Politics & Government

Dearborn Council Candidate Envisions Thriving Downtown Business District

Dearborn Patch will profile candidates running for office in the Aug. 6 city primary.

Editor's note: All nine elective offices in Dearborn are on the primary ballot — mayor, clerk and all seven city council seats. There are five candidates for mayor, three for clerk and 21 for council. Dearborn Patch will run profiles of candidates seeking the office of mayor, city clerk, and city council leading up to the Aug. 6 primary election.

Candidates Bob Bochenek, Stephen Dobkowski Jr., Mary Petlichkoff, and Mark Shooshanian did not respond to Patch.com's questionnaire.

Today we feature candidate Robert Watson.

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Candidate: Robert Watson

Office sought: Dearborn City Council 

Find out what's happening in Dearbornwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Occupation: Licensed building official and plan reviewer through the State of Michigan; licensed residential builder.

Education: St. Alphonsus High School, Henry Ford Community College, Wayne State University.

Family: Robert Watson and his wife Julie (Rose) have seven children: Erin Conners (graduate of the University of Michigan-Dearborn), Robert J. of the Dearborn Water and Sewage Department, Caitlin, Jake, Lucas (Divine Child Middle School), Jordyn and Jenevieve. He is the son of Bob and Lily Watson of Dearborn.

Previous elected office: None

Current public service: Commissioner and chairman of the Dearborn Demolition Board of Appeals; Historic Aviation Property Owners Association board member; Habitat for Humanity volunteer; manager for the District 7 “non-profit” organization.

What are two key issues in Dearborn?

  1. The purchase of new property for city hall.

  2. The vacant buildings in our business district.

How will you address these issues?    

1. We have bought property for a new city hall that will need a lot of money to repair and bring up to code. What really worries me is that we have done this without selling the old city hall. We have put “the cart before the horse." This has a potential to cost the taxpayers a lot of money. I would like the opportunity to review the bids and figures involved in both buildings. It is a shame we are giving up on one of our historic buildings. The original city hall has some incredible architectural work.

2. My vision is a thriving and attractive Dearborn. Researching similar cities such as Royal Oak, Ferndale, Wyandotte, Clawson and Rochester show me that Dearborn has so much more potential and more to offer. Our business community needs council members to invest time and new ideas that will help not hinder. We need to grow and fill our vacant buildings. Dearborn is the place to be and raise your family.

RELATED:

RELATED:

• Dearborn City Council Candidate Will Champion Business Growth
• Dearborn City Council Candidate Says Community Pools Provide Vital Service
• Dearborn Councilman Seeks Fourth Term, Vows Fiscal Responsibility


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