Dearborn Heights City Council Candidate Files Petition To Recall Mayor

DEARBORN HEIGHTS, MI — A candidate running for Dearborn Heights City Council filed a petition in a Wayne County court to recall the city's mayor.

Zouhair Abdel-Hak, who's running for a city council seat, told Patch in an emailed statement that Dearborn Heights Mayor Bill Bazzi hired two new high-level director positions within the city's police department earlier this year without following the rules.

"Mayor Bazzi violated the charter and PA78, which was adopted by the voters in November 1964 to oversee the police and fire departments," Abdel-Hak told Patch. "He hired two directors to the police department without following the rules of PA78. He did not have the authority to do so."

Abdel-Hak, a former Dearborn Heights treasurer and councilman, said the creation and filling of the two executive staff positions (that report to the Dearborn Heights Police Chief) was not subjected to the Police and Fire Civil Service Commission.

If a judge validates the petition, Abdel-Hak and his volunteers will have to get 4,500 signatures from registered voters in Dearborn Heights to get the petition on the ballot. Bazzi can appeal the judge's decision.

If the petition gathers the signatures, voters will have the opportunity to recall Bazzi in November's elections. If the vote passes, then a special election will be held sometime after to fill the rest of Bazzi's term. Bazzi could run in a special election.

Abdel-Hak's court hearing with the Wayne County Election Commission was scheduled for July 25 at 12:30 p.m.

Bazzi told Patch he will issue a prepared statement after the hearing.