New Police Chief on the Job. City Sub Committee on Dispatch Consolidation to meet with Birmingham and Township.

On Monday New Chief David Hendrickson will be begin his first day on the job. His salary has been confirmed at $95,500 dollars which is slightly higher in dollars than his predecessor. The over all pay out is about the same since he will be not taking the City's health insurance. That will come from Warren where he also continues to receive a pension.

On Tuesday at 9am it is expected that the Chief will accompany City Manager Cravens, Commissioner Dul and and Commissioner Sherr to a 9am meeting to hear  a proposal from the City of Birmingham Public Safety Department concerning consolidation of Dispatch services. On Thursday  they will meet with the Public Safety Department of Bloomfield Township to do the same.

Since these meetings will not be held in   the City, it is not  known if interested residents of the participating cities will be allowed able to attend. We intend on finding  out.

On May 14th when the Dispatch consolidation sub committee was approved City Manager Cravens stating that he had nothing to hide said the public would be part of the process.
He also said that the Committee  would consider the option of  maintaining the services it has now which seems to be the public favorite. Now apparently the sub committee will not meet with the public in an open meeting at all. Sub Committee member  Dul was quoted as saying "we would be remiss by not looking at the proposal (Dispatch Consolidation)." Sub Committee member  Sherr  said it would irresponsible not to gather more information. Regrettably  Commissioners Dul and Sherr

do not feel the responsibility to hear to  from their constituents.

A sure way to determine what the people want is to put the matter on the November 2013 ballot.That is not in the plans.

Mayor McClure in an email to our query wrote..
After the sub committee has done its homework the City will send out a letter to residents discussing its findings, ie the potential cost savings, how the key program could be handled, etc. The letter will invite residents to email comments or attend our Commission meeting. This letter will go out before the Commission votes on this issue. In this way the residents will have an opportunity to be aware of the issue and relay any concerns or opinion before the issue decided.  Again, this sub committee is only a fact finding group.  The City may or may not go forward with any of the this with the Township or Birmingham.

Sarah

City Manager Cravens copied in our query replied with 

Any decision by the City Commission will be done in public following input by residents. Mayor McClure has suggested a letter be sent out to all residents seeking their their input. I agree with that approach. The details of the letter will be formulated when we complete our meetings with Birmingham and Bloomfield Township and meet with the full City Commission.