REPLAY: Dearborn State of the City

Share your thoughts on Dearborn Mayor Jack O'Reilly's speech about the economic outlook, upcoming developments and city budget.

Dearborn Towers Sale Held Up By Asbestos Concerns

Dearborn City Council on Tuesday approved a 2012 insurance contract for the property.

The planned sale of the Dearborn Towers has hit a road block, Mayor Jack O'Reilly confirmed Tuesday. A concern over asbestos in the property has caused the need for further inspection before a deal is reached with any buyer. The city publicly announced its intention to sell the Clearwater, FL, retirement property in late 2010, after voters approved the move in 2007. Prospective buyers were numerous, according to the city. But Mayor O'Reilly explained that an evaluation of the property is needed "to determine how (the asbestos) will impact remodeling and what is the extent of it." While evaluation costs will likely be in the tens of thousands, the city is also taking a hit to revenues–and to the general fund–as long as the property is still…

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No Dearborn Libraries Proposed to Close This Year

A budget discussion Thursday evening centered around the future of the Dearborn Public Library.

Though exact details of how the Dearborn Public Library will be funded beyond its dedicated one mill are still a mystery, Mayor Jack O'Reilly told library officials at Thursday afternoon's budget session that he has no intention to propose the closure of either the Bryant or Esper branches for the 2012-13 fiscal year. "I do not intend to recommend the closure of any libraries for this year," O'Reilly said at City Hall Thursday. This is not a guarantee that the library will receive the full $1.6 million in general fund dollars it has requested to keep both branches and the Henry Ford Centennial Library up and running; rather, it means that O'Reilly will not include a closure of a branch in the budget proposal he will present to City Council…

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No Additional Pools Will Close in 2012, Mayor Proposes

An outdoor pool committee will have one year to find an alternative funding source for neighborhood pools.

As Dearborn’s 2012-13 budget proposals are beginning to be formed, Mayor Jack O’Reilly has given news that has pools proponents breathing a sigh of relief: he is recommending that no additional outdoor pools close in 2012. However, that promise comes with a caveat, explained Save Our Pools leader Ryan Woods. “It a sustainable plan isn’t developed, Dunworth and Ford Woods would be the only pools open in 2013,” he said. The exact method to achieving a plan that would provide alternative funding for the pools hasn’t been decided, but a special outdoor pool committee–comprised of SOP members, city officials and recreation commissioners–is working with the city to try to come up with a solution. Neighborhoods May Pay for Their Pools Each of …

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The White Stuff: City Plows Prepare for Wintry Weather

With last winter’s record snowfall in the history books, Dearborn’s Public Works department said there are no losses in resources that would deter plowing this winter.

Dearborn has yet to see any significant snowfall this winter–but that doesn't mean the city has forgotten that the flakes can cause a lot of problems. Last winter, three major blizzards nearly immobilized southeast Michigan, making it difficult for residents to leave their homes for work, errands or other business. Meanwhile, city crews worked overtime to clear streets–just in time for more snow to fall. Many residents, at public meetings and online, called Dearborn's plowing efforts inadequate. "Having lived in Dearborn a good part of my life, I have seen a lot of city services decline over the years, snow removal no exception," resident Diane Lewis commented on a Dearborn Patch article last February. "I understand budget constraints play…

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