Hemlock Pool SAD Fails With 75 Percent 'No' Vote

The pool could still be included in a future ballot initiative aimed at creating a tax for all Dearborn pools.

The ballots are in, and the outlook is not good for Hemlock Park's neighborhood pool. Of 1,963 ballots sent in a Special Assessment District vote to Dearborn residents of the Hemlock neighborhood, 486 were returned. Of those, 369 voted against creating a SAD, while 117 voted for the proposal. Ballots were issued July 13 and had to be returned to the City of Dearborn by Aug. 3. Results were released Saturday, Aug. 4, by Dearborn City Clerk Kathy Buda. Hemlock Pool is one of two pools that city officials opted to close in 2011 in a series of budget cuts that also included the closure of the Snow Branch Library, and the city's Health Department. Residents of the Hemlock area were the only to turn in petitions to look into the creation of a …

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Celebration of Life: Community Support Pours in for Dearborn Woman with Cancer

A fundraiser was held Tuesday for Nancy Misovich, a Dearborn resident and mother of five who is battling breast cancer.

Nancy Misovich rarely thinks about herself. A dedicated mother of five and involved member of the Dearborn community, she hasn't let breast cancer stop her from rallying in support of keeping Dearborn's pools open. And so the community activism group Save Our Pools decided to give back to her. More than 200 people attended a fundraiser for Misovich and her family, held Tuesday night at Summer-Stephens pool. Organized by SOP members, the event included a live band, swimming, food and a silent auction and raffle filled with goods donated from businesses and residents. Misovich, who rarely had a moment to herself at the event, said she was "humbled" by the gathering of people. "There's so many friends to visit with, so many people that have …

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Pool Party Fundraiser Tuesday to Benefit Dearborn Resident with Cancer

Dearborn resident Nancy Misovich is a mother of five currently battling breast cancer.

On Tuesday from 6-9 p.m., Save Our Pools will be holding a fundraiser at Summer-Stephens pool for Dearborn resident Nancy Misovich—a mother of five who is battling breast cancer. Ryan Woods of SOP said the night—which has a suggested donation of $5—will include raffles, food and, of course, swimming. Live music will be performed by Dearborn resident Mark Lane and his band. "As a community we're trying to help (Misovich) out and her family out," Woods said. "(She) never asked for help or anything, but that's her." Woods added that Misovich, an active member of SOP, has been "pretty much the muscle behind the floatie night," which are special nights at pools where attendees are encouraged to bring pool floaties. "(Misovich is) a very devoted…

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Patch Readers Say They Support a Dearborn Pools Millage–Do You?

A poll run this week on Dearborn Patch shows 65 percent support for a dedicated tax to pay for community pools.

POLL: Would You Support a Dedicated Millage for Dearborn's Pools?

Save Our Pools proposed a ballot question that would put the future of Dearborn's pools solely in the hands of voters.

A plan proposed to City Council Monday evening at the 2013 budget public hearing made a suggestion that would answer the question once and for all: Does Dearborn want to pay to keep its community pools? Kristyn Taylor, a member of the Save Our Pools group, brought a plan before council at Dearborn City Hall that would put a ballot proposal before residents asking them to vote on a dedicated millage that would cover the operating costs, capital improvements and maintenance of all eight of the city's pools. The millage would also eliminate the purchase of pool tags, Taylor explained. Instead, all residents would automatically receive tags–as all residents would pay the tax. "We would unite the city with something everyone would choose for …

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Dearborn Budget 2013: What You Need to Know

A public hearing on the budget will take place May 14 at 6 p.m. in the City Council Chambers at Dearborn City Hall.

Dearborn city leaders have been meeting for several months to discuss the details of the fiscal year 2013 budget, which begins July 1. On May 14 at 6 p.m. at Dearborn City Hall, Dearborn residents will be given a chance to express their concerns about the proposed 2013 budget. Think the city needs to make more spending cuts? Want to know why certain capital improvements are being made? Don't want to see the voter-approved 3.5 mill increase enacted? This is the time to speak up. Here's what you need to know as Dearborn heads into another budgetary year. Click the links to read more details about specific budgetary discussions. Even if the Dearborn City Council levies the full 3.5 mills additional afforded to them by voters, the fiscal year …

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Mootown Voice

11:24 am on Wednesday, May 9, 2012

POWDERBURNER, how else do you expect to raise three households of kids? Polygamy gets expensive. Without all the freebies our neighbors wouldn't be able to pay for necessities like car insurance.. oh wait, they don't.   more ›

Dearborn Pools Group Halts, Questions Neighborhood Funding Plan

Concerns about the city's ability to pay, plus the actual costs to residents, are holding up progress on the Special Assessment District plan for Dearborn's small pools.

Plans to set up special assessment districts to help offset operating costs for Dearborn’s six neighborhood pools have been put on hold, the Save Our Pools group announced Monday. In a memo given to city officials, the group said that, “residents feel there are too many questions and not enough answers” to move forward with a ballot proposal on the issue at this time. The Outdoor Pools Committee had hoped, through ballot questions, to establish SADs comprised of households surrounding the pools, which would be responsible for covering the capital improvements, operating costs and extra fees associated with each pool. SADs would, if approved by voters, cover the costs for 10 years for pools at Crowley, Summer Stephens, Ten Eyck and Lapeer …

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Emily

4:39 pm on Thursday, May 17, 2012

So, several issues with the "just buy your own pool" idea: One, it defeats the purpose of having a "neighborhood" pool when you are only inviting a few people over; two, it's very expensive both to buy a pool and pay for the increase in homeowner's insurance; and three, many of us in this area live on postage stamp-size lots and there's not really room to put in a pool if we actually want to have…   more ›

Neighborhood Pools Funding Plan Moves Forward

Efforts are moving ahead for the Outdoor Pools Committee to create Special Assessment Districts to support Dearborn's small pools.

Plans to put Special Assessment Districts in place to fund Dearborn's small outdoor pools could come before residents as soon as this month, the city announced Thursday. The Outdoor Pools Committee, Recreation Department and city officials met Thursday at City Hall to discuss a plan that they hope will secure the future of Dearborn's small pools by 2013. The city hopes, through ballot questions, to establish SADs comprised of households surrounding the pools, which would be responsible for covering the capital improvements, operating costs and extra fees associated with each pool. SADs would, if approved by voters, cover the costs for 10 years for pools at Crowley, Summer Stephens, Ten Eyck and Lapeer parks, as well as Whitmore Bolles and …

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Kara

2:30 pm on Tuesday, June 5, 2012

I hear what you are saying. I thought of the Dearborn Heights idea because last year there just didn't seem to be that many people at the Dunworth pool when we went. It looked like they need more people coming to be able to cover the costs of the pool. They won't get many when the price of non-Dearborn residents is $80.00.   more ›

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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