A crowd that included everyone from Representative John Conyers and Debbie Dingell to Dearborn stalwarts Michael Berry and Commissioner Gary Woronchak, packed the auditorium at Henry Ford Centennial Library to hear Mayor John B. O’Reilly, Jr. make his State of the City address Wednesday evening.After a short film detailing Dearborn’s successes of 2008, the Mayor delivered an eloquent and impactful speech that promised a renewed dedication to serving the citizens of Dearborn.
“Now is a chance to dream and plan, and to position this city for a promising future,” said Mayor O’Reilly. “I want to make you an integral part of this process.”
Among the changes Dearborn can expect, is a radical restructuring of the city’s Building and Safety Department.
“For too many years we’ve blended these groups despite their distinct needs, frustrating everyone,” the Mayor explained. The city will now create a separate Residential Services Department that will serve the needs of residents exclusively.
Mayor O’Reilly also announced a newly implemented online system that will allow home inspection reports to be printed on-site.
Mayor O’Reilly also announced a newly implemented online system that will allow home inspection reports to be printed on-site.
“Our goal is to give residents the time and attention they deserve using tools and processes that will make it much more convenient to do business with us,” he told the crowd.
Additionally, the Mayor outlined changes within the infrastructure of City Hall that will ease the burden of residents. “Running you around City Hall is no longer acceptable,” he said. “Our new mission statement reads: ‘To deliver superior public service and earn the public’s trust every day in everything we do.’”
The Mayor conceded that the national economic crisis had shaken many, but assured Dearborn that, in wavering times, residents could rely on city government. “You should be able to count on us every time for the services we deliver that make your life easier,” he said. “Our bottom line is that we’re committed to you.”
The address ended with rousing applause and a standing ovation for the Mayor. Afterward, a young Dearborn businesswoman nodded vigorously, leaned toward us, and simply said, “The Mayor gets it.”
Additionally, the Mayor outlined changes within the infrastructure of City Hall that will ease the burden of residents. “Running you around City Hall is no longer acceptable,” he said. “Our new mission statement reads: ‘To deliver superior public service and earn the public’s trust every day in everything we do.’”
The Mayor conceded that the national economic crisis had shaken many, but assured Dearborn that, in wavering times, residents could rely on city government. “You should be able to count on us every time for the services we deliver that make your life easier,” he said. “Our bottom line is that we’re committed to you.”
The address ended with rousing applause and a standing ovation for the Mayor. Afterward, a young Dearborn businesswoman nodded vigorously, leaned toward us, and simply said, “The Mayor gets it.”
No one in the auditorium Wednesday evening appeared to disagree.
Read the full text of Mayor O'Reilly's address here.
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Honestly, I appreciate the changes that O'Reilly is addressing at City Hall with eliminating redundancy from Guido's era, but as of late, all that seems to concern me is that our boys in blue, the Dearborn PD are provided whatever they need to perform their jobs safely in protecting us citizens.
ReplyDeleteToday, it's bomb threats at DFCU, Tuesday it was a hostage situation on Manor Street, last Wednesday it was flasher at the library, two Fridays ago an Officer had to defend his own life at Southfield freeway and Outer Drive?
Minor inconveniences at City Hall seem trivial in comparison.
DEARBORN, Mich. (WXYZ) - The Michigan State Police Bomb Squad and the Dearborn Police are checking out a suspicious package left at the Dearborn Financial Credit Union.
The bomb squad plans to use a robot to pull the object out.
Officers are asking residents to avoid the area of Oakwood and Southfield until the situation is resolved.
welcome to Dear...troit
ReplyDeleteOuch! That's be funny if it weren't coming true before our eyes.
ReplyDeleteAdray going out of business? This one hurts...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.wxyz.com/news/story/BREAKING-Bomb-Scare-at-Credit-Union/G2d6GcDgLUm8rImfY79cQg.cspx
Video link on right...
Strange days indeed.
ReplyDeleteIt may become stranger.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nJ7LM3iyNg
I certainly realize we have issues in Dearborn, but what city doesn't?
ReplyDeleteI think it's safe to say that almost nowhere in America is as safe as it used to be whether it be a Detroit, a Dearborn or even a Birmingham, a Bloomfield or a Grosse Pointe.
America is changing in many ways, with some not being all that good.
But I think it is nowhere near as bad in Dearborn as some make it out to be. Of course we have crime because it's a different world, a world where drugs are becoming prevalent, it is a city many from out of the city come to work, shop, play and whatever. It's also a town surrounded in a number of areas by Detroit. Common sense tells us we're going to have some more crime than cities further out from Detroit.
Nonetheless, Dearborn is still a pretty safe town if you look at the stats that LX himself provided on another site a while back. I think considering all that Dearborn has to deal with, our police department does a far better than average job protecting our city and I think we are much safer and luckier than many surrounding communities.
Michael Albano is so right on the money. We have a fantastic police department and a darn good city when you look at the big picture. We're a far ways from perfect but I'll take Dearborn and its problems over many other towns.
ReplyDeleteMichael is most correct that the proximity to detroit is one major factor in the violent crime increase in Dearborn. The problem is you cant move Dearborn away from its location. It is now becoming the feeding grounds for the disaffected criminals from Detroit. The good old days of just them shoplifting Super K mart out of business or shoplifting and gang fighting at Fairlane were just that, the good old days. Now you have shootings, home invasions and the like. However Dearborn does have its home grown specialty like mortgage fraud or cigarette smuggling.
ReplyDeleteThose are victimless crimes Edgar! Where's my bullet??
ReplyDeleteBarney, who do think pays for them there victimless crimes?
ReplyDeleteUnlike his predecessor, Mayor O'Reilly is a strong supporter of the police department. All we have to do is look at Detroit to see what happens when the powers-that-be decide to cut their police ranks. Thank goodness, Guido's posse did not succeed in strong-arming voeters into defeating the ballot proposal for minimum staffing levels for Dearborn police. But it's still best to not keep our backs turned to them..
ReplyDeleteSo ticked pink to know that so many that still live here have nothing good to say about the city. I have a suggestion for all of them, move out and find what you think is a better place for the same price. Then you'll spare us from your totally unfounded and unsubstantiated rantings and ravings.
ReplyDeleteTrouble is there ain't any of them places. So either wise up or shut up.
Better get back to work at Cafe Gigi Billy.
ReplyDeleteI was impressed that our mayor showed his integrity by stating that Dearborn is facing the toughest times it has ever faced as far back as we can remember and he did not try to place the blame on others. What impressed me even more was how sincere he was in stating that he truly believed that during the toughest of times are when the greatest of ideas surface and that his administration is working on many new ideas to resolve these issues.
ReplyDeleteHe spoke about things that really can make a difference like teamwork, neighborhood and citizen involvement and how every one of us with even a little involvement can make a huge difference in our city. Just as citizen involvement can make a huge difference as it did in World War II after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, no great city or nation can survive without citizen involvement. If we all truly love and want to improve and save our city, then it will require our involvement and support as well. I was amazed at learning how many citizens donate their time on numerous committees and organizations that benefit Dearborn as they are a big part of the solutions.
Mayor Jack gets it, he is an outstanding, passionate public speaker and even though I disagree with him sometimes, he still has an unsurpassed love and dedication to our city that I respect and admire. It is hard for even his harshest critics to not like and respect him because he is very down to earth, very approachable and has unbridled enthusiasm about our city, our residents, and his job under circumstances so tough that most would just give up, but Mayor Jack is not a quitter by any means.
I feel confident that he is the person that is best suited to take us through times like this that we’ve never faced before and as long as we contribute and the city council cooperates we’ll all be the better for it in the long run.
Honestly, I have to say I don't think the mayor gets it. He may have a strong dedication and love for the city as Michael says but he lacks vision. In my opinion he has shown himself to be either unwilling or unable to think outside the box or to accept such thinking. He has maintained a status quo and when he speaks it seems simply to speak, never to say anything.
ReplyDeletePaul,
ReplyDeleteWhat is it the Mayor isn't getting? please give more details.
Pat maybe if you didn't have your head up Jack's ass so far you’d see it too.
ReplyDeleteBoy, if that isn't the truth Haywood.
ReplyDeleteThe mayor is the leader of the city but is not the one that has the voting power. It is the city council.
ReplyDeleteThe council votes upon issues brought to them by the many commissions, the mayor, city heads and more.
It takes a collaborative effort from a number of people to initiate and then agree upon ideas. It then takes public meetings requiring a four of seven-majority council approval vote before approval. It also takes the funding to be able to do it and these are not the best of times.
Since the mayor does not speak about every issue in the council meetings and we have no way to know in most cases what they mayor is for or against, how can we just single out the mayor for blame?
It is a much more complex issue that most of us realize because the average person is simply out of the loop for many reasons. We do not attend or watch council meetings; we do not get involved in the city or on commissions, etc. There are many reasons and most of us simply blog about it and do nothing else.
Let us think about all that before we go blaming the mayor for some issues or votes that he cannot vote on.
Haywood Jablowme said... Slim Fast said...
ReplyDeleteWhat do you 2 call hemorrhoids? speed bumps.
You must be a Tommy Too Soon Supporter.
I Don't Know It All is telling it like it is. Jack is a great guy and mayor that has to count on a lot of people to get ur' done.
ReplyDeleteTommy Too Soon is pretty bright for a young man but sometimes that brightness blinds him to the reality that Jack has far more support than he has and will continue to do so.
Jack is back.
Couldn't agree more with you guys. Mayor Oreilly took over a troubled administration that had been doing things the wrong way for a long time. It'll take some time but he'll get this ship back on course.
ReplyDeleteMy opinions are based on personal responses I've had to questions from him as well as when he has spoken and his actions back to his council days. All of that has shown a lack of vision. Like I said he speaks but says nothing. It has also been based on what I have heard from others. They have felt like he just doesn't want to listen to any new or different ideas.
ReplyDeleteAnd as for what "I don't know" said, I agree. And trust me, I'm not leaving council blameless either. I feel the same way about them. However, it is the mayor that sets the direction for the city and he has failed to do that. He has failed to shakeup city hall. He has continued with people and policies from the previous administration despite the ability to appoint his own people. And like I said here and earlier he has failed to create a new vision for the city, instead trying to go back in time not forward.
So does the mayor get that we're in tough times? Yes. Does the mayor get how to get us through them and reinvent the city? No, not in my opinion.
As usual, well said Paul and most likely true based upon my experience. Let's hope the mayor wakes up and shakes up this town. Should he do otherwise he'll still win this election, but in the election after that he'll have a hard time convincing even his previous staunchest supporters of anything.
ReplyDeleteThen his goose will be cooked.
Mayor O'Reilly is a great guy from what Ive seen but that doesn't necessarily mean he's a great mayor. Everyone thought George W Bush was a 'type of guy I'd like to have a beer with.' That didn't translate to good leadership we found out. I think this is the year for Mayor to put his stamp on the city. If he makes some 'bold moves' and shows some real leadership he could be a success. But if he's just going to make minor nips and tucks to the status quo, he will be judged a failure. Just my honest opinion.
ReplyDeleteSaid well Thomas, even better than I said it.
ReplyDeleteJust for the record, I never wanted to have a beer with Georgie Bush Jr because he's an idiot.
ReplyDeleteBut I'd love to have a beer or coffee with Mayor John O'Reilly anytime because he's a very bright man.
I also think he's done a decent job under the multitude of issues he's inherited but I too hope he cleans house and gets more things done before this election.
Jimmy, I think lots people underestimate just how messed up things were at City Hall when he took over. He's already announced some major changes and I have a feeling more are on the way.
ReplyDeleteLet's hope so TJ and as I said, I think he's done a decent job under the circumstances, not a great job, but a decent one.
ReplyDeleteI also believe he's inherited a city that is in chaos for the first time in quite a while resulting in having to deal with untested waters.
Even though I believe he's a fair, honest, kind man, I think he's going to have to make the tough calls and make them quickly, which I don't think he's done all that much of during his reign.
I believe he will still win this election by far, but in 4 years if things don't change significantly he may have a tough election and possibly lose if a viable candidate for change runs.
Hmmmm, O'Reilly a very bright man. Well, that is debatable at best considering him being a state licensed attorney only making $131,133/year and city government comps. Again, this is a matter of ones opinion much like that raised of Dingell a while back, and not really worth any one's energy spent of frivolous subjective matters.
ReplyDeleteIn all honesty, I am more interested that Mayor O'Reilly has chosen to revamp City Hall's Building & Safety Department. Do I believe it necessary? Yep, for anyone who doesn't know anybody at City Hall, it is somewhat of a pain in the ass and needs to be modernized. Do I believe O'Reilly will do a better job in reorganizing this go around with Building & Safety? Who really knows? O'Reilly was on Council for the 17 years prior to being Mayor and was there for the last reorg that appears to be such the convoluted mess that he now describes in his State of the City Address this year.
Then again, maybe O'Reilly had little to do with the last reorganization, as Council Abraham seems to take ownership for the successes the Building & Safety Department in 2002. Atta boy Bobby, it sure appears to have helped in the expediency of the city completing projects associated with personal holdings didn't it.
Council Abraham's Bio:
Robert A. Abraham has served his hometown as councilman since January 1, 2002... Councilman Abraham has worked diligently over the years to help make improvements to the City of Dearborn.
In 2002, the Building & Safety Department saw the successful implementation of the department's reorganization. The changes made will improve the quality of service residents receive.
There are also 15 projects along Michigan Avenue in west Dearborn at different stages of planning and construction.
The rebuilding of Garrison and the lots north of Michigan Avenue from Military to Monroe were completed on an accelerated schedule....
Parcel ID Number – Owner/Registered City Taxpayer – Address:
82 09 222 02 041 - ABRAHAM, ROBERT - 21722 GARRISON (not registered)
82 09 222 02 046 - ABRAHAM, ROBERT - 21734 GARRISON (registered)
82 09 222 02 047 - ABRAHAM, ROBERT - 21742 GARRISON (registered)
82 09 222 02 048 - ABRAHAM, ROBERT - 21750 GARRISON (not registered)
82 09 222 02 040 - ABRAHAM, RONALD (Council Abraham's father) - 21726 GARRISON (not registered)
https://is.bsasoftware.com/bsa.is/TaxServices/ServiceTaxSearchResults.aspx?i=3&on=ABRAHAM&appid=1&unit=599
Name: ROBERT A. ABRAHAM & DEAN T. MATHEWS, LLC
Type: Domestic Limited Liability Company (GARRISON OAKS CONDOMINIUMS)
Resident Agent: ROBERT A. ABRAHAM
Registered Office Address: 510 CRESCENT DRIVE DEARBORN, MI 48124
Formation/Qualification Date: 6-7-2001
Jurisdiction of Origin: MICHIGAN
Managed by: Members
Status: ACTIVE Date: Present
http://www.dleg.state.mi.us/bcs_corp/dt_llc.asp?id_nbr=B3530A&name_entity=ROBERT%20A.%20ABRAHAM%20%26%20DEAN%20T.%20MATHEWS,%20LLC
http://www.dleg.state.mi.us/bcs_corp/dt_llc.asp?id_nbr=B3530A&name_entity=GARRISON%20OAKS%20CONDOMINIUMS
Bob's primary goal remains to balance public services and safety with the financial challenges of the city...
Yah, I'm sold that that's Bob's primary goal all right. For fun, take a moment yourself and plug in those Garrison addresses to see if they're registered with City Hall for Council Abraham to lease.
Two out of five.