The Dearborn Heights City Council on Nov. 25 passed a resolution declaring severance agreements made by the prior administration void and directing the current administration not to pay severance to mayoral appointees or other city employees unless the council expressly authorizes such payments.

Councilman Hassan Saab presented the resolution, saying the council had become aware that the previous administration had agreed to pay severance to several mayoral appointees without council approval and that those actions violated the city charter. "The prior administration's agreement to pay severance . . . are declared void," Saab said as he read the resolution (motion and reading reported during the meeting). Council members discussed that some payments had already been made and asked the city attorney for guidance on potential legal remedies.

Mayor Baidoun and other council members framed the vote as a transparency and fiscal-protection step. The mayor said the administration will refuse any severance payments not expressly authorized by the council and emphasized a desire to limit outside legal spending on such matters. Corp. Counsel Miyake reviewed the ordinance language and noted a technical edit was incorporated on the floor before the vote.

Council debate included references to prior litigation and a specific public comment alleging a $72,000 payment to a former chief (a resident raised that claim during public comment; the council did not adopt an independent finding of illegality during the meeting). Legal counsel and several council members said the resolution clarifies policy going forward but did not state that the council had reversed or recovered any particular past payment during the session.

The resolution passed on a voice vote. The council instructed staff and the city attorney to refuse unauthorized severance payments and to report any additional legal steps back to the council.

The council's action is effective immediately; any future severance agreement must be brought to the full council for express authorization before payment.