emergency manager

There's more money in Michigan's school aid fund, but should it be spent on schools on the brink?

Steve Carmody — Wed, 15 May 2013 04:59:27 +0000

Battle Creek State Senator Mike Nofs says he doesn’t think higher than expected revenue in the school aid fund should be used to bail out struggling school districts.

Nofs says at today’s revenue estimating conference, state officials will announce the school aid fund has nearly $100 million more than predicted.

Nofs expects there will be push to use that money to help the struggling Pontiac and Buena Vista school districts. But he says that’s not a good idea.

2 Michigan schools could close early; in 1993 Kalkaska did it on purpose

Mark Brush — Fri, 10 May 2013 16:50:12 +0000

No doubt, public schools in Michigan are struggling.

Around 400 students in the Buena Vista school district in Saginaw have been shut out after the district announced they couldn't make payroll.

And it was revealed yesterday that Pontiac schools are close to running out of money and might have to close their doors early.

Buena Vista school district could be headed down the path to an emergency manager

Steve Carmody and The Associated Press — Fri, 10 May 2013 04:43:47 +0000

A Saginaw area school district that's closed its doors has now asked the state to review its finances.

That's the first step toward a state appointed emergency manager.

But the move does not guarantee the District's 400 students will be back in class anytime soon.

The Buena Vista school board heard from parents and students last night, angry about the abrupt and apparent early end of the school year.

“If we don’t get these kids back in school…we’re going to be the ones who destroyed their lives,” one upset father told the school board.

Mayor Dayne Walling on financial future of Flint

Jennifer White and Mercedes Mejia — Wed, 08 May 2013 13:51:57 +0000

Flint’s Emergency Manager, Ed Kurtz, says he will resign come June 30^th, which may put Flint a step closer to returning to local control. Flint Mayor Dayne Walling talks with Jennifer White about the financial future of Flint.

Flint’s city council recently passed a resolution asking Governor Rick Snyder to remove the city’s emergency manager and appoint a transition advisory team.

“There are a number of requirements in the law that would have to be met by the appointed manager before a transition board could be put in place, such as the adoption of a two-year budget. So, city council leadership and I have been calling on for those steps to get done as soon as possible. The city of Flint does face financial challenges, let’s get addressed as soon as possible so we can move on,” says Mayor Walling.

When asked how financially healthy Flint is right now, Walling says:

“It’s marginally stable. But our position is that it’s going to take some long-term planning, some serious community partnerships to get the city to where it’s more sustainable going forward. And that work cannot be done effectively by an appointed manager.”

Listen to the full interview above.

On second take, Benton Harbor voters approve “vital” operating millages

Lindsey Smith — Wed, 08 May 2013 02:31:57 +0000

People in Benton Harbor voted overwhelmingly to raise property taxes to support city services in Tuesday’s election.

That’s after voters rejected a similar set of proposals last November. The city is already running in the red and the millage represents around 20-percent of the city’s income.

“You just can’t see me dancing in the streets on the radio,” Mayor James Hightower said over the phone Tuesday night, “It’s a great day in Benton Harbor.”

Michigan school district out of money, closes doors today

Mark Brush — Tue, 07 May 2013 15:14:18 +0000

The financial storm has been brewing at the Buena Vista School District outside of Saginaw for some time, but it came to a head today.

The Buena Vista School District announced that the school is closed today and that teachers will be laid off.

A community meeting is expected to be held at 6 p.m tonight.

The District has faced declining enrollment at a time when public education funds are being cut in the state.

The week in review: Run for Senate, live-in partners, DPS emergency manager steps down

Jack Lessenberry and Rina Miller — Sat, 04 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

This "week in review," Rina Miller and Jack Lessenberry discuss the U.S. Senate race, allowing health coverage for live-in partners and the retirement of the emergency manager for Detroit Public Schools.

Detroit Public Schools emergency manager retiring

Michigan Radio Newsroom — Thu, 02 May 2013 19:31:09 +0000

The state-appointed emergency manager for Detroit Public Schools announced his retirement today.

Governor Rick Snyder appointed Roy Roberts to manage the state's largest school system in 2011.

With 'financial emergency' over in Ecorse, Joyce Parker still watching

Stateside Staff — Wed, 01 May 2013 22:05:30 +0000

State officials say the financial emergency in the city of Ecorse has been resolved.

The city has been under the control of an emergency manager since 2009 – when then-Governor Jennifer Granholm made the appointment.

Now, word comes that the city’s budget is balanced and a $20 million deficit has been eliminated.

But the announcement doesn't mean elected officials are getting their authority back right away. That’s because Joyce Parker – Ecorse's former emergency manager - has given the city a two-year budget that it must follow.

Parker – who we should note is also the emergency manager of Allen Park– joined us today.

Listen to the full interview above.

Pelosi: Detroit 'still engaged in a great freedom walk'

Michigan Radio Newsroom — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 16:20:01 +0000

Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-CA, says Detroit is "still engaged in a great freedom walk … and a campaign to preserve the dignity of all Americans."

Pelosi made the remarks as the featured speaker for the Detroit NAACP’s 56th annual gathering last night.

Pontiac schools headed for an emergency manager?

Mark Brush — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 14:47:03 +0000

Will Michigan's next emergency manager operate the Pontiac School District?

Governor Snyder appoints state review team for Hamtramck

Sarah Cwiek — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 00:49:27 +0000

Hamtramck could be the next Michigan city to get an emergency manager.

Governor Snyder appointed a state review team to examine the city’s finances Wednesday.

Hamtramck city officials actually asked for the state review. The tiny enclave within Detroit has struggled financially for many years.

Charlie LeDuff talks about "dead flight" on Colbert Report

Mark Brush — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 17:44:53 +0000

Former New York Times reporter, current Fox TV reporter (WJBK), and author Charlie LeDuff appeared on Comedy Central's Colbert Report last night to promote his book Detroit: An American Autopsy.

When Colbert asked "what is the cause of death" in Detroit, LeDuff responded:

"White flight, black flight, business flight, job flight, we even have dead flight.”
"Dead people will not stay in Detroit?!"
"It's gotten so bad... people who grew up in Detroit and who now live out in the suburbs and are afraid of it - about 1,200 in the last five years - they've gone and got grandma, exhumed her, and brought her out to the suburbs to visit her."

Here's the video:

The Colbert Report
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Suit to halt Detroit emergency manager appointment dismissed

The Associated Press — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 23:22:41 +0000

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - A lawsuit seeking to block the appointment of Detroit emergency manager Kevyn Orr has been dismissed.

Activist Robert Davis said Monday that the lawsuit became "moot" when a Lansing Circuit Court judge refused last month to hold a hearing before Orr's hiring by the state's Emergency Loan Board.

Davis says both parties stipulated that the suit be dismissed "based on a pending case" before another judge to invalidate Orr's appointment.

EM protestors stage a 'slowdown in Motown' along I-75 on opening day

Mark Brush — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 18:37:30 +0000

The highways around Detroit are being used for displays of civil disobedience over the emergency manager law.

It started last month, and has carried to opening day.

MLive's Gus Burns writes that he was on his way to cover opening day for the Tigers this morning when he decided to tag along with the protestors.