Let’s get right to work, shall we? New Highland Park schools Emergency Manager Jack Martin got right to work yesterday, his first day on the job. He closed Barber Focus School. Parents and students of Highland Park schools learned Monday evening how the newly appointed emergency manager will change the troubled district, starting with a closure that will leave only […]

Board member says review team violated Open Meetings Act Today, newly-minted Emergency Manager Jack Martin had his first day on the job. To celebrate the occasion, school board secretary Robert Davis asked a Lansing judge to issue a temporary restraining order, halting Martin from taking over. A Highland Park school board member is asking a judge to void the recommendations […]

Look out, Indiana! It’s comin’ right for ya! A couple of weeks ago, I told you about Indiana’s slide toward an Emergency Manager law of their own. I have been wondering how long it would take for a state other than Michigan to pursue an Emergency Manager law. The wait is over. This week, a Republican-sponsored bill allowing the imposition […]

Anyone wanna buy a sewer? Lotsa Emergency Manager tidbits to report today. Highland Park schools Emergency Manager takes the reinsAs I reported last Friday, a new Emergency Manager has been appointed in Michigan, this time it’s the Highland Park school district that has been taken over. You can read about Jack Martin HERE. He’s also on the team that is […]

Not like we didn’t see it coming or anything… As predicted, Highland Park schools have been assigned an Emergency Manager LANSING – Gov. Rick Snyder on Friday confirmed an emergency manager in Highland Park Schools and appointed certified public accountant Jack Martin to take over the troubled district. Martin’s appointment is effective Monday. The move was not unexpected after a […]

This past year, the Emergency Manager of Pontiac at the time, Michael Stampfler signed a five-year contract with United Water to run their water and wastewater treatment systems. The move was said to save Pontiac an astonishing $2.8 million per year. I broke a story that made national news about the fact that, by hiring United Water, Stampfler had hired […]

Warning, Warning! Danger, Will Robinson! Michigan Governor Rick Snyder took the unprecedented step of sending a personal letter (pdf) to the parents of the Highland Park school system. Dear Parent,As a parent of a Highland Park School District (HPS) student, you are probably aware of the dire financial situation that exists in HPS. Over the past few weeks, together with […]

Here comes aNOTHER one, just like the OTHER one Another Michigan city staring down the barrel of an Emergency Manager: Taylor, Michigan. TAYLOR — The audit presentation to the City Council by Plante Moran painted some grim financial realities Saturday morning. A general fund deficit of $1.7 million was discussed, which the audit found of the fiscal year ending June […]

Historic Detroit treasures lost in rush to save money Eric T. Campbell has a fine piece up at The Michigan Citizen where he talks about the loss of Detroit’s historic school buildings. The Detroit Public School Emergency Managers Robert Bobb and, now, Roy Roberts, don’t appear interested in saving these historic buildings. Once they are gone, they are gone forever. […]

Emergency Managers: Not just for black cities anymore As I wrote last week, tiny Suttons Bay in the “Pinky” of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula is facing the imposition of an Emergency Manager for their school district. This past week they held a community budget forum to discuss the issue. Here is video of the 90+ minute forum: You can see the […]

Collective Bargaining Contracts Vulnerable I have been wondering how long it would take for a state other than Michigan to pursue an Emergency Manager law. The wait is over. This week, a Republican-sponsored bill allowing the imposition of an Emergency Manager on a “distressed political subdivision” (i.e., a municipality or school district) passed out of committee and goes on to […]