DEARBORN HEIGHTS – The
possibility of contracting the city of Dearborn Heights’ emergency dispatch
services with Dearborn is leaving some residents concerned.

A city faced with budgeting
setbacks, the merger would save an estimated $243,000 annually, according to
Mayor Dan Paletko.

Councilwoman Lisa Hicks-Clayton
will host a town hall meeting about the issue from 7 to 9 p.m. June 9 at the
Caroline Kennedy Library, 24590 George St., Dearborn Heights.

An informational presentation on
the proposed plan to outsource emergency dispatch services to Dearborn will be
presented with a question-and-answer session.

The meeting is an opportunity for
residents to receive information and ask questions, according to Hicks-Clayton,
and is open to everyone. Light refreshments will be provided.

But a group of residents and some
city officials like Hicks-Clayton are worried that the plan might end up
costing the city in other ways.

Some are concerned about
maintaining some control in emergency dispatch operations and how having
another community handle emergency calls for Dearborn Heights might affect
response times.

Hicks-Clayton believes more
research into those impacts is needed before moving the plan forward.

Part of the plan also includes
selling Dearborn Heights’ dispatch equipment, which was purchased for $750,000
in 2013, for a one-time payment of roughly $200,000.

Six cities in total are part of
the proposed plan but not all have agreed to come on board. The communities are
Garden City, Inkster, Melvindale, Wayne and Westland.

Paletko said police and fire
first responders have been involved in the process since he and Dearborn Mayor
John O’Reilly, Jr. began discussing the plan two years ago.

Paletko said public meetings will
be held for residents as soon as the city has agreed to begin negotiating a
contract.

For more information about the
town hall meeting, contact Hicks-Clayton at 313-348-9848.