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Dearborn Heights officials describe storm response, cite DTE investments and urge resident patience
Summary
City staff and the mayor reviewed operations after a summer storm, thanked DPW, police and fire crews for response, said DTE pledged $7.1 million in 2026 improvements for the area (on top of $25.3 million over five years), and warned residents not to add non‑city debris that delays cleanup.
City staff told the Dearborn Heights City Council on July 14 that city departments mobilized immediately after a recent storm and that the administration is pursuing accountability and better communications with DTE Energy. The city’s chief of staff thanked DPW, police, fire and communications staff for response work and noted that Mayor Baidoun personally called DTE leadership to press for repairs.
The chief of staff said DTE President Matt Paul visited the hardest‑hit areas and that DTE "is investing $7,100,000 in planned improvements in 2026 on top of the $25,300,000 already invested over the last 5 years." He stressed that, while the city has limited authority over utilities, city crews were reassigned to debris and brush collection and that residents should not use the cleanup as an opportunity to discard personal yard waste because extra debris slows crews.
DPW staff confirmed street‑by‑street brush collection is underway and said the South End of Dearborn Heights should be completed within a day or two. Staff also described coordination with DTE on transformer work at Van Houten Park and said a senior DTE executive living in the community provided a direct line for rapid response.
Council members thanked crews and encouraged residents to be patient and to follow guidance for debris removal so cleanup proceeds efficiently.
