Dearborn voters can learn more about the three ballot proposals to be decided in the Nov. 8 election by watching a League of Women Voters forum on the topics on CDTV, the City of Dearborn’s official television channel.

During the Nov. 8 election, Dearborn voters will be asked to make decisions about temporarily increasing the funding for City services and authorizing a dedicated source of revenue for the library system.

A third ballot proposal asks voters to decide if the Civil Service System should be eliminated from the City Charter.

The ballot proposal forum was hosted by the Dearborn-Dearborn Heights League of Women Voters in the Dearborn City Council Chambers.

CDTV is now broadcasting the ballot proposal forum on cable channel 12 on Comcast and cable channel 10 on WOW on the following schedule:

• Mondays and Wednesdays: 6 a.m., 10 a.m., 2 p.m. (Mondays only), 6 p.m., and 10 p.m.

• Tuesdays and Thursdays: 7 a.m., 11 a.m., 3 p.m., and 11 p.m.

• Fridays: 6 a.m., 2 p.m., 6 p.m., and 10 p.m.

• Saturdays and Sundays: 8 a.m., 12 p.m., and 4 p.m. (Saturday only)

The League’s forum can be viewed any time at the City of Dearborn’s website, www.cityofdearborn.org

During the forum, Mayor John B. O’Reilly, Jr. addressed questions from the League of Women Voters and audience members about the three ballot proposals.

Proposal 1 asks voters to decide if the City’s operating tax rate should be temporarily increased by no more than 3.5 mills for no more than 5 years. The operating tax is the most critical source of funding for most City services.

Proposal 2 asks voters to decide if they want to authorize a 1 mill dedicated tax for library services for no more than 10 years.

The forum also includes a presentation by Eric Lupher, director of local affairs for the Citizens Research Council of Michigan, who gave a general overview about Civil Service Systems.

His information was background for Proposal 3, which asks voters to decide if the Civil Service System should be eliminated in Dearborn.

City Attorney Debra Walling joined the Mayor in answering questions about Dearborn’s Civil Service System, which applies to certain City of Dearborn employees.

The League also held a forum with the candidates for the Dearborn Public Schools Board of Education. There are four candidates for two school board positions, which will be decided in the Nov. 8 election.

CDTV will broadcast the school board candidate forum every day from now until Nov. 8.

On the Nov. 8 election day, polls will be open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

For more election information, call the City Clerk’s office at 943-2032.

The first of three Town Hall meetings with the Dearborn Police Department to discuss how residents and police can work together to prevent crimes in neighborhoods kicks off this evening at Bryant Middle School beginning at 7 p.m.

Representatives from the Dearborn Police Department will also explain the specific ways the department serves the community.

During the Town Hall events, residents can meet Police Chief Ronald Haddad, learn about crime patterns in their neighborhood, see police vehicles on display, get free child identification kits, pick up crime prevention material, and sign up for timely police and traffic alerts via the NIXLE communication system.

Bryant Middle School is located at 460 North Vernon St.

The next free Town Hall Meetings are:

• 7 p.m. Thursday, October 27

City Council Chambers, Dearborn City Hall, 13615 Michigan Ave.

.• 7 p.m. Wednesday, November 2

Dearborn Public Schools Administration Building, 18700 Audette

The onset of autumn and cooler weather generally marks the beginning of the flu season.  As a preventive health measure, the Wayne County Department of Public Health is offering flu shots for residents at its clinics in Wayne, Taylor and the Redford area.

The flu season typically runs from November through April, but can start as early as October and end as late as May, according to the Wayne County Health Dept. Each year, the flu vaccine is specially formulated to protect against the types of flu viruses currently circulating annually worldwide, such as seasonal and H1N1 strains.

The flu is a mild to severe contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can lead to serious complications in some individuals, including persons with chronic medical conditions and seniors, and can even result in death.

The cost of the flu vaccine is $15 for adults and $10 for qualifying children. Payment is by cash only. Medicaid will also be accepted.

Vaccines are offered for adults and children, six months of age and older, on walk-in days and by appointment. Public Health flu shot clinic hours are as follows:

Wayne Health Center

33030 Van Born Road (at Venoy), Wayne

734-727-7100

Walk- in Days: Monday and Thursday , 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Appointment only: Wednesday, 11 a.m. – 6:30 p.m., and Friday, 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Taylor Health Center

26650 Eureka Road (east of Inkster Road), Taylor

734-955-3900

Walk-in Days: Monday and Thursday, 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Appointment only: Wednesday, 11 a.m. – 6:30 p.m., and Friday, 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Redford Area Health Office

17421 Telegraph Road, Detroit

313-537-1708

Appointment only: Wednesday, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

For more information concerning family flu vaccinations at Wayne County’s public health clinic locations, call the Wayne County Department of Public Health at (734) 727-7000.

For additional influenza and flu prevention facts, visit HERE.

The Ford Community & Performing Arts Center is celebrating its 10th anniversary serving the greater Dearborn Community and will mark the occasion with a day-long open house at The Center on Thursday, October 20.

The Center will have free admittance all day to the swimming pools, gymnasiums and fitness area, beginning at 5:30 a.m. The day is hosted by the Recreation & Parks Department.

Starting at 6 p.m., representatives from the department’s many partnership organizations—including our youth sports and cultural arts groups—will be available in the lobby area to answer questions and pass out information concerning their specific organization.

From 6-8 p.m. the Open House will feature organized activities—such as soccer clinics, basketball tournaments, climbing wall races, a Zumba jam session, and an open video taping with 50 Amp Fuse in the theater—along with t-shirt giveaways, drawings for iPods and light refreshments.

In addition, the Dearborn Recreation & Parks Department will unveil it new logo.

For further information, call 943-2350.

With the closing of its Health Department this summer as part of budget cuts, the city of Dearborn is reminding residents that they will need to look elsewhere to obtain flu shots this year.

City officials say that while Dearborn no longer offers flu shots, residents may consider Wayne County Health and Human Services (734-955-3900) and ACCESS Community Health and Resource Center in Dearborn (313-216-2200).

On Saturday, Oct. 22, flu shots for those 18 and older will be offered during a free clinic at the ACCESS Community Health and Resource Center, 6450 Maple St.

The clinic will be 10 a.m. – 3 p.m and is sponsored by ACCESS and the Health Alliance Plan (HAP) of Michigan,

Senior citizens may choose to attend the Dearborn Senior Health and Information Expo on Nov. 9, during which $5 flu shots will be available from DMC (Detroit Medical Center) from 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

The expo will be in the Hubbard Ballroom of the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center, 15801 Michigan Ave. There is no charge for admission to the Expo, which also includes a wide range of health screenings.

The San Francisco 49ers, in town Sunday to play the Detroit Lions, are planning to practice Saturday at Dearborn High School’s football field, DeepsaidWhat.com has learned.

San Francisco is 4-1 and plays the undefeated Lions at 1 p.m. on Sunday at Ford Field in Detroit.

The 49ers are scheduled to practice at my alma mater between noon and 2 p.m. on Saturday. Dearborn Police will be at the field to keep an eye on things and manage any crowds that may gather if the practice is held.

Now Dearborn High School can brag that they really do have the best football field in Dearborn, good enough for the five-time Super Bowl champ 49ers to ask to use.

Go Lions!

Dearborn is asking residents to rake loose leaves into the street the day before your trash day/Public Service Days for pickup beginning the week of Oct. 24.

It’s that time of year again. Collection of loose leaves raked into the streets is scheduled to begin the week of Oct. 24 and end on Friday, Dec. 2, depending on the weather.

To make it easier for crews to pick up the leaves and to keep the streets safer, residents are encouraged to rake leaves into the street only on the day before their neighborhood’s Public Service Days.

Public Service Days are the same as trash collection days.

Vehicles must be removed from streets on these days from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Contractors paid by residents to rake leaves must follow the same guideline and should not rake leaves into the street until the day before the appropriate Public Service Day.

Below are the rules as outlined by the City of Dearborn:

For example, if your trash day/Public Service Day is on a Monday, you should try to rake your leaves into the street on a Sunday. If your trash day/Public Service Day is on a Wednesday, you should try to rake your leaves on Tuesday.

Due to the volume and size of Public Service Day districts, crews may not be able to pick up all the loose leaves in a neighborhood on the designated Public Service Day/trash collection day.

City crews will return to the area the next week on Public Service Day, starting where they ended with the previous collection. For example, if your trash day/Public Service Day is on a Tuesday, crews will be collecting leaves on a Tuesday and then return the following Tuesday to continue in your neighborhood.

For a weekly leaf collection schedule, call the Leaf Hotline at 943-2444.

Avoid raking leaves into the street too early, as leaves left to pile up in the street for days before scheduled collection can present traffic and safety hazards.

Preferred method: Bag leaves for curbside pickup every week

Leaves also can be disposed of by putting them in 20-32 gallon containers marked “Yard Waste” or in paper landscape bags for curbside pickup on regular trash collection days every week until Dec. 16.

Bagging them or putting them in the proper containers on the curb will ensure that they are picked up every week on your trash day. In contrast, loose leaves raked into the street in front of your house are only picked up as crews can get to them.

The City’s curbside yard waste collection program ends on Dec. 16.

Yard waste stickers to mark your containers are available at City Hall. Paper yard waste bags do not need stickers.

Leaves in plastic bags or in cardboard boxes will not be picked up.

Former Dearborn Civil Service Commissioner Marjorie Powell is seeking a court order to prevent Dearborn city officials from trying to eliminate the city’s Civil Service system through a Nov. 8 ballot question.

In a lawsuit filed by Dearborn attorney Morris Goodman, plaintiff Powell claims the city of Dearborn is in violation of Michigan law and is seeking an injunction to have the question removed from the ballot.

The Nov. 8 ballot question asks Dearborn residents to decide on a measure that would eliminate the city’s civil service system, a governing commission that oversees city employee matters, including hiring, promotions and rate of pay. While commissioners are not paid, the city’s human resources administrator, who reports to the appointed commission, earns a six figure salary.

Elected city leaders claim the commission is redundant, duplicating the protections provided by unions. Powell and her lawyer say the ballot question is “disingenuous” and in violation of state law.

“It is clear the real reason that the City of Dearborn wants to change from a Civil Service System to a Human Resources Commission is to rid itself of Marjorie Powell, the litigation in case (she has against the city) and Human Resources Administrator Valerie Murphy Goodrich,” the lawsuit states.

“. . . By eliminating the Civil Service Commission, both Powell and Murphy-Goodrich would also be eliminated so they could not be in a position to thwart attempts to appoint unqualified political cronies to positions of power within Dearborn city government.”

The wording of the ballot proposal says:

“The Dearborn Civil Service System as defined in Chapter 11 of the Dearborn City Charter was created before city employees formed 8 distinct labor unions to represent their interests in negotiating contracts that cover wages, benefits and work rules. The provisions in these contracts take precedence over the Civil Service policies. Dearborn is one of the few Michigan cities that still has a Civil Service Commission. If necessary, the City Council could create a Human Resources Commission by ordinance to oversee any employment issues for City employees.

“Shall the Dearborn City Charter be amended to eliminate the Civil Service Commission by repealing Chapter 11?”

According to the lawsuit, the city is in violation of Michigan law because the ballot question cannot be more than 100 words and “shall consist of a true and impartial statement of the purpose of the amendment or question in language that does not create prejudice for or against the amendment or question . . .”

In addition, the lawsuit points out that most larger Michigan cities do indeed have a Civil Service Commission, including: Detroit, Grand Rapids, Warren, Flint, Sterling Heights, Lansing, Livonia, Westland, Troy, Southfield, Kalamazoo, Wyoming, Pontiac, Taylor, St. Clair Shores, Saginaw, Royal Oak, Dearborn Heights and Muskegon.

“To say ‘Dearborn is one of the few Michigan cities that still has a Civil Service Commission’ is disingenuous and needs and explanation,” according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit also notes that a new City Charter was passed by voters in 2007 that “maintained and even strengthened the prior Civil Service Commission provision.”

This could get messy. Stay tuned . . .

The Dearborn Historical Museum wants your best Dearborn story.

What if you could buy a book featuring your favorite story about living or growing up in Dearborn? What if you could help write the book?

That’s the idea behind a new project just launched by the Dearborn Historical Museum to collect 300 stories from residents and former residents – and publish the results in time for Christmas shopping.

“This is the quickest turnaround for any book deal I ever heard of,” said L. Glenn O’Kray, vice chairman of the Dearborn Historical Commission, who is supervising the project for the museum. “We’re asking people to write us a very short story – about 900 words — and get it to us by Thursday, October 20. We’d like to have the book ready for sale by November 15.”

The goal of the project is to create a book that will help provide a “sense of place” about Dearborn, its culture and history, according to O’Kray.

“Of course we’re also hoping that people will want to see their names and their stories in print,” O’Kray added. “This could be an important fund raiser at a time when the Historical Museum is in deep financial trouble.”

All proceeds from sales of the book will go to support the museum, which has begun a membership drive to help keep its doors open after city funds run out during the fiscal year ending June 30, 2012.

(more…)

Dearborn Police Chief Ronald Haddad will meet with residents at a town hall meeting on Nov. 4.

The Dearborn Police Department and Chief Ronald Haddad will be holding a series of town hall meetings to discuss crime prevention and any other topics that might be on the minds of residents.

Representatives from the Dearborn Police Department will also explain the specific ways the department serves the community.

The following is a schedule of the free Town Hall Meetings:

• 7 p.m. Wednesday, October 19

Bryant Middle School, 460 North Vernon St.

 • 7 p.m. Thursday, October 27

City Council Chambers, Dearborn City Hall, 13615 Michigan Ave.

The final town hall meeting is scheduled for Nov. 2 at Dearborn Public Schools Administrative Building (Ten Eyck), 18700 Audette. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m.

Items on the agenda for the Town Hall meetings include:

• Meet Police Chief Haddad

• Learn about crime patterns in your neighborhood

• Police vehicle display

• Free child identification kits

• Crime prevention material and tips

• Sign up for NIXLE

• Open discussion