Tagged: ecorse

  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.

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

Under the direction of emergency manager Joyce Parker, the city's nearly $20 million deficit was eliminated.  Its police and fire departments were merged.   

The city's operating costs were reduced by $4.3 million a year, while its revenues were boosted by $2.3 million. 

And Ecorse's bond rating went from "junk" to "A", with the help of special legislation at the state level.

So, Ecorse's emergency manager is stepping down.  Sort of.

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.

There's some job switching going on today in Michigan as Highland Park Schools emergency manager Jack Martin got the nod to become the new chief financial officer for the City of Detroit.

The CFO position was created as part of the city's consent agreement with the state. Jack Martin has been the EM at Highland Park Schools since last February.

Martin is a certified public accountant and was the CFO for the U.S. Department of Education from January 2002 through December 2005.

Martin's move to Detroit left the EM position at Highland Park Schools open which will now be filled by Joyce Parker. She's the current emergency manager for the city of Ecorse. She'll continue on in that role part-time, according to the Michigan Department of Treasury.