Officials and civil activists are urging Dearborn voters to turn out in large numbers for the Aug. 6 primary election to pass a referendum revising the city charter. The charter defines the powers, responsibilities and duties of the local government and the City Council, as well as the authorities granted to various administrative bodies, in addition to setting the regulatory and legislative frameworks for democratic and electoral processes.

The list of supporters for the revisions include Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud, Dearborn City Council President Mike Sareini and Council members Leslie Herrick, Kamal Al-Sawafi, Robert Abraham, Mustapha Hammoud, Ken Paris and Gary Enos. Also included are Michigan state legislators from Dearborn, Alabas Farhat, Erin Byrnes and Karen Whitsett, Dearborn Board of Education Trustee Irene Watts, Wayne County Commissioner Sam Baydoun, who represents Dearborn and Allen Park, the Dearborn Municipal Retirees Association, Morley Area Residents Association,  Arab American Political Action Committee (AAPAC), Arab and Muslim American Political Action Committee (AMPAC) and The Arab American News.

To ensure this vital document remains current and compliant with state law, the existing Charter requires the City Council to place a question on a ballot every 12 years — asking Dearborn voters whether they agree to commence a review process and elect nine individuals to serve on the Charter Commission.

In August 2021, voters approved Proposal A, initiating the election of a Charter Commission. In November 2021, nine individuals were elected to the Dearborn Charter Commission, who then began the Charter review process. The members of the Commission include Chairman Hassan F. Abdallah, Vice Chair Sharon Dulmage, Dr. Cheryl Hawkins, Hussein Hachem, Tim Harrison, Glenn O’Kray, James O’Connor, Laura Dudgeon and Kimberly Ismail.

Over the past 30 months, the committee held public meetings to gauge residents’ opinions on regulatory and legislative articles that should be deleted, amended or updated, as well as to incorporate new articles that meet the aspirations of the city’s diverse population. The proposed revisions received approval from Governor Whitmer, Attorney General Dana Nessel and the Michigan House of Representatives. However, no articles will be repealed, amended or added without voter approval in the August 6 primary election.

Proposed amendments

To ensure continuous updates to the Dearborn Charter, voters are given the opportunity every 12 years to vote on a charter review, last updated in 2007. The key amendments up for vote on August 6 include:

1. Eliminating minimum Police and Fire staffing requirements
   • One significant aspect of the Charter Commission’s review process was the thorough examination to ensure compliance with state law. In 2011, then-Governor Snyder signed legislation that prohibited minimum staffing requirements in city, village and county charters. Therefore, the removal of these provisions from our Charter was not a political decision, but a mandated requirement to align with state law, as highlighted in the attorney general’s approval letter of the proposed Charter. https://www.michigan.gov/formergovernors/recent/snyder/press-releases/2011/09/13/snyder- signs-legislation-prohibiting-minimum-staffing-requirements. The city of Dearborn is currently the last remaining city in the state of Michigan with a minimum staffing provision contained in its Charter, which now — due to the state law change in 2011– must be removed.
2. Diversity and inclusion requirements for appointments to multi-member bodies

   • Recognizing the growing and evolving demographics and population within the city of Dearborn, the Commission similarly recognized the growing pool of talent across the entire city that are eligible for appointments by the mayor or City Council to multi-member bodies. The Charter revisions related to diversity and inclusion specifically concerns appointments to city boards and commissions (multi-member bodies). These provisions aim to ensure the appointment of Dearborn residents to these broads are a representation of our entire community. They do not mandate, impact or have the ability to impact the staffing and hiring practices of our police, fire or any other city department. These provisions focus on ensuring that appointments to these bodies, which serve a significant role in the oversight, facilitation and growth of vital city services, permitting and approvals reflect the demographics, diverse skill set and talent available across all corners of our city.

3. Safeguard provisions and transparency enhancements to protect retiree health and care benefits
   
   • The Commission worked to ensure that the charter created a framework that allowed for a more transparent process related to potential future changes of retiree healthcare benefits. Which required that before final action on any proposed change in retirement benefits is taken, the City Council shall obtain a report as to the immediate and long-term costs of the change from a qualified actuary of its choosing. the Council shall provide an analysis and report to the Pension Board within 30 days of receipt and the Council may not take final action until at least three months after the report of the actuary is made public at a meeting of the Council. This offers the Pension Board additional time that is necessary for proper review of proposed changes, and increase a more effective method to opine and give feedback on these proposals. The Commission also created the option for City Council, by resolution, the ability to establish a board of trustees for the retiree healthcare plan trust consisting of five (5) trustees.
4. New framework, purpose and responsibilities of the Board of Ethics
   • The newly constructed Board of Ethics is aimed at ensuring public trust, government accountability and transparency in reporting through its governance and enforcement of the city’s Ethics and Financial Disclosure ordinances. It includes two appointments by the mayor, two appointments by the City Council and a fifth member appointed by the four-appointed members. It removes previous conflicts of interest by removing the involvement of the city attorney and human resources director. Duties of the Board of Ethics include rendering formal and informal opinions to inquiries made to the Board, reviewing applicable city policies and ordinances relevant to ethics and financial disclosures at least annually, and recommend to the City Council standards of conduct for officers and employees of the city and changes in the procedures related to the administration and enforcement of those standards.
5. Reinforcement of the Civil Service Commission to ensure fair employment practices aimed at benefiting all employees
   • The revisions to this section include:
     • The right for the mayor to appoint one person to the hiring committee when the human resource director position is to be filled.
     • The requirement to update human resource and civil service policies and procedures, and the option to provide consultative services to other city departments aimed at promoting a healthy work environment.
     • The requirement that human resource and civil service policies and procedures are reviewed annually.

Commission Chairman Hassan Abdullah told The Arab American News that he urges Dearborn voters to vote “yes” on the proposed revisions, “expressing pride in being part of the commission that worked diligently over the past 30 months to review and update the charter.”

Commission member Hussein Hachem said that the proposed amendments are the result of extensive discussions and community participation, with numerous meetings and seminars held to understand residents’ demands and aspirations.

Early absentee voting for the August primary elections began earlier this month, with in-person early voting starting on July 27 at designated polling centers.

The official primary Election Day is Aug. 6. Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.

In Dearborn, the 2024 primary early voting schedule is as follows:

Days: July 27 – August 4.  Early Voting is open nine (9) consecutive days beginning on the second Saturday prior to the election and ending the Sunday prior to the election.

Time:  Early Voting 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily.