By ZEINAB NAJM
Times-Herald Newspapers
HEIGHTS — Dearborn Heights voters re-elected incumbents Lisa Hicks-Clayton, Dave Abdallah and Ray Muscat to the city council in the Nov. 5 general election.
In the Crestwood School District, a non-homestead millage was denied for a second time this year, 1,673 to 1,333. A total of 3,224 of 19,543 district voters (16.5 percent) cast ballots.
In the council race, Hicks-Clayton received the most votes with 3,688 followed by Abdallah with 2,857 and Muscat with 2,967 votes. Stephen Henry finished fourth and out of the money with 2,225 votes, Rose Tripepi was fifth with 1,724 votes and Larry Henney sixth with 1,478.
Abdallah has been on the council since 2016, Muscat since 2015 and Hicks-Clayton since 2012. In a message following the election, Hicks-Clayton said she was thankful for all those who supported her re-election.
“I am grateful to you for your support and humbled to have learned that I was the No. 1 vote-getter in the election,” she said. “It is truly an honor to represent you on city council and it is you who have helped me to do the best I can.
“I am looking forward to the next four years, working hard to make Dearborn Heights even better. I truly appreciate your confidence in me and I will do the best I can for our community.”
Abdallah took to Facebook to post his post-election message.
“Thank you everyone for all your support,” he wrote. “Without you, I couldn’t have done it. Honored to serve Dearborn Heights for a second term. Thank you for being there for me. I will continue to be there for you and do everything within my power to vote in the best interest of the residents.”
Muscat also expressed his appreciation to the community.
“I want to thank all of you who have given me your support as we strive to make our city of Dearborn Heights a better place to live and a better future for our children” he wrote on Facebook. “I congratulate Lisa Hicks-Clayton and Dave Abdallah on being re-elected. As in the past I look forward to working with the both of you.
“And to those who were unsuccessful, a big thank you for doing what most people don’t do, you took the time and effort to get involved. It is not easy to run for public office, but all of you did a great job.”
A total of 5,952 voters cast ballots for the council race of 40,067 registered DPS voters, for a 14.86 percent turnout.
The non-homestead millage proposal would have raised $40,000 for Crestwood. According to the ballot language the proposal would have allowed “the school district to levy the statutory rate of not to exceed 18 mills on all property, except principal residence and other property exempted by law, required for the school district to receive its revenue per pupil foundation allowance.”
Crestwood School District Supt. Youssef Mosallam thanked everyone who voted on Nov. 5 in a statement.
“Although the non-homestead millage renewal did not pass, we will continue to move forward to enhance the learning opportunities for our community in a safe and productive manner,” he said. “What this past millage has taught us as a district is that we need to enhance community and school partnerships. We have many great things happening and we need to ensure that the community is our partner through proactiveness and support.”
The millage proposal was first rejected by voters 1,216 to 927 in the Aug. 6 primary election.
(Zeinab Najm can be reached at [email protected])