By Morris Goodman

There are 25 candidates in the August 4 primary for the seven Dearborn City Council seats with the top 14 to appear on the ballot in the November general election. There is no primary for Mayor (only two candidates, Jack O’Reilly and Michael Prus) and City Clerk (incumbent Kathleen Buda is unopposed).

All seven Council incumbents are running for reelection although I am baffled why Floridian Doug Thomas wants to continue to commute. Of course, I am generally baffled by Doug Thomas, but I digress.

So why are the 18 challengers running when Dearborn history tells us that the odds are overwhelming, practically a certainty, that they are running in vain. Incumbents simply get re-elected here (and usually everywhere else). Presumably they collectively think there is hopefully going to be at least one vacancy when Dearborn’s voters realize that Mr. Thomas has essentially moved to Florida. As a result, he has missed a large number of City Council and important committee meetings since the 2005 election.

Also buoying the 18 challengers is the palpable feeling among voters everywhere — here, throughout Michigan, and nationwide — that governments of all kinds are not solving the problems that really plague us, and we should “throw the rascals out.” Incumbents lost in 2008 because voters were tired of them. Who would have believed in July 2008 that African American Barack Obama would be decisively elected President, and that so many incumbent Republicans would be defeated making both Houses of Congress solidly Democratic?

Each of the 18 Dearborn challengers must believe in July 2009 that Dearborn voters are tired of incumbents too. They each hear an inner voice telling them to go forward regardless of their chances. They know if they can just get their message out to enough voters, they will be chosen to replace one or more of those “tossed out.”

However, the most important reason that so many challengers are running for Dearborn City Council is probably the same reason that has propelled candidates throughout the history of democracy to place themselves before voters — from the Roman Forum to New England town meetings. Each candidate knows that he or she can do the job, do it well, and certainly better than those who have had four (or eight, or 12, or more) years to solve Dearborn’s problems, and, in their minds, failed to do so.

It benefits all Dearbornites that so many people are willing to run for Council, if only to keep the incumbents on their toes. While I don’t know most of the first time candidates, in my Dearborn Hills neighborhood I have seen signs for Patrick D’Ambrosio, Rabih Hammoud, Ali Sayed, Brian O’Donnell, and David Bazzy. My neighbors must think highly of them. And I think highly of my neighbors (at least most of them, regardless of what they think of me.)

I do know Adrenne Wygonik, a faithful member of the Dearborn Democratic Club, have given her money (not enough), and intend to vote for her. I do know Sharon Dulmage who has served ably on the school Board for many years, and I intend to vote for her. I also know Nancy Siwik from the Dearborn Rotary, who was an energetic and effective President, and intend to vote for her. I guess that means I can only vote for four incumbents. I will keep them guessing too.

Regardless of whom you intend to vote for (or against) please, please, please vote on August 4 for Dearborn City Council. Democracy requires so little to make it work; voting is one of those essential things that do make it work.

Morris Goodman is a Dearborn attorney and resident, past president of the Dearborn Democratic Club and a longtime political activist and observer.

Dearborn’s Public Service Days could soon become a lot less confusing for residents if City Council next week approves a request by the mayor to make the street cleaning, tree trimming and general neighborhood maintenance a weekly occurrence.

We think the move is a good way to eliminate the confusion caused by the current system, which has many residents guessing which weeks to remove their parked vehicles from the street. Yes, the Dearborn city calendar lists that Public Service Days occur twice a month but it isn’t always accurate.

Under the proposed plan by Mayor John B. O’Reilly Jr., public service days would become weekly and begin an hour later, starting at 8 a.m. rather than the current 7 a.m., which may more naturally remove cars from the streets as many residents depart for work around this time. Public Service Days would still occur on the same day as a neighborhood’s regular scheduled trash pickup.

Public Service Days would cease between the months of December and March.

A series of free outdoor mini concerts sponsored by the West Dearborn Downtown Development Authority (WDDDA) kicks off this Friday, July 10, in Michigan Avenue’s “Pocket Park,” located between Mason and Monroe in west Dearborn.

The first free concert features Carl Cafanga & Friends. Carl Cafanga is one of metro Detroit’s most in-demand saxophonists.  His quartet plays soulful, smooth jazz and will feature Ashaki, a female vocalist, jazz artist and native Detroiter who has performed nationally and in Japan.

Four additional concerts will be held in the Muirhead Plaza adjacent to the Bryant Library on Michigan Avenue. Those dates are:

1. July 24, from 6 to 9 p.m. features versatile cover band Radio Active
2. Aug. 14 from 6 to 9 p.m features Motor City music veterans Merge, performing musical hits from the 1950s to contemporary
3. Aug. 21 from 7 to 9:30 p.m. features the Cleary Quartet
4. Aug. 28 from 6 to 9 p.m. features Thornetta Davis, recognized for her exceptional blues vocal performances

If you are planning to attend the free shows, concert-goers might want to consider bringing chairs and blankets for more comfortable outdoor seating. Maps and other information can also be found at the WDDDA’s web site by clicking HERE.

Dearborn’s annual Homecoming festival could draw all-time record crowds this August, thanks to the city’s decision to hire pop star recording artist/actor Rick Springfield as the headline act.

Rick Springfield will take the stage at Dearborn Homecoming on Aug. 8 at 8:30 p.m.

While none of the Grammy-award winner’s songs are in my iPod, Springfield’s appearance on Aug. 8 at 8:30 p.m. at Ford Field Park will greatly benefit the many nonprofit groups that operate fundraising booths at the festival. These organizations rely on strong attendance, which generates booth traffic and sales. Many of those proceeds then go back to fund their respective community causes. Over the three-day weekend, some groups will gross as much as $14,000 and gain valuable name recognition for their organizations.

There are some residents balking at the city’s approval to pay Springfield $40,000 for his performance at this year’s Homecoming, but when you step back and examine the bigger picture the check written to the Australian-born singer has a more positive impact than it may appear.

Drawing people to the Dearborn Homecoming is only accomplished by providing the right attractions. The standard festival with a few beer tents and five minutes worth of fireworks won’t get anywhere close to the average 150,000 people who attend the Dearborn Homecoming over its three day period.

Take a look at Novi. That city this year cancelled its equivalent of the Dearborn Homecoming due to poor attendance.

Dearborn is fortunate in that it has many generous sponsors that have contributed some $90,000 this year to help offset the city’s operational costs of producing the festival – an event that is considered by many neighboring communities to be the benchmark festival in Metro Detroit. The sponsorship program allows Dearborn to keep the costs to families down, offering some of the lowest prices of any Metro Detroit festival.

Keep in mind, Dearborn is able to leverage these sponsorships due to its historical attendance figures and the market to which it appeals. The basis of any corporate sponsorship is to get your name in front of as many of the right eyeballs as possible. Homecoming is the perfect setting for this and continues to be a valuable investment for businesses. In addition to sponsorship contributions, Dearborn also receives approximately $35,000 via carnival revenues. (An added bonus this year is that families can now purchase online discounted ride tickets in advance of the festival.)

Sponsorships and other revenues, however, don’t cover all the associated costs of Homecoming.  We taxpayers have to do some of that lifting, too. Even so, what Dearborn can’t afford to do is scale back Homecoming to the point where it becomes just another festival or, worse yet, is cancelled. Scaling back during these tough economic times when some people can’t afford to go and pay for a concert or even take their children to an amusement park is the wrong time for cost-cutting. From where we sit, Dearborn Homecoming is the best event our city puts on each year. People can and will complain about the city spending money but the reality is that it costs money (yes, our tax dollars) to produce a quality event.  And people today, probably more than ever, need a nice event to go to these days. Plain and simple.

Homecoming fireworks cost money, too. To the tune of $22,000 per night, $12,500 of which is covered by sponsors each night. A Dearborn Homecoming without fireworks? Unthinkable. The same should be said of a headline music act. Dearborn has had K.C. and the Sunshine Band, Eddie Money and the Commodores perform in recent years. All of which came with a pretty big price tag (the Commodores were more than Springfield, for instance) and drew major crowds.

Springfield may not be my kind of music but he is followed by thousands of other people who will travel from across the state for the free blanket-space and concert in Dearborn. And while these fans are waiting, they will be spending their money at one of the 28 nonprofit, Dearborn-based organizations who operate booths at the festival.

So here’s to a successful Dearborn Homecoming. If you’d like a copy of all Dearborn Homecoming events, you can pick one up at various locations throughout Dearborn or by clicking HERE.

Camp Dearborn’s annual summer tradition — the Beach Bash, held in celebration of Independence Day — will  take place on Saturday, July 4.  It will feature an open air concert by the popular band, Fifty Amp Fuse, from 6-10 p.m., followed by a spectacular fireworks display over the lake.

Visitors to Camp Dearborn can also enjoy the park’s acres of picnic sites, half mile swimming beach, paddle boat rentals, fishing and mini-golf. For more information, click HERE.

Visionary Art 2009, a touring emerging artist exhibition traveling around Michigan, is at the Rotunda Gallery in Dearborn’s Henry Ford Centennial Library until Saturday, July 18.

The exhibit, featuring 41 works created by artists of all ages, is free to the public and can be viewed anytime during the library’s regular hours of operation. For Dearborn Public Library hours and services, visit www.dearbornlibrary.org

With an eye towards introducing people to its more than 180 businesses, the East Dearborn Downtown Development Authority (EDDDA) and Smooth Jazz V 98.7 FM are teaming up to launch their own series of Wednesday concerts at City Hall Park beginning July 22.

In all, there will be five free concerts in July and August.  The concerts will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday evenings, July 22, 29 and August 12, 19 and 26.  The July 22 concert will feature Detroit jazz artist, Alexander Zonjic & Friends.

Performances by other well known Detroit area jazz artists include David Myles & the Mylestones, Jessie Coleman, Penny Wells and The Brothers Groove.

The five concerts will be in addition to the Dearborn Recreation Department’s “Music Under the Stars” concert that will be held at 7:30 p.m. July 30, also at City Hall Park.  The city’s Music Under the Stars series of concerts takes place at various locations throughout Dearborn during the summer and have been well received by residents.

EDDDA Director Michael Boettcher says area businesses have been looking for a reasons to stay open later and the free outdoor summer concerts provide an opportunity to possibly attract new customers.

To learn more about all the EDDDA has to offer, you can visit their new website by clicking HERE.

Dearborn School Supt. Superintendent Brian J. Whiston is making some personnel changes at Dearborn’s middle and elementary schools.

Whiston appointed three new principals at the middle school level last week. His selections must now be approved by the School Board, whose next meeting is in July. The moves at the middle school come as a result of recent retirements.

The changes at the middle schools look like this:

1. Shannon Peterson is named Bryant Middle School principal. She previously was assistant principal at the school.
2. Scott Casebolt is named O.L. Smith Middle School principal. He was an assistant principal at Fordson High School and a former O.L. Smith assistant principal.
3. Majed Fadlallah is named Salina Intermediate School principal. He was assistant principal at Salina and a former assistant principal at Fordson.

The changes at the elementary school level look like this:

1. Radewin Awada, previously DuVall Elementary principal, is named Oakman Elementary principal.
2. Veronica Jakubus, previously Long Elementary principal, is named DuVall Elementary principal.
3. Kathleen Klee, previously Snow Elementary principal, is named Long Elementary principal.
4. Glenn Maleyko, previously Salina Intermediate principal, is named Snow Elementary principal.

If you haven’t visited the Henry Ford Estate recently, one of Dearborn’s unique landmarks, here is a new reason to do so.

The Artists’ Society of Dearborn has been invited by the Henry Ford Estate to exhibit original works of art created by its members of and about the grounds of the estate. Capturing the Beauty: The Landscape of Henry Ford Estate will display work in many media throughout the home and The Pool Restaurant from June 30th-Aug. 31.

An opening reception is set for Tuesday, June 30th from 6-8 pm at the Estate. All are invited. 

From a modest beginning in 1949 when 25 individuals interested in art met in Pansy Taylor’s living room, The Artists’ Society of Dearborn continues to grow. Its members share and develop through art, while contributing to our community. The Artists’ Society of Dearborn is an umbrella member of The Dearborn Community Arts Council.

Henry Ford Estate-Fair Lane, A National Historic Landmark, is located on the campus of the University of Michigan-Dearborn. This national treasure is an exceptional historic site that sheds light on our history and helps explain our past. Rich with technical and architectural wonders, the 31,000-square-foot estate was the family home of Henry Ford and his wife, Clara, for more than 30 years.

The Estate stands as a reminder of Dearborn’s part in shaping the history of the world. It’s a unique landmark where one can celebrate, dine, shop and explore. Tours are available Tuesday – Sunday 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m., and 2:30 p.m. The Pool Restaurant is open Tuesday – Friday from 11 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. for lunch. For more information please call 313-593-5590 or visit www.henryfordestate.org

Kicking off the third annual summer series, The Courtyard at the Ritz-Carlton in Dearborn will be transformed into an outdoor summer garden party complete with food, beverages and free Motown musical entertainment comes to a close Sept. 17.

The outdoor party in the Courtyard will runs from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. The Ritz-Carlton, Dearborn is located at Fairlane Plaza, 300 Town Center Drive. For more info, please call 313-441-2100.