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Wayne County Commission hears American Heart Association presentation, adopts Wear Red Day resolution as members oppose proposed airport cigar bar
Summary
The commission received an American Heart Association presentation on cardiac emergencies, adopted a resolution recognizing Feb. 7 as National Wear Red Day, and several commissioners voiced opposition to a proposed cigar bar at Detroit Metro Airport after staff signaled an RFP is imminent.
The Wayne County Commission heard a presentation from the American Heart Association on heart-health education and voted to adopt a resolution recognizing Feb. 7, 2025, as National Wear Red Day.
Aylin Boyles Dukes, representing the American Heart Association, told commissioners “Over 350000 Americans suffer from cardiac arrest emergencies each year. And if you aren't aware, 23000 of those are children.” She urged training in hands-only CPR and said school cardiac emergency response plans (CERP) are now required for schools; she said advocates are seeking state appropriations to help schools buy and maintain AEDs.
The association’s presentation concluded with a warning about a separate matter: Dukes said a proposal is moving within the airport authority to open a cigar lounge or cigar restaurant in the McNamara Terminal. Commissioners reacted during the meeting: Commissioner Clark Coleman said, “I will be opposed to, any effort to, open a cigar bar at the airport, and I will be reporting back to this commission, when and if it happens.”
Commissioners and Dukes said the airport issue could expose travelers and staff to secondhand smoke and that ventilation and employee-protection provisions had not been discussed in the training Dukes attended. Dukes said she expected an RFP to be released “this week or beginning of next week, so just before your meeting” of the airport authority, and that the authority’s board would consider any resulting package.
Why it matters: The presentation highlighted the potential to save lives through CPR training and AED availability in schools and public places, and the airport discussion raised immediate public‑health and workplace safety concerns for travelers and employees.
Commission action: Commissioners voted to approve items 1, 2 and 3 under “ordinances, resolutions and presentations,” including the resolution recognizing National Wear Red Day. The motion to approve items 1–3 was moved by Vice Chair Pro Tem Baydoun and carried on a voice vote; no roll-call tally was recorded in the transcript.
Additional details from the presentation and discussion: - Dukes said “9 out of 10 folks” who suffer out‑of‑hospital cardiac arrest do not survive; she emphasized hands‑only CPR and offered training resources. - Dukes described work to align appropriations to support CERP and AED procurement, noting state budget proposals showed some support. - Dukes advised commissioners that the proposed cigar lounge would occupy the First Floor of the McNamara Terminal in the area formerly used by Johnson & Murphy, and she encouraged commissioners to contact airport authority members before the authority meeting on Feb. 19.
The commission presented the American Heart Association with a framed copy of the resolution and invited the presenter forward for photos.
Ending: The commission asked constituents and fellow commissioners to monitor the airport authority’s RFP timeline; the Health‑related resolution will be filed with commission records and the commission plans follow‑up correspondence about the airport proposal.
