DEARBORN – Michael D. Albano, a 38-year resident of Dearborn, became a community activist long before he decided to run for this year’s city council race, which pits him against 20 other candidates, who are seeking seven desired positions.

Albano was born in Detroit and grew up in Dearborn, where he graduated from Edsel Ford High School in 1969.  He also has an Associate of Business from Henry Ford Community College.

He has been involved in various initiatives around the community that include strengthening Dearborn’s services and restoring some of its attributes that have helped it stand out in the past.

You may recognize Albano’s face from local television. As a wireless consultant, and Telecommunications Commissioner appointed by Mayor Jack O’Reilly, he has used his expertise to launch and co-host a television show on CDTV, called “The Telecommunications Show. He was also recruited to be on the City’s rental task force, which was formed to deal with the growing rental properties in Dearborn.

Albano.

“While Dearborn is a great town, and I have supported many of the decisions made by the mayor and the council, they are dismantling a lot of things that made the City great in the first place, like our neighborhood pools. Most of these pools are in working class neighborhoods, where people can’t afford to put pools in their yards, and they are one big reason families move to and stay in Dearborn” Albano stated. 

Albano says that the problems don’t just stop at the pools. He says that he has spoken to hundreds of residents in the City, and many of them share the same concerns. The closure of Snow Branch Library last year was another disappointing move made by the City, since it served so many working class residents. In addition, a popular fountain, located in front of the Henry Ford Centennial Library, which used to be one of Dearborn’s greatest attractions, has also been inoperative for years now. 

Albano says that the City has slowly, but surely, provided less funding to Dearborn’s Historical Museums over the years as well, and this budget year the city has completely cut off their funding. These attractions were popular tourist destinations that helped the local economy, and help preserve the history of our great city. 

Recently, controversy arose with residents over how a $8.5 million donation from Severstal, the steel plant located in the south-end of the City, would be used. City officials had hoped to use most of that money to transition over to a new city hall location next to the Centennial Library, while an additional $1.75 million would be used to help start up ArtSpace, which plans on moving into the current Dearborn City Hall. Albano says that City officials should use some of that money to restore the library and pools, and has been very vocal about it in council meetings, print, and online. 

“While I’m all for building the future of this City, we shouldn’t forget, or dismantle its legacy,” he added. 

Albano, a frequent guest writer for the Dearborn Press & Guide and the Dearborn Patch, had publicly gone on the record years ago over how he believed Arab Americans made a positive impact to Dearborn’s community, which he says received a mixed reaction from the newspapers’ readers. He moved to California in 1983 for a business opportunity, but upon his return to the City in 2007 to take care of his ill father, he was surprised to see how much east Dearborn had flourished during his time away. 

“When I saw east Dearborn’s Michigan Avenue and Warren business districts thirty years ago, they were run down, and then when I returned, I was pleasantly surprised to see just how beautiful east Dearborn had become.  It’s mostly our Arab American residents who did that,” Albano stated. “When you go to an Arab American store, you see that they are disciplined,team oriented people who have a wonderful work ethic. We can really learn a lot from them. Just look at east Dearborn and you will see plenty of positives about the Arab American community,” he added.

Albano says that he isn’t focused on raising funds for his campaign, but will accept donations during an upcoming meet and greet with residents. He, along with Kristyn Taylor, another city council candidate and member of SOP, will be holding two events this summer; one at the Summer Stevens pool, and the other at the Lapeer Park pool.  He has stated they may hold a few more events at two other pools, as well.

No dates have yet been set for the events, but residents can find out more about his campaign by visiting: www.albanoforcitycouncil.com