All News

Election Updates
August 7, 2018

Voter turnout in the City of Dexter for the Primary Election was 42%. We anticipate a turnout of 75% to 80% for the November 6, 2018 General Election. Below are some suggestions as we start to prepare for this election:

- If you know of a friend or family member that will be going away to college who would like to vote in November, please have him or her register to vote and/or request an absentee ballot immediately. This can be done at the City Office from 9 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday. If the student registers to vote by mail, he or she must vote in person at their first election and cannot receive an absentee ballot.

- If you did not vote in the Primary, please check to make sure you know your polling location. This can be done by visiting www.michigan.gov/vote.

- If you are interested in becoming a precinct worker, please contact the City Clerk. This position is paid and training is provided.

- If you know that you will be out of town on November 6, 2018 and would like to vote, please request an absentee ballot now. Ballots will be mailed the week of September 24th.

- Please keep in mind that it is against State of Michigan election law for the Clerk to give an absentee ballot over the counter to someone other than the person whose name is on the ballot.

Questions about any of the above items can be directed to Assistant to the City Manager/City Clerk Justin Breyer at 734-580-2234 or jbreyer@dextermi.gov.

Mast Road Closure
August 3, 2018

On Wednesday, August 8, 2018 the Washtenaw County Road Commission (WCRC) will close Mast Road, between North Territorial Road and Strawberry Lake Road for a culvert replacement.

The road will be closed to all through traffic. Residents and property owners, who live or work within the work zone will be provided access to their property, but no traffic will be able to cross the culvert location itself.

Earlier this spring, WCRC removed trees along this stretch of road as a part of a federal safety grant, this culvert replacement is the second phase of the grant. No trees will be removed as a part of this phase.

The road improvements are expected to take approximately 4 to 6 weeks. However, all dates are tentative and subject to change due to weather conditions. 

The posted detour for this closure is Strawberry Lake Road, Hamburg Road, 8 Mile Road, US-23 and North Territorial Road. Click here to access the detour map. 

If you have any questions concerning this work, please contact Brent Schlack, assistant director of engineering, (734) 327-6670, or via email at schlackb@wcroads.org. 

Baker Road Roundabout Project
July 27, 2018

For your safety and the safety of the construction workers, please do not walk, bike or drive through the area that is barricaded off for the Baker Road Roundabout Project. 

Mandatory Outdoor Watering Restrictions/Water Discoloration
July 13, 2018

Water usage in the City is now exceeding 1 million gallons per day. Typical usage in the winter is between 250,000 and 350,000 gallons per day. It is essential that everyone adheres to the prohibition on watering between 6 am and 10 am and the odd/even restrictions. If you are watering regularly, please check your automatic sprinkler systems to make sure they are set to match your odd/even address and to water earlier or later in the day.

Since we started the water restrictions in 2013, we have only handed out reminder notices. According to City Ordinance, however, we are able to issue tickets for an amount up to $500 per occurrence to those who have been repeatedly caught violating the water restrictions. Please help us conserve our water resources by cooperating with the restrictions.

Water Discoloration

This week, the City received several calls about discolored water. This is a consequence of both the high water usage and the various construction projects that require connections to the water system. The discoloration is caused by a natural build up of minerals in the water lines. These mineral deposits are stirred up when the usage is high and when valves are turned to allow for connections to made to the water system. The discoloration can be cleared by running the cold water in the highest bathtub or shower in the house until the water runs clear.

Sewer System Preventative Maintenance
July 13, 2018

The City has received a grant from the State of Michigan to televise sewer main in the City. The goal of the grant is to help cities create an asset management plan for the sewer system. Starting the week of July 16, 2018 city contractor Metro Environmental will be televising the sewer lines south of Ann Arbor Street on Forest, Grand and Inverness. If necessary, in addition to the televising, the sewer mains will be cleaned with a vactor truck, which puts high pressure water through the main. The process requires accessing the sewer lines through manholes. Please proceed with caution when driving through these areas while the work is occurring.

If you have any questions about the work, please contact the Utility Department at 734-426-4572 - Monday through Friday from 7 am to 3:30 pm.

May/June Utility Bills
July 12, 2018

Water/sewer/refuse bills for May/June will be mailed out on Monday, July 16, 2018. The bills are now a full page stuffed in an envelope instead of a postcard. This new format allows us to provide more detailed information on the payment options, as well as usage history. If you are interested in having the bill automatically withdrawn from your financial institution and/or receiving your bill via e-mail, please reply to this e-mail.

Job Posting - Assistant Planner
July 4, 2018

The City of Dexter is seeking an energetic, highly organized, and self-motivated Assistant Planner. Under the supervision of the Community Development Manager, this position will be tasked with responsibilities such as managing and implementing projects related to land use planning, plan implementation, permitting, code enforcement, site inspections, and committee management. In addition, the City is currently experiencing significant redevelopment, in and around the downtown.

A link to the full Job Posting may be accessed HERE

Required Qualifications

  • Possess a Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university with a major in urban planning, public administration, business administration or a related field.
  • Thorough knowledge of federal, state, and local laws governing community planning and zoning.
  • Knowledge of modern principles and practices of city planning, community development, zoning, and redevelopment.
  • Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office products, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
  • Demonstrated proficiency in the use of, and the ability to learn, various information technologies and software.
  • Reliable Transportation
  • Ability to attend meetings scheduled at times other than normal business hours, travel to other locations within the City and State.
  • Ability to perform multiple tasks accurately and efficiently under time constraints.
  • Ability to gather and analyze data for the purpose of preparing accurate and timely reports, recommendations, memoranda, letters, and responses to requests for information.
  • Ability to communicate and present information effectively both in verbal and written manner to varied audiences.
  • Possession of a valid Michigan driver’s license.

 Desired Qualifications

  • Possess a Master’s Degree in urban planning or public administration from an accredited college or university
  • A minimum of 2 years of experience in municipal or urban planning.
  • Considerable ability to exercise equitable and mature judgment in analyzing problems and recommending solutions.

Work Schedule

Regular office hours are Monday – Friday from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm. Attendance may be required at meetings held before or after normal working hours.

Contact

A cover letter, application, and resume should be sent no later than 5:00pm on Thursday, July 19, 2018, to the attention of Justin Breyer, Assistant to the City Manager/Clerk at 8140 Main St., Dexter, MI 48130, Jbreyer@DexterMI.gov. Candidates may also contact the City Offices by phone at 734-426-8303 for more information.

The Employment Application may be found at the following link: http://dextermi.gov/sites/dextermi.gov/files/client_files/forms/employment_application_3.pdf

Fireworks Reminders
July 3, 2018

With the Fourth of July approaching, we want to remind everyone that the use of fireworks in the City is prohibited by City Ordinance. State law however, requires that fireworks be permitted on the day before, the day of, and the day following a national holiday. On these three days state law permits fireworks to be used from 8 am to 1 am.   
State law does allow the City to regulate certain activities including the following:

- fireworks cannot be discharged in any public place, school property, church property or the property owned by another person without the other property owner's written permission.
- fireworks also cannot be discharged so that remnants from the fireworks land on any public place or the property of another person without the other property owner's written permission.

Since the passage of this law in 2012, the City has received numerous complaints regarding the use of fireworks on the three days.  We are trying to encourage all residents to cooperate with their neighbors so that we minimize conflicts and complaints.   We would like to request that residents be respectful of their neighbors when using fireworks on the state approved days. If you are using fireworks and a neighbor asks you to stop or is concerned about debris or the proximity to their home, we expect our residents to be cooperative neighbors and honor the request.

All safety concerns related to fireworks activities should be directed to the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office. Please understand that the Sheriff’s Office personnel cannot supersede the state fireworks law, but they can discourage unsafe activity.   Most fireworks are loud and noise is often the most common complaint that we receive.   The state fireworks law supersedes our noise ordinance within the permitted times of allowable use.

The City's goal is for all residents and property owners to have a safe and relaxing Fourth of July, so please be considerate of your neighbors. We thank you in advance for your cooperation and thoughtfulness.

Temporary Railroad Viaduct Closure - July 3rd
July 3, 2018

The following is a message from the Washtenaw County Road Commission

On Tuesday, July 3, 2018, MDOT Office of Rail and the Washtenaw County Sheriff Department are scheduled to close Main St/Island Lake Road between Dexter-Chelsea Road and Dexter-Pinckney Road in Webster Township at approximately 9:30 a.m. to replace the overhead clearance signs on the railroad viaduct.

Separately, Washtenaw County Road Commission (WCRC) crews will replace the warning signs leading up to the viaduct in both directions.

The new posted height will be 10’9” and reflects a corrected measurement based on current engineering standards.

The road will be back open to traffic within a couple of hours.

If you have any questions concerning this closure, please contact Matt MacDonell, Director of Engineering, at (734) 327- 6688 or macdonellm@wcroads.org.

2018 Sidewalk Replacement Project
June 22, 2018

If sidewalk work was recently completed in your area, please check this weekend to make sure that your sprinkler lines were not damaged. The contractor is responsible for fixing the damage and will be starting work to fix any damaged areas the week of June 25, 2018.