Many Dearborn nonprofit groups participate in Homecoming to raise money for the Dearborn community and beyond, including the Dearborn Firefighters Burn Drive and the vegetables that support their renowned Free Corn on the Cob booth.

Dearborn’s annual Homecoming festival takes place August 5-7 at Ford Field Park, and even though it is in its 32nd year, many people may be surprised to learn that the event has always been a major fundraiser for Dearborn nonprofit groups.

So when you are buying pierogis, Italian sausages, hot dogs, dippin dots, lemonade, waffle fries or other treats, you are also supporting nonprofit causes that strengthen our community.

More than 30 nonprofit groups participate in Homecoming, with more than 20 involved directly in fundraising.

In fact, all the food and beverage booths outside of the carnival area are exclusively organized and staffed by nonprofit groups, and the money raised in the booths goes to the organizations.

Combined, these groups raise about $70,000 each year for causes that benefit the Dearborn community and beyond.

Among those are: supporting veterans in need, rescuing abandoned animals, providing scholarships, assisting people who are visually impaired, supporting youth sports programs, supplementing funds for high school activities, helping children injured by burns or giving a boost to unemployed families.

This year, the City has teamed up with the Dearborn Community Fund, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the promotion of cultural arts and recreation, in an effort to emphasize Homecoming’s charitable aspects.

The Dearborn-based nonprofit groups involved in Homecoming are as follows:

American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA), Dearborn Area Board of Realtors, Dearborn Chamber of Commerce, Dearborn Chapter Order of DeMolay, and the Dearborn Commission on Disability Concerns.

Also, Dearborn Community Arts Council, Dearborn Education Foundation, the Dearborn Exchange Club, Dearborn Federation of Teachers and the Dearborn Firefighters Burn Drive.

The Dearborn High Athletic Booster Club, Dearborn Lions Club, Dearborn Outer Drive Kiwanis Club, Dearborn Youth Football Association, Divine Child Men’s Club, Edsel Ford High School Booster Club and the Fordson Varsity Alumni Club.

Father O’Kelley Knights of Columbus, Fort Dearborn American Legion Post 364, Friends for the Dearborn Animal Shelter, Italian American Fraternal Club of Dearborn, the Lebanese American Heritage Club and the Michigan-Dearborn Alumni Legacy Foundation.

The Polish League of American Veterans Post 75, Stout Middle School PFSO, The Going Green Foundation, VFW Post 2107 Men’s Auxiliary and the Henry Ford Community College’s radio station WHFR.

Religious institutions also take part: Fairlane Alliance Church, Guardian Lutheran School, St. Clement Orthodox Church, The American Moslem Society and Warrendale Community Church.

More details of some of the groups’ community activities:

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Longtime Dearborn resident David Good, chairman of the Dearborn Historical Commission and author of Orvie: The Dictator of Dearborn, sent us the column below.

A former editor at The Detroit News, Good writes about the city’s master plan survey and the importance of filling out the online survey and allotting a few dollars to the category of “civic institutions” as a way to let our city leaders know that preserving one of Dearborn’s gems, the Historical Museum, is a priority.

Residents have until Aug. 1 to complete the online survey.

Good’s column begins below.

David Good

 “You have $100 to spend on public improvements in the City. How would you split your money?”

That’s one of the key questions in a master plan survey posted on the Dearborn city web site (www.cityofdearborn.org) as part of an effort to get residents involved in guiding “the future development of the city.”

If you’re a good citizen and fill out the survey by the Aug. 1 deadline, either online or on paper, chances are you’ll put most of your $100 on everybody’s usual priorities: police and fire, roads and parks. But if you don’t allot at least a few dollars for the category of civic institutions, you’ll be giving city officials a clue that it’s OK to let one of Dearborn’s least-known gems, the Historical Museum, close its doors.

As explained by Chief Curator Kirt Gross in the current issue of the museum’s quarterly publication, The Dearborn Historian, the museum is facing a “perfect storm” of increasing expenses and declining city revenues. In past years Dearborn has provided more money for historical museum operation than any other city in Michigan. But the daunting budget problems facing cities everywhere led Mayor Jack O’Reilly, always a strong supporter of the historical community, to look for ways to make the museum entirely self-sufficient within three years.

In June the City Council shocked museum supporters by slashing funding by about two-thirds for the new fiscal year – and cutting off city financial support altogether after next June. Unless the master plan survey helps convince city officials that the museum means more to the city than they think it does, the funding cuts means the museum will have to cannibalize money that was earmarked for a storage/exhibit building. And when that money begins to run out, the next steps will be to trim staff even beyond current record-low levels, sell off items from the collection, end the education program that shows second-graders what pioneer life was like – and finally close down the museum’s buildings.

In the meantime, the museum will have to drop plans to convert an old Quality Inn Motel building near Garrison and Brady into a facility to house the museum’s extensive collection of historical artifacts. You’ll recognize the motel building, which shares a wall with the museum’s office building, by the plywood sheeting that covers one entire north face of the former motel.

One bit of gallows humor prompted by the current financial troubles is a tongue-in-cheek suggestion to cover the drywall with a mural and perhaps a slogan like “We’re history.”

Needless to say, museum officials are already planning a fund-raising campaign, but these are dicey times to be asking people to donate money for a historical museum.

Maybe the best hope right now is a plan to include an advisory question on the November ballot to ask voters how they feel about more money for the museum.

In the meantime, for the first time since the Historical Museum opened its doors six decades ago, it is now offering individual memberships to those who have supported its activities and programs in the past. At the same time, the museum announced it will be asking first-time-ever fees for subscriptions to the Dearborn Historian and for admission to museum buildings.

Officials anticipate making every individual in the Dearborn historical community a card-carrying associate member of the museum – at no charge. Along with membership cards, the museum will be offering expanded opportunities to volunteer and to elect a higher level of support to the museum. Associate members who wish to upgrade their memberships by donating to the museum will be eligible for such additional benefits as a subscription to the Historian and discounts at the museum shop.

While all this is going on, museum officials are counting on residents to take the first positive step and fill out those master plan surveys, checking off the boxes that indicate support for culture and history – and by all means allocating as much as possible of that survey’s not-so-imaginary $100 for civic institutions like the Dearborn Historical Museum.

The third of six free outdoor jazz concerts in East Downtown Dearborn is this Wednesday (July 27) at Dearborn City Hall Park beginning at 7 p.m

The free concerts — presented by the East Dearborn Downtown Development Authority (EDDDA), V98.7 Smooth Jazz HD and WWJ Newsradio — will all be held Wednesday evenings from 7:00 to 9:00 pm. Bring lawn chairs or blankets and stake out a good spot for great music in the Park.

Tonight’s free concert features Lin Rountree.

Plenty of neighborhood restaurants will be open nearby too, so grab yourself some tasty carry-out and make it a picnic dinner before the show!

Here’s the schedule of the remainder of shows:

Wednesday August 10: Straight Ahead

Wednesday August 17: Urban Jazz Collection

Wednesday August 24: Alexander Zonjic All Star(s)…special guest(s) to be announced soon.

Libraries, property inspection, parks, swimming pools and recreation, as well as youth and senior programs could become unaffordable luxuries without state help, according to the Detroit Free Press.

In an editorial in Monday’s paper, the Free Press says private citizens can make a difference as evidenced by residents in Romulus. The fund-raising efforts of the Friends of the Romulus Library reopened the local public library after it closed on May 1 due to a millage defeat.

“Everyone should applaud the Friends of the Romulus Library, whose fund-raising efforts reopened the local public library after it closed on May 1 due to a millage defeat,” the Free Press writes. “Their work demonstrates what engaged private citizens can do when cities fail to provide needed public services. Elsewhere in southeast Michigan, other citizens groups have also stepped up and provided money and volunteers to restore programs for seniors and others.”

The editorial also suggested a survey be sent to residents for input on what services to keep. Dearborn did this earlier, sending surveys to 2,000 residents with dozens of questions.

“In the short-term, local governments can help with multiyear budgets that set narrower priorities. Local leaders should talk to — even poll — citizens about what services they consider essential, as SEMCOG has recommended. Many municipalities in southeast Michigan — including the Grosse Pointes, Warren, Wayne, Garden City, Farmington Hills and Ferndale — have already conducted citywide surveys that ask residents to prioritize and rate municipal services.”

For the full editorial, click HERE.

The Dearborn Library this summer is once again offering a Food for Fines program, giving  patrons a $1 reduction in overdue book fines in exhange for donating a non-perishable, non-expired food item.

Patrons may donate non-perishable, non-expired food items from Aug. 1 – 12.

All Dearborn Libraries will be accepting canned or boxed food items in exchange for reductions in overdue library fines.

There is no limit on the number of items donated nor amount of fines cleared, but the donation can only be used for overdue library materials. Patrons cannot apply the donation program to pay for lost or damaged materials.

All donated food will be given to the Dearborn Firefighters for distribution to families in need through the Burn Drive program.

Check any Dearborn Public Library for further information.

Dearborn residents are invited to guide the future development of the city through participating in public workshops and taking an online survey.

The process has already begun with one meeting and will continue at 7-9 p.m. on Wednesday, July 27 with a workshop focused on neighborhoods in the northeast and southeast part of the city. It is at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center, Studio A, 15801 Michigan Ave.

Input will be used in the creation of Dearborn’s new master plan, which will be a vision for the future of transportation, land use, the economy and environmental and cultural stewardship.

The master plan will help determine the physical characteristics of the city and facilitate the type of community residents want to see for the long term.

Two other public meetings will focus on different neighborhoods of the city, although all residents are invited to attend.

The schedule is as follows:

• Southwest residents: 7 p.m. Wednesday, August 3 at the Dearborn Schools Administration Building, 18700 Audette.

• Northwest residents: 7 p.m. Wednesday, August 17 at the Robert Herndon Dearborn Hills Golf Course.

• Summation workshop: 7 p.m. Tuesday, September 20 at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center, Club Room One, 15801 Michigan Ave.

In addition, all residents are invited to complete an online survey about Dearborn and its future development.

The survey can be found at http://www.cityofdearborn.org/live/masterplan

The survey must be completed by August 1.

In addition, paper copies can be picked up at City Hall, 13615 Michigan Avenue, in the City Plan Office. They can also be found at all libraries and at the Arab Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS) main building on Schaefer.

Judge Mark Somers

District Judge Mark Somers pens a column in this weekend’s Dearborn Press & Guide, directing his comments at Dearborn lawyer Morris Goodman who earlier called for his resignation in an earlier column in the paper.

Somers doesn’t change his position on any of the earlier decisions he has made.

“I’m not running from decisions I made four and five years ago,” he writes. “The first: Eliminate a position everyone knew we didn’t need. Replace a $67,000-a-year “deputy” administrator with a $40,000 executive secretary. For the 12 years we had an “assistant/deputy” administrator instead of a secretary, we spent $230,000 more than we should have in base salary alone. Isn’t eliminating wasteful government spending a good thing?”

Somers ends his open letter with these words and invites all readers of the Press and Guide to come to the courthouse and see how things are run rather than relying on a column from a lawyer who once endorsed him.:

“Regardless of your opinion of the outcome or of who among us has done the real damage, at least give me my due for positive achievements on the bench. I’ve handled over 20,000 criminal misdemeanor and 2,000 felony cases and thousands more civil matters with only 3 decisions reversed on appeal, presided over the drug court since 2005 and conducted more jury trials than any other Dearborn judge. The last five years, I’ve collected more than $812,000 more in fines, costs and restitution than one of my colleagues and more than $1,394,000 more than the other. Since 2005, I’ve sentenced offenders to 25,143 days service on the “alternative workforce,” saving $880,000 in jail costs while providing valuable services from cleaning parks and roadways to helping the animal shelter and shoveling snow for seniors. (The other two judges combined for 9,737 days since 2005 and only 116 days this year, effectively abandoning use of this valuable program.) . . .”

I will continue to work, I will continue to toil and I will continue to serve.

Regards,

Judge Mark Somers

For the entire letter, click HERE.

Dearborn’s free outdoor summer concerts – Music Under the Stars – kicks off Thursday evening at the Dearborn Hills Golf Course, featuring Rockestra.

Music Under the Stars is a long-standing tradition in Dearborn. The Thursday evening concert kicks off this year’s series, which runs through August.

All concerts are at 7 p.m. Seats are available at Dearborn Hills, but people are also allowed to bring their own lawn chairs and blankets.

On Thursday, Aug. 11, regional favorite Sun Messengers will entertain swimmers and park-goers at Dunworth Pool at Levagood Park.

On Thursday, Aug. 25, Fifty Amp Fuse will return to the Dearborn Hills Golf Course.

Music Under the Stars complements free concerts sponsored by the East Dearborn Downtown Development Authority on Wednesdays, and the West Dearborn Downtown Development Authority on Fridays.

The DDDA concerts are as follows:

Wednesdays, east Dearborn, 7 to 9 p.m., in City Hall Park

• July 27: Lin Rountree

• August 10: Straight Ahead

• August 17: Urban Jazz Collection

• August 24: Alexander Zonjic All Stars

In the event of rain, the concerts will be moved inside the Arab American National Museum, 13624 Michigan Ave.

For more information, visit www.eastdowntowndearborn.com

Fridays, West Dearborn, 6-9 p.m. Muirhead Plaza next to Bryant Library

• July 29: Justine Blazer, modern country sound

• August 12: Metro Jazz Voices performing selections from all eras of the Great American Songbook

• August 26, Crush, sounds of classic rock and more

In case of rain, the concerts will be held in the Henry Ford Centennial Library auditorium.

Visit www.DearbornwestOnline.com for more information.

Judge Mark Somers

Dearborn Judge Mark Somers is back in the news, this time in the Detroit Free Press.

In a front-page article, Somers says he refuses to compromise, regardless of how unpopular his decisions may be.

Including:

• Throwing a Quran-burning Florida preacher in jail, sparking a free-speech uproar.

• Refusing to dismiss marijuana charges against a man who was prescribed the drug, asserting that the state law permitting it is unconstitutional.

• And, of course, the lawsuits filed against him after his administrative shake-up at the 19th District Court that could cost Dearborn about $2 million. Somers tells the Free Press that the decisions were based “solely on principles — principles he said he refuses to compromise, regardless of how unpopular the decisions may be.”

He does second-guess his decision to use the court’s letterhead when writing three letters that included Bible verses. The letters were entered as evidence in the lawsuits. “It was one of those, ‘What was I thinking?’ moments,” Somers tells the Free Press.

Somers, 53, goes on to say that he has no regrets about eliminating former Dearborn deputy court administrator Julie Pucci’s position and firing former probation officer Simone Calvas, although both women won civil rights lawsuits against him. A third lawsuit, filed by the court clerk, is pending.

Somers said he thinks he should remain on the bench, despite some residents’ call for his resignation. “I acted with integrity, not self-interest,” he tells the Free Press.

For the full article, Click HERE.

So after all the debating on what will stay or go in Dearborn because of a massive budget shortfall, it all comes back to residents.

In November, residents will be asked to approve a tax increase of 30 percent. There will not be a referendum on City Charter mandates for police and fire staffing. Those will be untouched.

Our elected council members voted unanimously (minus Suzanne Sareini who was absent) to put on the ballot proposals to raise the city’s general operating millage 3.5 mills.

In addition, perhaps a bit of good news, there will be a dedicated millage of 1 mill to fund the city’s library system.

According to the Dearborn Press & Guide, the millage proposals are expected to generate roughly $15.8 million in revenue; $12.25 million for the general operating millage and $3.5 million for the library system. Worth noting is that the library millage does not mean all branches will remain open, according to Councilman Brian O’Donnell.

The operating millage hike can be collected for no more than five years, at which point the millage would expire. The library millage would be for 10 years.

The Council also approved placing four advisory questions on the ballot on specific city operations, including curbside loose-leaf pickup, the Dearborn Historical Commission, the library system, and city pools. These questions would be used as input in future city budget processes, but do not have any legally binding effect.

It isn’t quite clear why those ballot questions are really needed, considering the City spent money recently to hire a private firm to mail questionnaires to 2,000 residents where similar questions appeared.

The Press and Guide reports that Council members were split on resolutions to put forth ballot questions that would eliminate minimum police and fire staffing as currently mandated by the City Charter. The minimum staffing questions, which needed at least five “yes” votes, went down by a 3-2 vote, with Councilmen David Bazzy and Brian O’Donnell voting against it. In favor were Council President Thomas Tafelski and Councilmen Robert Abraham and Mark Shooshanian.

For unknown reasons, Councilwoman Nancy Hubbard, left the meeting without explanation before the votes were taken, the paper reports, and after the meeting, was seen outside City Hall . . .