Council Approves New Business, Discusses Snow Removal

The Dearborn City Council met Feb. 7 at , discussing several matters pertaining to rezoning of properties, upcoming street construction and a new restaurant on Michigan Avenue.

Here’s a look at some of the highlights from the meeting.

• The council had a first reading of an ordinance rezoning the property on the north side of Dix Road near Roulo to allow for the construction of a two-story medical facility “that will help enhance the Dix-Vernor business district,” according to Council President Tom Tafelski. The ordinance is based on a recommendation by the City Planning Commission and will be voted on by City Council at their next meeting

• A resolution was approved to revise a contract with Down Under Municipal Service LLC to increase spending on sewer work in Dearborn to $159,211.98. The work will include cleaning and inspecting of sewers in several areas throughout town, as well as asphalt resurfacing and water main replacement work that will continue through 2012.

“In order to make sure we have the supplies and all the equipment necessary to do the job in a timely and efficient manner, we camera the sewer lines,” explained Tafelski. “That’s what we’re doing here.”

The work will affect the following streets: Nash, Wellington, Devonshire, Cromwell, Reginald, Coleman, Steadman, Prospect, Chase, Schlaff between Michigan Avenue and Ford Road, Carlysle and Cherry Hill between Telegraph  and Gulley roads.

• A resolution was passed to pay for planting 342 trees in the Columbus Park neighborhood, which runs from Kendall to Schaefer and is bound by Tireman on the north and Diversey on the south. The trees will be planted this spring.

• The council heard a resolution to approve the project recently passed by the Library Commission to partner the Dearborn Library System with the Dearborn Heights Library System. Once the agreement is signed by both cities’ mayors, the reciprocal borrowing program will go into effect, opening up all six libraries to residents of both cities. The libraries will also roll out an education campaign.

“There are advantages both ways for each community,” Mayor Jack O’Reilly said of the measure.

• A resolution was passed to officially establish the Warren Business District Improvement Authority. Approval of the organization will allow it to act much like a downtown development authority, meaning that they can solicit funds from the area for improvements to the business district.

• After the most amount of debate seen during the city council meeting, local business owner Jason Wess received approval for a transfer of ownership and liquor license needed to open his new restaurant and nightclub, the Last Call Lounge.

The lounge is located on Michigan Avenue across from City Hall, and Wess was met with a barrage of questions from City Council about both his ability to run a successful business, and to run a legal one. The legal apprehensions arose from issues brought up by the previous owner, who broke firearm and liquor license laws while managing the property.

Wess assured the council that no illegal activity would take place. As for his ability to make the new business a success, he said, “When I put my mind to something, I do it 110 percent.”

Despite voices of opposition, the transfer was passed unanimously.

• Councilwoman Susan Sareini brought up complaints from residents that snow removal this year was sub-par in some areas of the city, including no snow removal from cul-de-sacs and plowing of some residential streets that left residents unable to park because of unplowed areas up to several feet away from the curbs.

“We have to watch what we do, because we have constraints,” Mayor O’Reilly said in regard to how quickly streets get plowed. “I’ve approved overtime in the last week twice … but we have to use it very wisely.”

O’Reilly also explained that cul-de-sacs are often plowed at a different time than the rest of streets due to the fact that a smaller plow is needed to navigate them.

As for the lack of plowing on some streets, Public Works Director James Murray explained that the failure of some residents to remove their cars from the street can hinder the ability to plow properly. “In this storm, there were a number of cars parked on the sides of the streets,” Murray said. “Plowing in the middle was the only way we could get down the street.”