Dearborn Heights council holds closed session to discuss police labor negotiations

The Dearborn Heights City Council moved into a closed session at 5:36 p.m. on Sept. 9 to discuss labor negotiations with the Police Officers Association of Michigan, Councilman Abbas said when he made the motion. The council returned to open session at 5:55 p.m. and approved adjournment to a brief recess before the regular meeting.

"I move that the Dearborn Heights City Council move to a closed session at 05:36PM so that the city council may discuss the labor negotiations of the ... Police Officers Association of Michigan," Councilman Abbas said when making the motion, which was seconded and approved by voice vote. The motion named possible attendees for the closed session, including the mayor, Chief of Staff Hernandez, Human Resource Director Fisher, Interim Controller Doon and Roger Farnenhau.

Earlier in the special meeting, Councilman Saab moved to approve the meeting agenda and Councilman Ahmad seconded; the chair said the motion carried after a voice vote. Chair remarks and roll call established a quorum before the council considered closing the meeting to the public.

No members of the public spoke during the public comment period. The closed-session portion lasted about 19 minutes, after which the councilmember who moved to return to open session said the body was back at 5:55 p.m. The chair commented, "Fastest deliberation in Dearborn Heights' history," as the meeting resumed.

All procedural motions recorded in the transcript were approved by voice vote; the transcript does not record roll-call vote tallies or any formal public action taken in open session on the substance of the labor negotiations. The council announced a five-minute recess and said it would proceed to the regular meeting afterward.