Meet the Council | City of Dearborn

Dearborn City Council August 3 Primary Candidate Guide - WDET ...

Ken Paris is a long-time resident of Dearborn. He attended Dearborn Public Schools, earned an associate degree in criminal justice from Henry Ford Community College, and completed the School of Police Staff and Command program at Eastern Michigan University. He and his wife Jamie have been married for over 40 years and have two grandchildren.

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Ken previously worked as a corporate security specialist at AAA Michigan. He also served with the University of Michigan–Dearborn Department of Public Safety for 12 years, including as interim chief and director of public safety and as police lieutenant in charge of operations. Before that, he spent 27 years with the Dearborn Police Department, holding positions from patrolman to executive lieutenant. He also worked as an assistant instructor at Schoolcraft College’s Regional Police Academy.

Ken currently serves as a member of the Dearborn City Council. He was first elected in 2021 and is serving his first term. He previously ran for the same office in 2017 but did not win.

Believes finding the right balance between spending, resources, and taxation is challenging, but has worked hard to communicate and collaborate with the Council, Mayor, and Administration to develop a fiscally responsible budget.

- Believes finding the right balance between spending, resources, and taxation is challenging, but has worked hard to communicate and collaborate with the Council, Mayor, and Administration to develop a fiscally responsible budget.

Economy

Believes high property taxes and population decline are the most important issues facing Dearborn.

Supports ordinance education and enforcement, historic preservation, and regulating short-term and long-term rentals to maintain neighborhood quality.

- Believes high property taxes and population decline are the most important issues facing Dearborn.
- Supports ordinance education and enforcement, historic preservation, and regulating short-term and long-term rentals to maintain neighborhood quality.

Housing & Urban Development

Said, "We need to ensure adequate staffing for police, fire and dispatchers, and provide excellent training, equipment, pay and benefits to attract and retain qualified candidates to serve in these positions."

Supports adequate staffing, training, and compensation for police, fire, and dispatch to ensure community safety.

Advocates traffic safety enforcement and crime suppression measures to improve neighborhood safety.

- Supports adequate staffing, training, and compensation for police, fire, and dispatch to ensure community safety.
- Advocates traffic safety enforcement and crime suppression measures to improve neighborhood safety.

Public Safety

Believes the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for improved public health education and services in Dearborn.

- Believes the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for improved public health education and services in Dearborn.

Healthcare

Supports reversing cuts to senior and disabled assistance, youth recreation, city infrastructure, and accessible healthcare.

Supports improving basic city services including trash and leaf collection, vector control, and stricter enforcement of ordinances.

- Supports reversing cuts to senior and disabled assistance, youth recreation, city infrastructure, and accessible healthcare.
- Supports improving basic city services including trash and leaf collection, vector control, and stricter enforcement of ordinances.

Public Services

Supports a commitment to carbon neutrality and investing in renewable energy.

- Supports a commitment to carbon neutrality and investing in renewable energy.

Energy & the Environment

Supports an independent investigation into the June 26th flooding crisis and believes it requires collaboration from local, state, and federal resources to resolve.

- Supports an independent investigation into the June 26th flooding crisis and believes it requires collaboration from local, state, and federal resources to resolve.

Transportation & Infrastructure

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Ken Paris

Ken Paris is a long-time resident of Dearborn. He attended Dearborn Public Schools, Henry Ford College, and the University of Michigan-Dearborn. He has a bachelor of arts in criminal justice from Henry Ford College and is a graduate of the EMU School of Police Staff and Command program. He and his wife Jamie have been married for over 40 years and have two grandchildren.

Ken is a law enforcement officer. He served 27 years with the Dearborn Police Department and another 12 years with the University of Michigan-Dearborn Department of Public Safety, including command positions. He also served on the Dearborn Traffic Commission.

Ken previously ran for Dearborn City Council in 2016 but did not win.

Opposes defunding or reallocating police funding.

- City council members in Michigan help make city-level laws, approve budgets, and oversee city services to serve the community’s needs. 
- Council members attend regular meetings, listen to public concerns, and vote on city issues like zoning, public safety, and spending. They also appoint and direct officials, like the city manager.
- City council members may be elected in partisan elections or nonpartisan elections, depending on the city. They may represent either the whole city or residents of a specific district. 
- Terms for city council members often last two or four years, depending on the city.