DEARBORN — Since the 2021 election, the nine-member Dearborn City Charter Commission has continued to hit milestones in reviewing and updating the charter.

The commission has set high standards for transparency, inclusivity and community engagement while updating the city charter, which outlines the powers and responsibilities of city government, provides guidelines for democratic processes and establishes the framework for the election process, the structure of the City Council and the powers given to various bodies of government.

With a focus on inclusivity, the commission voted unanimously to translate all meeting minutes into Arabic.

Hassan F. Abdallah, chairman of the Charter Commission, applauded the vote.

“I’m really proud to be working with this group of individuals,” he said. “This is a group who intimately understands the impact this body will have on the day-to-day lives of Dearborn residents. Recognizing that, we know we have an obligation to remove the hurdles to accessibility of the commission’s work by translating our documents so all residents can be informed.”

The translation services were sought after by the Translation Services Subcommittee consisting of Commissioners Laura Dudgeon, Elizabeth Bailey and Hussein Hachem.

“This is a huge achievement,” Hachem said. “Our hope is that this sets an example for the administration and City Council to follow suit, so that we can promote accessibility and transparency in city government and make everyone in the city involved in the process.”

The meeting minutes can be found on the commission’s document website.

The commission also unanimously voted to create virtual opportunities for community participation through Zoom and Facebook Live as well as making the meetings available on demand through City of Dearborn Television (CDTV).

Virtual meeting access information can be found on the commission’s website and members of the public are encouraged to watch, comment and provide feedback to the commission.

The commission has also created a Public Engagement Subcommittee to enhance public involvement and transparency by ensuring community members have a direct say at the table. It’s composed of Commissioners Abdallah, Bailey and Glenn O’Kray.

This subcommittee is accepting applications to fill six positions.

The goal of the subcommittee is constant and transparent communication with residents by performing outreach in partnership with Dearborn clubs, neighborhood associations, religious organizations, non-profits, libraries and others.

“We know that we want to have our fingers on the pulse of the community,” Abdallah said. “That is necessary if we are to develop a charter that residents approve. I would not be comfortable asking voters to make a decision on this updated charter without having made every effort to not only inform and educate the residents about proposed changes — but empowering them to have a say in the decisions made by the commission. This subcommittee will offer that opportunity.”

Applications are open to the public through March 23 and those interested should expect to spend 20 hours per month, attend subcommittee meetings, set public engagement priorities, share thoughts and feedback and perform outreach and education.

More information and applications can be found on the subcommittee’s webpage.

The commission meetings are open to the public and generally held the first and fourth Wednesday of every month at 6 p.m. inside the Council chambers at the Dearborn Administrative Center.