DEARBORN — At the last Dearborn City Council meeting, residents turned out to address concerns regarding an $8.5 million donation from Severstal, the steel mill factory located on Rotunda Drive and details regarding a contract with ArtSpace, which plans on moving into the current city hall.

The City had originally accepted the donation from Severstal back in 2008 as part of an agreement that it would be used towards a proposed convention center next to the Hyatt Regency Dearborn, but the hotel changed owners and brands, and the convention center idea was tabled. The hotel is now the Adoba Hotel Dearborn/Detroit.

A few weeks ago, the City announced that the donation would still be dispensed, however it would now be used to help facilitate the planned move from Dearborn’s City Hall,  into the old ADP building located at 16901 Michigan Avenue next to the Henry Ford Centennial Library.

Severstal had apparently agreed to use the money to redevelop that building as well as put it towards the planned ArtSpace project, according to city officials. 

“Severstal’s preference for improving the Dearborn community sooner rather than later … can be accomplished by switching the donation for the conference center to the Dearborn Administrative Center and Artspace projects,” Barry Murray, director of Economic and Community Development for the City of Dearborn, said in a memo to the city council.

However, dozens of residents were concerned over the use of the donation and urged City Council to consider using it towards other pending matters. City Council Candidate Kristyn Taylor took the podium to tell the Mayor and the Council that residents should have a say on how the $8.5 million should be used, citing recent closures of libraries and outdoor swimming pools which she says have effected the quality of life in Dearborn.

Taylor tells The Arab American News that the plan to accept an $8.5 million donation from Severstal was brought forth by the Mayor’s office just recently, with limited information presented to the public. Additionally, the Mayor’s office expected the council to pass two resolutions at the last meeting even after some members had stated that they knew little details about the $8.5 million donation and the ArtSpace project.

Both issues were tabled after the City Council and the Mayor listened to Taylor’s concerns during the meeting. O’Reilly now says he hopes to conduct a study session with residents, the City and Severstal over what options they have regarding the $8.5 million donation, and hopes to present more information on both the donation as well as the ArtSpace project.

Taylor says she was glad that residents were able to intervene and express their concerns over how the money should be used. There is still some confusion over whether or not the donation money could even be used towards other projects. O’Reilly said it may not be that simple to allocate money towards other pending matters, as Severstal had agreed that the money would be used for the sole purpose of redeveloping the ADP building into City Hall.

“I had spoken to a couple of council members, and they hadn’t seen the paperwork or info behind the Severstal money either. No matter what, they shouldn’t have planned on voting on something with that much money involved if all the information isn’t available to the public. If it would had gone to a vote, those two resolutions would’ve passed knowing there was no additional info on them,” Taylor told The Arab American News. 

While no dates for the study session have been scheduled by the mayor’s office, Taylor says she has filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) at City Hall to get more details about the Severstal donation and the ArtSpace project. The next City Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 28 at 7:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers at City Hall.