb County, Mich., set to hire ombudsman
Macomb County, Mich., is looking for someone to help change the misconceptions of racism in its hiring, and it is ready to get rid of its good-old-boy image. To achieve that goal, the county is hiring an ombudsman in response to claims by several black job-seekers that they were passed over by the county in favor of less-qualified white applicants. According to the Detroit Free Press, community activists, who support the new job, said county leaders have watered down the position’s duties and that they will be watching to ensure qualified people of color get an even shot. The new job is part of a large push to be more open and fair to residents, while others have called it keeping up with the times. http://www.freep.com/news/locmac/ombud9e_20040909.htm