Friday, October 21, 2011
Dearborn citizen group says it created the website to inform the public about the controversial ballot proposal and encourage people to vote against it.
- GOVERNMENT
-
Friday, October 21, 2011
A group of Dearborn citizens has launched a website to rally support against a ballot proposal to terminate the city's civil service system, a set of rules, regulations and governing commission that oversee the hiring, firing and promotions of city employees. The group's website, SaveCivilService.com, was created to help ensure that voters are able to make an informed decision about Proposal 3, which is on the ballot for the Dearborn's Nov. 8 election, according to a release from the group. The website includes the Proposal 3 ballot language, which proposes elimination of Dearborn’s Civil Service System. It also includes information about the role of the Civil Service Commission and potential issues if it is eliminated. “I’m encouraging …
Monday, October 10, 2011
Voters will be asked Nov. 8 to decide whether Dearborn should eliminate its civil service system, and disagreements over the decision are already surfacing.
On Nov. 8, Dearborn residents will be asked to vote on a measure that will essentially abolish the city’s civil service system–a set of guidelines and governing commission meant to oversee city employee matters, including hiring, promotions and rate of pay. City officials have said that the commission is redundant, duplicating the protections provided by unions. Some residents, however, believe that eliminating the civil service commission would open the door for cronyism, political patronage, and possible lawsuits. The U.S. Civil Service Commission dates back to 1883, when the national Civil Service Reform Act was passed into law. According to City Attorney Debra Walling, Dearborn’s commission was originally created in 1938 to oversee …
Monday, August 8, 2011
The Dearborn City Council approved several city improvements and department contracts at Monday’s meeting.
Dearborn City Council approved several resolutions Monday evening at their regular meeting, relating mostly to city improvements and department-specific contracts. 1. New chain-link fencing was approved for Crowley Park, which Council President Tom Tafelski explained is part of a larger project to upgrade the west-side park. “This is part of ongoing improvements at Crowley Park,” he said, adding that the city also recently updated the park’s soccer fields. The contract was awarded to Future Fence Company in the amount of $32,754. 2. A seawall will be removed from Lake No. 5 at Camp Dearborn, with demolition costs of $71,330.65. The affected lake is a beach lake inside of tent village, Tafelski explained. “It had come under disrepair as of…
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Police Officers Association of Dearborn President Gregg Allgeier said he believes savings for the department could be realized elsewhere and that with high retirement rates, cutting jobs isn't necessary.
Pending Tuesday evening’s city council meeting, changes to staffing provisions in place for Dearborn’s police and fire departments could be up for public vote in November. But Police Officers Association of Dearborn President Gregg Allgeier thinks that doing away with or lowering minimum staffing is not necessarily the only–or the best–option for cutting costs in the department. The 2004 voter-approved charter measure on the issue mandates 2.1 officers per every 10,000 residents, totaling 206 based on 2010 census numbers, which put Dearborn at about 98,000 residents. However, that number has been much lower for years—totaling between 180-190 on average. Currently, there are 182 employees—96 of which are on patrol duty. The department …
Five things you need to know to start your day in Dearborn.
Ready to start your day? Here's what you need to know. 1. The weather today will be, well, better than yesterday. But that's not saying much. How's this: Mostly sunny, a high near 89 degrees and a calm wind, according to the National Weather Service. Clouds will gather as the day goes on, but they won't turn into storms. Fingers crossed. 2. The city is still picking through hundreds of tree branches after yesterday's storms. Here's our wrap-up of the power outages across town, as well as a look at what damage was done to local homes–including three house fires. Watch for updates on these stories today, as well as when you can expect power to return. 3. With good weather in the cards, Dearborn residents can expect all their favorite outdoor…
Council members will meet at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday in the Mayor's Conference Room at City Hall.
A special Dearborn City Council meeting will be held Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. in the Mayor’s Conference Room to continue discussions between council members and Mayor Jack O'Reilly about what proposals will make it onto November's ballot for Dearborn voters. Concrete decisions about the details of the ballot initiatives are expected to be made during the meeting, which is open to the public. At a meeting held in late June, Mayor O'Reilly proposed two measures to consider putting on the ballot: the first, to temporarily increase tax rates anywhere from 3.5-5 mills; the second, to end or lower minimum staffing requirements for Dearborn's police and fire departments. Additionally, council may vote to place "advisory questions" on the ballot that …
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Mayor Jack O'Reilly proposed a ballot measure Monday that could either reduce or eliminate minimum staffing provisions for the Dearborn Police Department.
Voters this November could be deciding on a proposed change to the city's minimum staffing levels for police, in addition to a ballot proposal that would increase Dearborn's millage rates, Discussion between Dearborn City Council and Mayor Jack O'Reilly at a meeting held Monday at City Hall suggested that the ballot proposal is a very real possibility, despite suggestions earlier this year that it was not. O'Reilly said in April that he wasn't considering the move, due mainly to the fact that he didn't think voters would support it. “I’m not looking at (lowering minimum staffing requirements) and the reason is, I’m a realist,” he told Dearborn Patch then. “I’m not going to go out and ask people to vote to have less police officers.” But …
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Dearborn officials are now exploring the details of a proposed millage increase, plus advisory questions about how the money will be allocated.
Talks of what will be on November’s ballot for Dearborn voters are heating up amongst Dearborn City Council members, as the deadline approaches for the approval of ballot language. A meeting on Monday afternoon at City Hall proved to be the first concrete look at what residents might be voting on this fall, including adding 3.5 to 5 mills to taxpayers’ loads, with a sunset provision, and asking residents what the “essential services” really are in Dearborn. Public discussions of a millage increase have been happening since as early as April, but council members and Mayor Jack O’Reilly have not yet agreed on how many mills the ballot proposal will ask for. Councilwoman Nancy Hubbard saw it as all or nothing. “Let’s go for the full five (…
Lee Jacobsen
11:31 am on Monday, October 24, 2011
I am also voting no. We need the civil service as a backup to fill the void when the unions decide to 'self-destruct'. more ›