By SUE SUCHYTA
Times-Herald Newspapers
Dearborn Public Schools and the three Dearborn Heights school districts – Crestwood, Dearborn Heights No. 7 and Westwood – chose new school board members during the Nov. 3 election.
In addition, Dearborn Heights residents renewed a sanitation millage of 0.9540 mills for 10 years, beginning in 2021, to fulfill the city’s obligation to the Central Wayne County Sanitation Authority. The millage passed with a two-third’s majority, with 14,126 voters in favor of the millage and 7,767 opposed.
Eight candidates ran for three 6-year full-term DPS school board positions, with incumbents Adel Mozip (14,392 votes) and Mary K. Petlichkoff (12,301) retaining their seats, and newcomer Irene Watts winning the third seat (12,802).
Candidates Khodar Farhat (12,288), Paul Goddard (11,718), Nofila J. Haidar (10,430), Sharifah Galab (7,685) and Batoul Baiz (4,303) did not win positions.
Four candidates ran for one two-year partial term ending Dec. 21, 2022, with Patrick D’Ambrosio (10,711) winning the seat, while Albert Abbas (9,284), Sabrina Evans-Cummings (6,741), and Maali Luqman (6,700) did not.
In the Crestwood School District, incumbent Sue Kaminsky (5,112) retained her seat, while incumbent Colleen Krizanic (3,960) lost her seat to challenger Mo Sabbagh (4,112). Mohamad H. Berri (2,890) and Zakaria Alhabbal (1,358) did not win board seats.
In D7, three incumbents did not seek new terms, leaving one incumbent and four newcomers running for four positions.
Incumbent and Board President Mandy Diroff (2,354) was re-elected, with newcomers Nathaniel Cann (2,089), Latanya Gater (2,066), and Derek Wall (2,026) winning seats. Challenger Bill Dishroon (1,997) was not elected.
In the Westwood Community School District, three incumbents ran unchallenged, with Sarah Simmons-Ward (3,436), Tim Emery (2,943) and Roderick Means (2,778) re-elected to the board.