Candice Williams

The Detroit News

Officials in the city of Grosse Pointe were celebrating Tuesday evening after winning passage of a $12.96 million public safety and public services bond issue.

The proposal to build a new public safety headquarters and public services building narrowly passed with 53 percent of voters in favor.

"We’re very happy," Grosse Pointe Public Safety Chief Stephen Poloni said. "We thank our residents for their support. We're looking forward to modernizing both departments. It was a close vote. Obviously a lot of people are concerned with their taxes and we understand that. We felt that it was a good plan to move forward for the next 50 years."

The bond proposal was among a handful of issues voters throughout Wayne County weighed in on during the primary election Tuesday.

A light, but steady stream of voters went to the city’s only polling location, Maire Elementary School on Cadieux.

Officials asked for the funds, to be repaid over 23 years, to pay for a new public safety headquarters and a new public services building.

The measure received the support of resident Anne Marie Hartz, 48.

“The police and public services needed a new facility,” she said. “I support the law enforcement. That facility is old and small.”

The city plans to relocate public safety and public services from Maumee Avenue. a location under consideration for the public safety building, to the site of Alger’s Deli and Liquor on Mack and St. Clair. The public services building could possibly relocate to a St. John Hospital warehouse at 4849 Canyon.

Hartz said she likes the proposed site of Mack and St. Clair for the new public safety building.

“I think that’s a good location right sort of in the middle of that Mack border for the city,” she said. “I think it’s a great spot.”

Others weren't so welcoming of the price tag for the project. Kurt Eschenburg, 54, said he voted no on the proposal because he felt $12.96 million was too high.

"It's too far over the top," he said. "I think they could have done it for a lot less money. And they had no development plan for the existing police station and construction yard."

The millage will cost the owner of a home whose taxable value is $125,000 an estimated $212 in 2018.

The current public safety building will be repurposed for court offices and other city offices.

Romulus Community Schools lost in its request for a pair of millages. Fifty-eight percent of voters said no to a 10-year operating renewal for 2.5 mills, down from the previously authorized 5.13 mills that expired in 2016. And 65 percent of voters said no to a 10-year sinking fund increase for no more than 3 mills for real estate purchases and school repairs.

In Hamtramck, Mayor Karen Majewski and challenger Mohammed Hassan advanced to the fall election. Majewski led with 43 percent of the vote, while Hassan edged Asm Rahman for second place, 27 percent to 25 percent. Cathie Ladzinski Gordon trailed far behind, with 3 percent.

Incumbents in Dearborn and Dearborn Heights also advanced to the November election.

Dearborn Mayor John O’Reilly received 44 percent of the vote, while challenger Thomas Patrick Tafelski received 39 percent of the vote. Jim Parrelly received 12 percent, Hakim Fakhoury received 3 percent of the vote and Edward John Binkley received less than 1 percent.

Dearborn Heights Mayor Daniel Paletko received 48 percent of the vote. Lisa Hicks-Clayton also advanced with 33 percent of the vote. Ed Garcia received 18 percent.

cwilliams@detroitnews.com

Twitter: CWilliams_DN