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.

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 . . .

Dearborn residents can help guide the future development of the city through participating in upcoming public workshops and taking an online survey.

The 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.

The first public workshop is 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 19 in the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center. It will be in Club Room One.

This will be the kick-off event and is open to all residents.

The workshop will include interactive sessions to discover what Dearborn residents think is visual appealing for a community.

Additional exercises will help define the type of community residents want to aim for. The sessions will also help to identify the infrastructure and design elements that would support that vision.

Among the options might be: a quiet suburban community, a hot spot for night life or business and shopping activity, a community known for its green initiatives and alternative energy options, a community with pockets of activity amid quiet neighborhoods, or a full scale city with a combination of amenities.

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

A summation workshop will wrap up these sessions.

The schedule is as follows:

• Northeast and southeast residents: 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 27 at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center, Studio A, 15801 Michigan Ave.

• 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.

Dearborn households will be receiving a post card with the online survey information the week of July 18.

In addition, paper copies can be picked up at City Hall in the City Plan Office. They can also be found at the Henry Ford Centennial Library.

It is important to note that Master Plan is not law and is not binding.

The Master Plan provides a basis for the city to write and enforce zoning laws that set forth how property owners can develop and use their land. It also recognizes the need to balance the interests of residents, businesses, and a large daytime working population.

So will Dearborn taxpayers get left holding the bill for the more than $1.1 million in damages two former Dearborn district court employees were recently awarded by jurors?

It appears so.

Judge Mark Somers

In case you missed it, 19th District Court Judge Mark Somers who sits on the bench in Dearborn, had two separate juries in two different civil trials, award two former district count employees hundreds of thousands of dollars over claims they were fired in violation of Michigan law (one award was for $463,000, a second for $732,000).

A third trial for a third ex-employee, who has a whistle-blower lawsuit against Somers, is expected to begin next year.

In a column in Sunday’s Detroit Free Press, Brian Dickerson writes that a multitude of legal authorities and precedents say tax paying Dearborn residents will get hit with that tab, which likely will exceed $2 million with attorney fees and interest.

Dickerson writes that Dearborn city attorneys have taken the public position that the city, which was not a defendant, is not liable for any damages.

We will see how that position plays out in the coming months as “taxpayers and municipal insurers in Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, West Bloomfield and Southgate were left holding the bag when lawsuits against judges in their communities were settled in the plaintiffs’ favor,” Dickerson writes.

The Dickerson column is an interesting read because he points out that none of the judges in any of these lawsuits has “ever been removed from office, suspended or even publicly reprimanded by any disciplinary body.”

“Jurors have found the judges’ conduct — and their credibility as witnesses in their own defense — wanting.  But neither the Judicial Tenure Commission nor the Attorney Grievance Commission — the organizations responsible for policing the ethical conduct of judges and lawyers — concedes that those judges have done anything unethical.

“So much for holding the men and women who oversee Michigan’s courts to a higher standard,” Dickerson says.

For the complete Free Press column, click HERE.

The city of Dearborn is making it easier for residents to remember what day to bring that big green recycling trash bin to the curb with a new calendar.

While most of us now have the routine down, every other week on trash day, it can be easy to forget.

So here is where you can download and print a new curbside recycling calendar www.cityofdearborn.org

The recycling calendar runs from July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012 and replaces the one that came with each recycling cart and expired June 30, 2011. The new calendar was also in the last edition of the printed city newsletter, The Back Fence, which was mailed to every household in April.

Dearborn Police Enforce ‘Zero Tolerance’ Policy on Illegal Fireworks

Fans of Camp Dearborn’s annual Beach Bash will have to find a new place to view fireworks.

Fireworks go off over the lake at last year's Camp Dearborn Beach Bash.

Dearborn’s budget situation has forced cancellation of the fireworks show at Camp Dearborn, originally scheduled for July 2.

“Unfortunately, the Beach Bash was cancelled because of the budget situation,” a spokeswoman for the city said. “We will save about $24,500 by not holding the event this year.”

Separately, Dearborn Police are reminding residents that they will be enforcing the city’s “zero tolerance” policy regarding the illegal and unsafe sale and use of fireworks.

“Each year, we see cases of personal injury and damage to property when people use illegal fireworks,” said Police Chief Ron Haddad. “City ordinances prohibit the sale and use of illegal fireworks, or the unsafe use of legal fireworks.”

Police officers will respond to fireworks complaints. Adults found to be violating the city’s fireworks ordinances will be ticketed.

Officers will not issue warnings for fireworks use.

Parents whose children are found to be violating fireworks ordinance may also be ticketed under the city’s parental responsibility ordinance.

Both cases are misdemeanor offenses, carrying a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail and/or a $500 fine.

In all cases, illegal fireworks will be confiscated.

To report fireworks in your neighborhood, call the Police at 943-2201.

Dearborn Mayor John B. O’Reilly, Jr. is urging everyone who cares about Dearborn to ignore the words of people who plan to target this weekend’s Arab International Festival to misrepresent who we are in this city to serve their personal agenda.

Mayor O’Reilly’s open letter to our community begins below:

Dear residents and friends of Dearborn,

Mayor John B. O'Reilly, Jr.

This weekend we will again be visited by persons who want to use our community for their own ends. This time their target will be the Arab International Festival which has been part of our community for almost two decades. These visitors are not interested in the Festival or learning about and celebrating Arab culture. They are coming here to promote the concept that Islam is a false faith and that Muslims by teaching and nature are violent.

We know that there is no substance to their message – their goal is to promote fear and hatred in others. More than a month ago in Dearborn, faith leaders of all religions from all over Metropolitan Detroit rejected their message by standing together arm in arm and proclaiming that Islam is a legitimate faith and Muslims are an important part of our greater faith community.

Nowhere was the dishonesty of those using Dearborn to attack Islam more clear than when Terry Jones stood on the steps of our City Hall and recited the Pledge of Allegiance over as if we in Dearborn had never heard it. In his ignorance he failed to recognize that we recite the Pledge of Allegiance at events all over our City no matter who is the sponsor because we always stand together as Americans.

I sincerely ask everyone that cares about our City to wish these people peace and God’s forgiveness and then ignore them and their empty words. Their goal is to bait and anger us so that they can then misrepresent who we are in order to serve their personal agenda. Debating them and confronting them at this event or in our City can produce no positive result for us. We know we are people of peace but we are also people. All humans take exception to those who wrongly accuse us or suggest that our deepest beliefs are false and evil. It is human to become angry but it is divine to forgive. As all of our religions teach us we must rise above our human instincts and follow God’s instructions to be agents of peace and forgiveness. We must also encourage others to do the same.

We must be true to our collective goals of promoting a safe and positive environment for all of our residents and guests to be successful and enjoy their lives. We are a positive example of the ideals and goals of America to be a place of opportunity for everyone and a nation that respects everyone’s rights to their own beliefs. If we will stand for peace and tolerance, we will stand for America and Freedom.

Budget hearings aren’t popular evening events among Dearborn residents, judging from the number of people who regularly attended sessions at City Hall this year (except for the well-organized Save our Pools team).

Yet the decisions our elected officials made in approving the fiscal year 2011-12 budget Tuesday night will have ramifications for all of us in the coming weeks and months.

So the question becomes is there a better way for our elected officials to more effectively communicate with all of us to get our input and alert us to what is coming before it occurs?

Tom Tafelski

We called out the City Council earlier this week for not having enough public hearings to collect input from residents on the budget. Council President Tom Tafelski took umbrage with that statement and quickly contacted us to set the record straight, saying our figure of just six budget meetings this year (a figure provided to us by former Councilman George Darany who is now a State Representative) was grossly understated.

Tafelski provided documents to us showing the total number of budget meetings was actually 14 this year, up from 12 meetings in 2010 and eight in 2009. Six of those budget meetings for fiscal year 2011-12 took place before April 15, the date the mayor presented his budget proposal to council, according to Tafelski. Seven meetings took place after the April 15 date the budget was presented to Council. The final meeting (budget approval) took place June 7.

Having meetings for the sake of meetings isn’t something we advocate but it still feels thin, particularly given the budget task this year and the more difficult cuts coming in fiscal year 2012-13. The challenge remains how to engage residents earlier in the process.

In regards to our suggestion that city-issued Council cell phones should be terminated, Tafelski and Councilman Robert Abraham quickly contacted us to tell us that neither uses a city-issued cell phone.

Tafelski said just two council members currently have city-issued cell phones: Nancy Hubbard and Suzanne Sareini.

The remaining council members get reimbursed by the city for minutes used for city work on their personal phones, Tafelski said. Those payments come from each councilmember’s city-issued personal budget, which is $3,500 annually. Council members use that same budget for educational purposes, as well, such as attending classes sponsored by the Michigan Municipal League, Tafelski explained.

Even with the budget passed, more hard work remains. Dearborn is considering seeking a millage increase that could be as high as 3.5 mills. City Council will need to approve such a measure by July 8 in order for it to make it on the November ballot. Lots of questions remain on what the added revenue would be used for and how the millage question would be framed.

The key thing for all of us will be to inform our elected officials what we expect from a millage increase. Emailing each of them is a good way to start.

Dearborn City Council

Tom Tafelski: 313.943.2405 – ttafelski@ci.dearborn.mi.us

Suzanne Sareini: 313.943.2404 – ssareini@ci.dearborn.mi.us

Mark Shooshanian: 313.943.2406 – mshooshanian@ci.dearborn.mi.us

Robert A. Abraham: 313.943.2408 – rabraham@ci.dearborn.mi.us

Brian C. O’Donnell: 313.943.2407 – bodonnell@ci.dearborn.mi.us

Nancy A. Hubbard: 313.943.2403 – nhubbard@ci.dearborn.mi.us

David Bazzy: 313.943.32402 – dbazzy@ci.dearborn.mi.us