Compromise

In the interest of unity and sustainability, SOP has proposed a compromise to the Dearborn City Council.

1. The city pays out 87 cents of every dollar for fixed, legacy costs of Police, Fire, DPW, employees, benefits, pensions, etc., and
2. Only 13 cents of every dollar is used for all the other city services and amenities that Dearborn residents have enjoyed for decades, including pools, and 
3. If something isn’t done soon, it is estimated that within the next 5 years or so, the city won’t have any money in its budget to pay for much of anything except those fixed legacy costs, as these expenses keep going up.

Realizing that the city does NOT have the money to maintain all 8 pools, SOP has devised a plan, which we believe can save the pools, and not cost the city budget or reserve funds a penny.

Our Proposed Plan Offers the Following Benefits:

1. Without any expense to the city budget or our rapidly shrinking city reserve funds, our plan would give the city funding for repairs and upgrades to Dunworth. 
2. Funding to build a Ford Woods Aquatic Center, without any cost to the city budget or rapidly shrinking city reserve funds, thereby giving East Dearborn a pool similar to Dunworth and alleviating Dunworth overcrowding.
3.  By including tags with our plan it will eliminate tag purchases and save the city the extensive time and labor associated with tag purchases 
4. This would save the city additional expenses on a special SAD election, as our plan could be included during next year’s citywide and presidential election. 
5. Unlike the SAD, which was divisive and had an unpopular, complex tag structure, our plan unites us as one city and one tag allows entry into all 8 pools, which is what the majority of residents you and SOP represent requested all along. 
6.  Our plan could also include some additional small fee to allow the city to capture additional revenue to place funds in a preventive maintenance account for future use. 
7. Our suggested plan would save the city millions that the city could use for other projects and/or keep in its reserve funds and lower our 2013 fiscal year proposed budget structural deficit. 
8.  By approving our plan, you would be telling the people you represent that you are being fair to all residents and neighborhoods and giving residents what they believe is the fairest way to keep all 8 pools open. 
9.  Our plan is a win-win-win situation – a win for the administration, a win for the council and a win for the citizens. 
10.  Our plan would keep all the pools open, and increase OVERALL city property   values and keep Dearborn as a highly desirable city to live in for a long time.

The details are as follows: 

1.     Funding:

With the current Ford and Community Performing Arts Center Millage expiring in FY2013, SOP is asking that the City approve a ballot initiative to Continue the current Millage as a City Pool Capital, Operation and Recreation Maintenance Millage. 

While it would be a new millage, the effect would be a continuation or decrease of the current costs the residents pay.   The Pool millage would begin where the Center millage ends.  This would allow the costs for the pools to be applied evenly across the entire City and would not require an additional commitment or fee on the residents.

2.     Proposed Continuation Millage Funding Application:

•   Cover all 8 Outdoor Pool Operational Costs 
•  Pay for all capital costs required for Crowley, Dunworth, Hemlock, Lapeer, Summer Stephens, Ten Eyck, and Whitmore Bolles. 
•  Cover costs to move Ford Woods next to the DISC which would synchronize facilities and allow cost-effective options at Ford Woods that are comparable to Dunworth. 
•  Provide complete ADA compliance with options such as zero depth entry. 
•  Allow differences between Millage revenue and operational/capital cost to be applied to needed Recreation cost-saving initiatives or required projects.
  

3.     Revenue Options:

• Continue Non-resident daily swim charges. 
•  Continue swim lesson charges. 
•  Continue Pool rental charges where applicable. 
•  Place all revenue monies into fund to reduce time requirement for Continuation Millage or for special pool maintenance and operational needs. 

4.     Resident Benefit:

•  All residents would get automatic pool tags that allow swimming at every Pool. 
•  Grand Parents would be allowed grandchildren visitors under proposed resident structure to match current entry requirements. 
•  All pools will be renovated and fixed per requirements as needed. 
•  Dearborn remains an attractive and competitive city. 
•  A more unified city that values all neighborhoods the same. The previous SAD proposal would have divided the city into districts. 
•  Costs of plan for continuation millage would be $40/45 per residence instead of proposed SAD costs at $45 - $100 per residence, depending on the resident’s district, over 10years. 
•  Dearborn homes retain or increase their value.  Through the exploration of an SAD, the City's tax assessor confirmed that the neighborhood pools add value to homes in Dearborn.   

5.     City Benefit:

• Costs of incurring an SAD mail-in vote will be eliminated. 
•  Vote can occur in conjunction with next city-wide election. 
•  Tag purchases can be eliminated thus allowing Community Center Staff to focus on the Center's needs. 
•  City would get competitive pool in East end without diminishing needs of the Neighborhoods. 
•  Amenable solution to a recurring resident concern. 
•  Budgetary relief while continuing to provide a great service.

6.     SOP Commitment:

• SOP / residents commit to support cost cutting and saving measures with the City to reach goal of revenue neutral after applicable Continuation Millage timeframe. 
•  SOP / residents commit to work in partnership with the City to continue pool clean ups for added cost savings.  
•  SOP commits to working with the Community Fund and Recreation Department to expand initial Pool Donations and Fundraising goals to be applicable to all Recreation areas where needed.

7.     Proposed City Commitment:

• We ask that the City work to open all outdoor pools this summer to residents. 
•  We ask that the City work in partnership with SOP to reduce operating and capital costs based on previous and future recommendations. 
•  We ask that the City commit to developing a fair 'Decision Structure' to allow changes in operating times based on the needs of each neighborhood. 
• We ask that the City work with SOP and/or Neighborhood Associations to continue 'Floatie Nights' or other special neighborhood activates within normal operation times or at a minimal 'Club Price' (current cost is $5 per person). 
•  We ask that the City commits to pursue additional options such as County Grants and similar items to help reduce costs to taxpayers. 
•  With increase of tags available in this proposal, we ask that the City work to incorporate zero depth options as needs and per cost effectiveness to ADA requirements. 
•  We ask that the City commit to cost effective options that would allow extended usage as needed within neighborhoods in a cost effective manner. 
•  We ask that the City work with other entities where dual use of pool facilities could be used to reduce costs to residents. 
•  We ask that the City re-instate an Outdoor Pools Committee to facilitate the decision-making discussed herein with two SOP representatives, two City representatives, and one representative chosen by the committee.

SOP is committed to the needs of the Neighborhoods and City at large and believes this compromise fairly resolves the interests of the residents against the demands of the budget.  We are prepared to continue to work with the City of Dearborn to reach a solution that is sustainable and reasonable so Dearborn can continue to be a city to live, work, and play for years to come. 

Prior Option Considered - SADs
While has chosen not to move forward with this option, you can still find some of the details below to better understand the situation and solutions presented.

Frequently Asked Questions Page 1 and Page 2
Proposed District Map
$500,000 Proposed Budget
$600,000 Proposed Budget
Proposed New Tag Structure
"The Back Fence" Message About SADs


Click Here to read about SOP's statement regarding SAD petitions (April 30, 2012).
Click Here for links to all of the proposed budget documents from the city.