Dearborn City Plan Commissioner's Reappointment Denied by Council Vote
Council President Tom Tafelski denied Said Deep from reappointment with a single vote at the shorthanded council meeting after refusing to table the resolution.
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Dearborn resident, former journalist and local blogger Said Deep will no longer be a part of the Dearborn City Plan Commission–but it wasn't because of overwhelming disapproval of his reappointment by the Dearborn City Council. Rather, Deep's departure is the result of a single "nay" vote from council president Tom Tafelski and the absences of three councilmembers at Tuesday's council meeting.
The regular meeting started with councilmembers Mark Shooshanian and Brian O'Donnell absent, and Council President Pro-Tem Suzanne Sareini left early, as she was feeling ill.
Tafelski had previously requested a role-call vote on the issue of Deep's reappointment to the commission, which Mayor Jack O'Reilly said—in an interview after the meeting—meant that someone would likely vote against the measure.
The appointment—which would have lasted until June 30, 2015—required the support of four councilmembers, but seeing that only four members were present, O'Reilly requested that the vote be tabled until the next meeting.
Tafelski denied the request and the attending members all voted yes, except for Tafelski, who voted no.
O'Reilly explained the contention regarding Deep's reappointment stems from the opening of the Goodwill retail store in Dearborn.
While discussing the approval of the store's Special Land Use request on the commission, Deep was concurrently blogging about Goodwill and its interactions with the commission on his site, deepsaidwhat.com.
O'Reilly said that he agreed that what Deep had done was "inappropriate," but added that this issue was unprecedented and unfamiliar. He added that he met with Deep, who verbally agreed not to blog about issues at hand in the commission if he were to be reappointed to it.
O'Reilly said he then shared this information of the verbal agreement with the council at Thursday's briefing session and Committee of the Whole meeting. At that time, Tafelski expressed his surprise that the appointment was being considered, and requested the roll-call vote.
"It's unfortunate because I didn't know before I got to this meeting that we had the absences,” O'Reilly said, adding that he believed all other councilmembers were comforatble with the reappointment. “I could have pulled the agenda item before the meeting commenced.”
Sareini had originally supported the resolution to reappoint Deep.
"If all seven (councilmembers) were here, we wouldn't be having this conversation," O'Reilly said.
He added that regardless of who attended Tuesday's meeting, if he had simply known that only four members would be present, he could have removed the resolution from the agenda and waited until a later date.
O'Reilly said he will now look for a way to appeal this decision.
"(Deep has) been attending regularly, he's participated,” O'Reilly said. “I felt he was really committed and his voice is an important voice."
Millie
7:50 am on Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Deep said bye bye ..
Donna Hay
8:24 am on Wednesday, July 25, 2012
And the mayor said ,,,, if I would have known I would have removed this item from the agenda - just like a little kid - I want my way or I won't play! Be very interesting to see if he gets his way this time. I'm sure he must have felt his heart beating a little faster when Suzanne left the meeting and he realized that he just lost the ballgame!
whachadune
7:14 am on Thursday, July 26, 2012
Said Deep makes me want to run out of the room and throw up too.
Next Gen
8:36 am on Wednesday, July 25, 2012
This is a disappointing vote by Council President Tafelski. No matter where you stood on the discount store matter, Commissioner Deep always added intelligent comments and had questions at the City Plan Commission hearings on every matter. Compare Commissioner Deep's commitment to Dearborn's future versus several of the other City Plan Commission members, and you would think Commissioner Deep was one of the few City Plan Commission members who actually listened and knew what was going on. Further, what confidential information did Commissioner Deep blog about? How is Commissioner Deep's blog any different from Representative Darany's or County Commissioner Woronchak's e-newsletter?
Could Commissioner Deep's blog have shed too much light on the secretive back room deals in Dearborn politics? I know I find information in Commissioner Deep's blog that I would not find elsewhere -- and this information is not confidential. Dearborn citizens want to know more about the inner sanctum of Dearborn politics, but some in that inner sanctum want to keep the door shut to us citizens outside.
cheryl
8:47 am on Wednesday, July 25, 2012
I agree Next Gen...I totally disagreed with Deep's stance on the Goodwill store, but he is dedicated and present, which is head and shoulders above some commission AND council members. And Donna, I'm not a fan of the mayor at all, but in this case we lost a good person due to parliamentary procedure. And it's very common in business and politics to table issues and votes if you don't have a good representation of members present to discuss. Maybe the council will actually start doing its governance...I've got to believe that after a certain amount of unexcused absences, you can be eliminated.
Jessica Carreras
9:40 am on Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Actually, Cheryl, the city just passed that exact rule: If a City Plan Commissioner is absent for three or more times during the year (doesn't have to be consecutive), they can be removed by the Commission chair. The person will have the chance to explain their absences.
Mary Jo Durivage
6:26 pm on Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Agree, agree, agree.
Peder Blohm
12:32 pm on Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Could this be the beginning of “political positioning” by Tom Tafelski.? This is the second time he steps up against the Mayor. The first was the purchase of the new City Hall, and now Said Deep’s seat on the Planning Commission. I think we will have a Mayor’s race next year between Tom and the Mayor. What do you think..?
Donna Hay
4:53 pm on Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Think that something is brewing at City Hall and I think you hit the nail on the head Peder. Should be very interesting to follow this.
Cluck Cluck
5:15 pm on Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Not a chance. Tafelski doesn't have the stones to quit his council president position to run for mayor against O'Reilly. If it happens, it will be because he makes nice with the mayor and the mayor quits before his term is up to accommodate Tom pursuant to some deal, OR, the mayor decides not to run and Tafelski decides to roll the dice. The "independent" charter commissioners should have re-written the part that requires a council person to step down before they can run for mayor. This mayor for life stuff is getting really old.
fatima fatibu
8:34 pm on Thursday, July 26, 2012
Tom showed some balls, that unfortunately OO'Reilly doesn't possess -- Good job Tom, don't let him bully you.
Armain Pilbossiann
2:22 pm on Friday, July 27, 2012
Peder, Tom has shown he is not one of O'Reilly's flunkies, i.e. Shooshenian, Hubbard etc. I personally hope he runs against Bluto O'Reilly, because it would be nice to have a leader who will lead our City the proper way, not the way its been run the past few years. Give him hell Tom, you will have a lot of people in your corner,
Patti Mack
1:37 pm on Wednesday, July 25, 2012
@ Peder Blohm ... I, for one, would certainly WELCOME it ...
kathy maurin
1:46 pm on Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Sounds like dirty politics to me.
Cluck Cluck
5:11 pm on Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Chickens coming home to roost? Which side of the Marge Powell debacle was Deep on compared to Tafelski? If you take an opposing position, you'd better expect the other side to take a shot at you when he can. Nothing new or even surprising about that.
Thomas Barszczowski
8:12 am on Thursday, July 26, 2012
A lot was written about Marge on Deep's website. With two strong personalities, plus varying opinions, it is not surprising there may be some conflict. And the winner is........
Concerned Citizen
11:10 am on Thursday, July 26, 2012
Said Deep is very well informed, smart, and cares deeply about Dearborn. His blog is invaluable to the citizens of Dearborn. It's too bad Tafelski (and the other council members who absented themselves) can't see what a great asset Deep is to our community.
Phil Humber41
1:34 pm on Thursday, July 26, 2012
Deep just reguritates articles and press releases from local news sources. He does no "independent reporting" except to benefit his pet special interests. Zero talent. Giant ego. Nice to see HIM get b. slapped for a change.
"Infamous? That's even MORE famous than famous!"
4:13 pm on Thursday, July 26, 2012
No kidding. Not sure how anyone could reasonably come to the conclusion that his blog is "invaluable" to anyone. It's just articles posted from the Press and Guide.
So much to say
2:19 pm on Thursday, July 26, 2012
Phil...I have no clue who you are, but I can tell that you went to Ass Clown school and graduated in the top of your class with Teddy T. I find it hysterical that you are all so quick to jump on the Dump Deep bandwagon when most of you have no clue what the role off a Planning Commissioner actually is. Dearborn just let go of a good one. I can vouch for that above and beyond any of you. It's easy to call the plays when you are not suited up for the game. Dearborn city council continues to play with their third string (if that) quarterback on the field. What a city! Can't wait to get as far away from this hot mess of a municipal government as possible. Deep...keep doing what you do. You will do great things.
Margaret Blohm
4:43 pm on Thursday, July 26, 2012
Wondering how the Mayor can now appeal this decision if Marge Powell's removal from the Civil Service Commission could not be appealed after her many years of service? How does this work?
Kristyn Taylor
1:13 pm on Friday, July 27, 2012
It seems the city might be making a statement that blogging is forbidden among commissioners. Here's my blog post about why that's not ok! http://kristyn4council.wordpress.com/2012/07/27/is-blogging-forbidden-in-dearborn/