Dearborn Heights City Councilmember Mo Baydoun (fourth from left), the newly elected city council chair, and Hassan Ahmad (third from left) the newly elected mayor pro tem, are joined during the Jan. 9 meeting by Councilmembers Robert Constan (left), Nancy Bryer, Denise Malinowski-Maxwell, Hassan Saab and Tom Wencel.
By SUE SUCHYTA
Times-Herald Newspapers
HEIGHTS – City Councilmember Mo Baydoun was elected by fellow council members as the body’s chair, with Councilmember Hassan Ahmad similarly elected mayor pro tem Jan. 9 at the new council’s first meeting.
The reorganization occurs every two years.
Baydoun received four votes: from himself, Ahmad, Robert Constan and Hassan Saad.
Councilmember Tom Wencel nominated himself and Denise Malinowski-Maxwell was nominated by Councilmember Nancy Bryer for the council chair position, but neither received a majority vote.
Baydoun recognized and thanked former Councilmember and Chair Dave Abdallah, who was in attendance, for his years of service and acknowledged that he has “big shoes to fill.”
“We are all going to work hand-in-hand, and we are all going to work together,” he said while looking at his fellow council members. “I appreciate every single one of you and I look forward to moving forward, all of us here, together, and with that being said, I actually get to hit the gavel.”
Baydoun then did so, amid laughter.
Ahmad was nominated for pro tem by Saab, Bryer was nominated by Constan, and Wencel nominated Malinowski-Maxwell, with Ahmad receiving the majority of council votes.