Tagged: Allen Park

The emergency financial manager of Allen Park is expected to meet with city residents this evening to talk about the city's priorities.

Gov. Snyder appointed Joyce Parker as the city's emergency financial manager last month.

Parker is expected to answer questions about her role, and the steps she plans to take to help turn things around.

Residents will be asked what city services are most important to them.

Parker isn't just an emergency financial manager in Allen Park. She's also the EFM in Ecorse, and once was the EFM for the Highland Park district.

Parker, who was appointed emergency financial manager for the City of Ecorse in 2009 and the Highland Park school district earlier this year, will continue her role with Ecorse as she takes over Allen Park, but she will no longer serve over the Highland Park district. Donald Weatherspoon, the emergency financial manager for the Muskegon Heights Public Schools district, will assume that role and keep his post with Muskegon Heights.

Pontiac, Ecorse, Flint, and Benton Harbor are other cities with state-appointed emergency financial managers. Public school districts with EFMs are in Detroit, Highland Park and Muskegon Heights.

The City of Allen Park is the latest to get a state appointed emergency financial manager. The move affects who’s in charge in some other communities who already have emergency managers.

After a review of Allen Park's finances by a state-appointed team, Governor Snyder declared that the city is in a financial emergency. That finding could lead to the appointment of an emergency financial manager to try to get the city on stable financial ground. 

While the Allen Park city council was in favor a state review of the city's finances, the Mayor and the Mayor Pro Tem opposed the request. Mayor William Matakas says he will advise the council to challenge the state's findings.

Governor Rick Snyder has declared a financial emergency in the city of Allen Park.

It could lead to a state-appointed manager running the city. A bad investment in a movie studio helped push the city to the edge of bankruptcy.

ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) - A team responsible for reviewing Allen Park's finances says Gov. Snyder should appoint an emergency manager to run the city southwest of Detroit.

The review team cited the city's deficit, $1 million in delinquent vendor payments, delayed pension payments and significant cash flow shortages. The city also had not filed an approved deficit-elimination plan for the 2011 fiscal year.

The review team also determined City Council is "manifestly dysfunctional."

Snyder appointed the review team last month and a report was due within 60 days.