Dearborn Council to ‘Study’ Powell Request Aug. 5
Dearborn Civil Service Commissioner Marjorie Powell will have to wait until at least Aug. 5 to learn whether the Dearborn city council will grant her request for an extension of the time limit to take the oath of office as a commissioner. (See earlier story, HERE.)
Dearborn City Councilman George Darany made a motion at last night’s meeting (supported by Councilman Robert Abraham) to simply approve the extension as more than a month has passed since the request was made by Powell. But his motion was defeated by a 4-2 vote with Tom Tafelski, Nancy Hubbard, Susanne Sareini, and Brian O’Donnell voting no. Mark Shooshanian was absent.
Following the meeting, Councilman Abraham said the whole issue surfaced because of “City Hall politics.”
“The memos sent back and forth should have been addressed to the “commission” or the Board of Ethics to review,” Abraham said. ”It is disappointing that many have failed to recognize a perfect opportunity to do what is right without consideration political fallout. The Mayor, the Council and the City Clerk had over a month to gather information and discuss this issue with legal counsel, while Mrs. Powell waited with great patience. The moment to correct this mistake was last night when Marge publicly asked us to help her; 4 out 6 said “No” not now. There is no reason to make her wait until August 5 or thereafter; this is absolutely and totally ridiculous. To see politicians drag their feet when they know what is right and fail to act is the real problem (there are many examples in the news, including the BP spill). We need leaders now more than ever that can make decisions, and have the political will power to stand-up for the folks in town that need help, want help, and ask for help, and not tell them to wait until “we” have time to schedule a Study Session” in six weeks.
“Marge is a city volunteer and we should be treating her with dignity and respect. Let’s hope Marge will stay on-board after this mess, because as many of us already know service groups and volunteers are decreasing in numbers at a rapid rate. Marge cannot be easily replaced as some might believe. Thank you Marge for your many years of service! I look forward to working with you for many more years, too.”
Council President Tafelski said the Aug. 5 meeting will be a “study session” on this matter. Unfortunately, that meeting is not televised and does not take place in the council chambers. Instead, that meeting will take place in the council’s cramped meeting room. The meeting will be open to the public but you might want to bring your own chair or be prepared to stand.
June 22nd, 2010 at 7:57 am
Too many “study sessions” What we need is a study session on study sessions. Good job George and Bob.
June 22nd, 2010 at 10:55 am
The part that George and Bob didn’t seem to understand is that the law is the law and exceptions cause a dangerous precedent to future problems.
I understand that it is an election year and George wanted to look good in front of his fellow Rotarians. However, if he does not know the law, should he be running for higher office. Or just maybe, he does know the law and knew that his motion could not pass but would make him look good for putting it out on the floor.
How can lawyer Goodman get up and defend a breech in the law. Oh, of course, that is what defense lawyers do all the time, which is why so many dangerous criminals are out on the streets to commit other crimes.
It would have made much more sense for the Rotarians to help Mrs. Powell through a tough time without stirring up the pot. I wonder if they all looked at the Rotary 4-way test before they got there?
June 22nd, 2010 at 12:27 pm
The Dearborn City Charter is the governing document. It is very clear that only the City Council has the power to extend the time period for taking the oath of office; and may do so under any circumstances (with four votes) without question. All the rest of the discussion is based on “City Politics”. Don’t be fooled by “smoke and mirrors”.
June 22nd, 2010 at 12:58 pm
Cloe: i would agree with you if this were a new person. But Marge is a person that has been on the commission for 17 years, nearly two decades. this is but a formality her swearing in. this is pure BS politics by turkey Tom who was upset that his deal with the Clerk Buda was called out at a meeting.
Tom, who said the city would go into “receivership” if an employee wasn’t transfered? are you serious?
O’Donnell is a dope, too. he wants to have meetings in private? i’m sorry. you were elected to have discussions in public. private meetings are what you do in the business world. Hello, is he even home?
the whole thing stinks. why didn’t clerk Buda get the oath done a year ago?
funny this was only “discovered” by Tom and Buda after their “deal” was questioned.
June 22nd, 2010 at 1:26 pm
Why is it that they need to extend her time to take oath? I haven’t been in Dbo recently and I have no idea what happened.
June 22nd, 2010 at 1:26 pm
RJ – I really am not familiar with the behind-the-scene politics of the city. I am only going on what I heard yesterday. I do not know Marge but from what I hear she is a wonderful, caring human being who loves Dearborn.
What I really don’t understand is if she has been on the commission for 17 years who the heck dropped the ball on the formality of her swearing in this time.
Who swore her in the first 3 times?
June 22nd, 2010 at 6:56 pm
I know Marge personally, and she is a TREMENDOUS woman of great character and let’s face it, tremendous intestinal fortitude to put up with city shenanigans for this long! That said, it is about PRECEDENT. The study session is appropriate because in 50 years, if this issue presents itself again with someone else, we have to be careful to make sure we set the precedent for such an occasion properly, not hastily without careful thought and consideration. I am so hopeful that they do just extend the oath to Marge and she takes it and we all move on, but we MUST take the time to dot our i’s and cross our t’s.
June 22nd, 2010 at 7:47 pm
Darany did nothing but grandstand, and here is a vote he just lost. Rules are rules, and they should be enforced, too bad Darany doesn’t believe this, because he showed everyone he isn’t State Rep. material, he seems to want everyone to like him, but sometimes you have to have something between your legs Darany, obviously you don’t possess them, however.
June 22nd, 2010 at 7:56 pm
Couldn’t agree with u more RJ. Abraham made an ass of himself the way he was speaking (I hope his taxes have been paid, and not like before, when he was humble). Abraham should remember, along with Darany that rules are rules, and should be adhered to.
June 22nd, 2010 at 9:30 pm
Last nights meeting was the first time i ever seen O’Donnell actually talk about something at a council meeting, instead of just sitting there like a zombie saying yes every once in a while.
June 22nd, 2010 at 10:31 pm
Abe, you missed my point. Abraham and Darany were doing the right thing. The grandstanding and political playing was being played out by tough guy Tom Tafelski who made the ass of himself. If Tom thinks he is going to be mayor one day he has a lot to learn. The guy is slightly smarter than Nancy. slightly.
June 23rd, 2010 at 9:49 am
RJ – Again, who dropped the ball? No one answered my question. How did this happen when she has been sworn in so many other times? Who was supposed to administer the oath? Someone please let me know.
June 23rd, 2010 at 12:04 pm
I don’t think anyone will admit to dropping the ball.
June 23rd, 2010 at 6:20 pm
Darany and Abraham love to ham it up in front of the cameras, but we are on to them. Give us a break and simply follow the rules. We know Darany wants votes, however he is going to be surprised, as people around town, say he always wants to middle everything, and not take a stand until now, because she can help him get some votes, maybe.
June 24th, 2010 at 7:07 pm
It’s interesting to read some of the posted comments and sad, too. Do people feel freer to say things that are inaccurate, untrue and even mean if their identities aren’t revealed? I do know that Marge Powell would never take part in such a discussion about others and has always maintained the highest degree of integrity in her 17 years of volunteer service on the Civil Service Commission. Over the years, she has done her best to serve the citizens of Dearborn and not yield to political agendas.
Sincerely,
Margaret Blohm
June 25th, 2010 at 10:48 am
Margaret – No one has posted, that I know of, any bad comments about Marge Powell. Everyone has been extremely supportive of her and her years of service.
The problem is simply one that must be solved in the proper manner so that, years from now, if someone who is not as good comes along, they will not be able to use this case as a precedent.
We all support her but it has to be done the right way so that other problems don’t arise later on.
June 25th, 2010 at 11:33 am
Margaret – what in the world are you referencing here? Unless a message was pulled off by Deep, I don’t see where anyone was talking inappropriately about Marge. In fact, she had been pretty well defended on the threads. So the very nature of your sadness as a result of people saying “inaccurate, untrue, or even mean…” things seems to me off base or mis-calculated.
June 26th, 2010 at 4:48 am
will the politicians of this city please uphold something and stop turning their heads on the charter and ordinances…i’m tired of this and every other city pampering the one in one hundreds and making the other 99 wonder why…
June 26th, 2010 at 8:18 am
How do you forget to take an oath when you have been involved in politics this long? What else has she forgotten about? Scary
June 27th, 2010 at 7:50 am
I couldn’t agree with u more, wanting better for Dearborn, and I’m afraid, she may have forgotten a lot more that we will ever know or hear about — its a shame. As for Darany, he showed what a desperate fool he actually is, we saw grandstanding at its best from him. Get a real job, and stop trying to be a professional politician, eating at the public trough forever. You weren’t going to win before, and u sure won’t win after that cheap display the other night.
June 27th, 2010 at 1:04 pm
Yes, Wanting Better For Dearborn is correct.
Does anyone know?
Since Marge Powell was not sworn as city commissioner does this mean that (if any) city charter business she was involved with while not sworn becomes null and void?
Rami,
Darany is not the only professional politician that has eaten at the public trough forever. THEY ALL DO. This is why I will not be voting for incumbents and think this is a good reason for Term Limits. I would extend the terms to no more than 4.