Council passes resolution declaring prior severance agreements void and instructs administration not to pay without council approval

On Nov. 25 the Dearborn Heights City Council passed a resolution declaring that severance agreements entered into by a prior administration were unauthorized and therefore void under the city charter, and directed the current administration not to pay severance to mayoral appointees or former employees absent express council approval.

Councilman Saab read the resolution, which states that prior administrations “agreed to pay severance” for some mayoral appointees without council authorization and that such agreements violated the charter. The council discussed wanting to conserve taxpayer dollars and minimize litigation; corporation counsel reviewed wording with the body during the meeting and members amended a typographical phrasing before vote.

The resolution carried on a voice vote. Council members said the measure is intended to provide transparency and to ensure severance payments occur only with explicit council authorization. The motion does not, in itself, reverse payments already made; questions about recovery of funds were raised by a resident during public comment (see public comment timeline), and the council said legal avenues would be considered where appropriate.