Council President Tafelski made it back from his trip to Super Bowl XLIII just in time to preside over the latest City Council meeting Monday night. Councilman Doug Thomas made his first appearance of 2009, an occasion that did not go unnoticed by his fellow council members. Councilwoman Suzanne Sareini was not present, but all other council members appeared along with Mayor O’Reilly. Among the resolutions adopted during this week’s meeting:- $121,717, at most, to Carlisle Fields & Co. to renew insurance for Dearborn Towers in Clearwater, FL.
-$90,000 to Play & Park Structures/Playworld Midstates to erect ADA compliant playscapes in the following neighborhood parks: Oak, Oxford, Summer-Stephens and York.
-$15,000 to Heritage Newspapers/Dearborn Press & Guide for publishing official city notices and records.
The Council observed a moment of silence to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Rouge Complex explosion and the lives it claimed. Condolences were also offered to the families of the late Carolyn Hahn and Ralph Cornell.
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What was the big deal that Tom T was making about the new paid parking hours? He made no sense at all or I wasn't paying attention.
ReplyDeleteI agree Donna. Also knowing how much in disagreement so many are about DTWD user-paid parking, IMHO this was the most important issue the council mentioned. Yet the council didn't tell the people it represents the most important part - what the new user paid hours would be.
ReplyDeleteWell, just my take on this, here is some possibilities.
ReplyDelete1) City Hall would like to rollout the new reduced hours of operation (a 90-day trial run) in a coordinated effort with the WDDDA website where DTWD proprietors advertize free of charge for "discounted validation stickers" scheme.
If one were in the belief of transparency in government way of thinking on this, then this would be a reasonable conclusion. I have reason to suspect this being the case. The Council last night also approved the new members of Parking Authority committee that the identities are/were concealed from public access/discussion, which excludes East End members from the user-paid parking district, as they use an SAD for their parking concerns and grants the Mayors office more flexibility and authority.
My question since the inception of the user-paid parking system began is why proprietors from the East End would be included in this. For nearly three years now, the question has been why they are still involved. I've also raised the question of why is Khalil Ramadan (Crave) on the committee if his mainly out of the country; therefore, forfeiting a voice in DTWD parking matters. Perhaps City Hall is finally addressing some of this but then again, speaking for myself, I don't know yet who all the players are on the Parking Authority committee.
2) As I stated above, I personally suspect possibility #1 being the conclusion for not disclosing when the "reduced hours test" begins. This is due to City Halls inept history in managing almost every endeavor they’ve had their fingers in for the past 10 – 15 years now. When viewing Councils actions on recorded vote along with past and current Mayors Office it would be more than disingenuous of me to write otherwise.
Either way, do I think this scheme of "discounted validation stickers" will succeed? Yah, just like a snowballs chance in hell. The parking meters still have not been addressed equitably in respect to the two decks and now one attended lot that serves Mr. Hakim and Rami Fakhoury, unless the "discounted validation stickers" also apply to the parking meters. If the stickers only apply to the decks and one lot, then this is clear favoritism for businesses in Mr. Fakhoury's property associated with lot 'A' and in attempt to make the two decks somehow temporarily appealing.
I could be wrong but this I believe will only further inflame the situation with visiting customers, affected businesses, residential customers and ultimately p!ssing everyone off in the end. I also believe that City Hall's recorded actions to date will prove me right on this.
However, Council President used a phrase last night that raised my attention. The phrase was "researchers out there". This may simply mean nothing or it may be a slip worth noticing. One could say that this was said in the fashion of someone will figure it out and it is really the intention of the rollout in conjunction with the website. Alternatively, with it being a slip, one could reasonably assert that this blog along with a few others that raise awareness to relevant issues in Dearborn are indeed having an effect at City Hall.
If I were placing money on this, I put it on the latter.
Just a side note: Dearborn taxpayers subsidizing the lowered living expenses of numerous non-Michigan and non-Dearborn residents at Dearborn Towers can now safely deduct for the '09-'10 year, $121,717.56 from the proceeds on the ballot vote authorizing the sale of Dearborn Towers. Cross your fingers Dearborn taxpayers, hurricane season will be upon the Towers soon...
I am more than a little concerned with the lack of transparency and the lack of specifics we're getting from the Council lately. The Gaza thing from the last meeting was a wake-up call for me and this meeting was full of vague language that meant nothing. Disappointing!
ReplyDeleteShame on us I guess for not being there in person to raise our hand and say "Where's the beef??"
Thanks LX knew we could count on you. As for when these hours start - the agenda for the meeting stated it was to take effect immediately (item #33). I really thought Tom T was directing his comments to you since most of us at one time or another have referred to the 'research' you do!
ReplyDeleteKerry K., why stop at that? Fire off an email to them and ask, "Where's the beef??"
ReplyDeleteCity Council: 313-943-2025 4 yr. terms
Salary: $14,409 plus $85.13/mtg. up to 90 mtgs/yr. (potentially $19,640.07 per year)
Pres. receives $17,267 (potentially $22,498.70 per year)
Thomas P. Tafelski, President
313-943-2405
ttafelski@ci.dearborn.mi.us
Nancy A. Hubbard, Pres. Pro tem
313-943-2403
nhubbard@ci.dearborn.mi.us
Robert A. Abraham
313-943-2408
rabraham@ci.dearborn.mi.us
George T. Darany
313-943-2402
gdarany@ci.dearborn.mi.us
Suzanne Sareini
313-943-2404
ssareini@ci.dearborn.mi.us
Mark Shooshanian
313-943-2406
mshoosha@ci.dearborn.mi.us
Douglas B. Thomas
313-943-2407
dthomas@ci.dearborn.mi.us
Base pay for our Dearborn City Council is $103,721.00
With attending 90 meetings, they can potentially collect a total of $140,342.90
Ps. one never knows Donna ;)
LX,
ReplyDeleteI could be wrong but I believe each council member including the President and all officers also receives the amount you stated not only for each PUBLIC meeting every two weeks of the month, they also receive the same amount for all the meetings they have with each other that are closed meetings. Perhaps if this is true, they earn a lot more than we previously thought.
But lastly, I think the fee they receive for all these meetings is much less than what you stated. But I could be wrong about that as well.
LX, any way we could find out so we're talking apples to apples here?
Thanks.
Michael, click on my name in above comment and read their pay for yourself.
ReplyDeleteI find the figures to be accurate unless you think the League of Women Voters of Dearborn – Dearborn Heights 2009 publication of Who's Who information to be full of sh!t.
It's amazing that while LX can provide us with the email addresses of ALL of the council that they city website does NOT list all of them. Great job LX and thanks for the info.
ReplyDeleteThe Council does get paid $85 for every meeting they attend up to 90 per year whether it's a study session or the regularly scheduled 7 p.m. Monday meeting.
ReplyDeleteWow, thanks for reminding me of the link on your name up top LX. That's pretty darn informative not only about the council but all county officials as well.
ReplyDeleteThanks to Johnny Cakes as well.
Oh my! I'm sure the city councilmembers are shaking in their boots afraid of the avalanche of phone calls they're sure to recieve!! Their receptionists will probably have to work through the night answering all four calls. Get over yourselves, you bloggy blowhards.
ReplyDeleteAnd you think Tafelski takes time out of his day to read this?!! I'll have whatever LX is smoking pleease!
Pay to Play,
ReplyDeleteYour witty posting was sad if it's the truth and it most likely is the truth. Well put Pay to Play...
I have to agree with what PTP said. I am sure that the council figures that it really doesn't matter what they pass or don't pass because no one really cares one way or another. I know that a couple of them read the blogs and must get a big kick out of what we all say we are going to do - and along comes the next council meeting and none of us show up but the next day we are all back on here again complaining to each other and I am just as guilty as anyone else.
ReplyDeletePay to Play-
ReplyDeleteI don't think LX or anyone else here was suggesting there would be an 'avalanche of calls.' From what I can tell, nothing from last nights meeting really warrants a call. I could care less what they do with the hours or price of paid parking. However, I do enjoy hearing the opinions of my neighbors and sometimes they make me think twice about an issue. Sometimes I read about a business or issue that I might otherwise not. I would suggest that you're the biggest blowhard here as you never offer anything constructive or newsworthy yourself.
OK, Kathy from EDD returned my call about the specifics pertaining to DTWD user-paid parking changes.
ReplyDeleteShe stated that so far all that has transpired is that council okayed a resolution at the meeting last night to look at amending DTWD's user-paid parking.
No new hours have been set yet.
There is also not any new information as to if it applies to street and lot meters only or if it also includes cashiered/attendant lots and/or garages.
N0 new starting date has been set yet.
When it is approved it will be a test period of 90 days to see how/if it works and it can be amended again by council.
She also stated that before it can be implemented it requires a lot of pre-planning and work such as changing all the DTWD signage, notifying the DPD, Parking Enforcement, citizens and more.
I know it's not the answer most of us wanted, but it is what it is for now...
Case closed. Good job.
ReplyDeleteDearborn City Council members also are eligible for pensions after a certain amount or time--can't remember how many years. I also can't remember or whether they get benefits.
ReplyDeleteI'd hear the same Where Our Taxes Go. I sure hope some new oustanding candidates are going to consider those plusses if it helps motivate them to run for council.
ReplyDeleteSeeing how Doug Thomas' pic is on the original story I thought I'd add in my 2 cents.
During the days of Orvie Hubbard that so many just worshipped, Doug many times was one of few, if any that had the 'guts' to vote against Hubbard if he disagreed. He also was very vocal about it and it created a lot of friction for many involved and Hubbard usually won these battles.
From that time until the time I moved back in 07, I didn't keep up on Councilman Thomas. But since I've been back, other than some alleging that he no longer resides in Dearborn all the time, I've heard mostly kind, positive comments about Doug. Many state that he is probably the only one on the council that still fights for the majority and us. Today it also appears that many enjoy the fact that he disagrees with the majority of council more than most.
Speaking for myself, I think that while I didn't always agree with him in the Hubbard days, I sure find myself agreeing with him most of the time today.
Which brings me to my question. What does the majority on here think about Doug Thomas now and if he runs for re-election?
I don't disagree, Michael. I like Thomas, but he's become a joke to many of us. He's a shadow council man who shows up half the time if you're lucky, so his use as a dissenter is wasted. What good is the 'voice of the majority' if he's not there? Still, I think he could get re-elected in a minute. Dearborn likes its incumbents
ReplyDeleteJust offering my take, I do agree with Thomas more than not. I don't believe that he is effective anymore especially with the voting block that rubber-stamps in unison and his high rate of absenteeism. The only other member on Council that comes close to Thomas in voting record is Tafelski and that is mainly because of the few votes that've cost Dearborn taxpayers dearly, Tafelski was absent and vise versa.
ReplyDeleteWhat I am referring to is the Wards property purchase in '05 (Thomas: NO; Tafelski: absent) and the go ahead with REDICO on the old Wards property (Tafelski: NO; Darany: NO; Thomas: absent) in '08.
Matter of fact, Darany just p!ssed away all earned credibility with me on his REDICO no vote with his recent Gaza resolution ranting in the Arab American News. He played to a particular voter base so, I am just placing him in with the other three Arab Councilmember's that do the same damn thing.
However, if I were in Council Thomas's shoes, I'd call it a day and let this city continue on eating itself. Doug is no kid and frankly, I just don't see a point in spending the golden years rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.
LX - I can't resist saying that I love your last sentence and hope you don't mind if I use it now and then.
ReplyDeleteI do agree with your remarks about Doug T. He and I went quite a few rounds when he was voting for the first paid parking fiasco.
Wonder how many days are left on the 90 day extension for the Wards property?
You're probably correct in all you say LX.
ReplyDeleteBut let's hope there are some left or at least enough new council candidates elected that will lead us in the right direction instead of taking us down like the Titanic.
Let's also hope that the old saying, "Once you hit bottom the only way you can go is up", is not just a pipe dream.
I heard for reliable sources that Doug is considering moving back more full time here and seriously considering a full fledged run for mayor and thinks he can win.
ReplyDeleteI also heard that hes going to campaign for an entire new council and he thinks he can at least replace 4 of the 7.
What's next, Sareini being chosen to be one of Obama's Middle East advisors?
ReplyDeleteI heard that Sareini is being considered for the post of Ambassador to Israel. I've also heard she's going to hire that newspaper editor to be her press advisor and story writer.
ReplyDelete