BH Commissioners Watching Highland Park

Two Benton Harbor commissioners are hoping a ruling that a review team looking over the finances of a troubled school district in the Detroit area violated the state's Open Meetings Act will lead to the ouster of Benton Harbor's state-appointed overseer Joe Harris. Marcus Muhammad and Dennis Knowles said they are monitoring the state's response to Ingham County Circuit Judge William Collette's decision involving Highland Park Public Schools and the city of Detroit. Collette on Wednesday voided decisions made by the review team whose findings led to the appointment of an emergency manager in the Highland Park Schools. The judge also said a team exploring Detroit's finances must conduct meetings publicly. Harris first was appointed by former Democratic Governor Jennifer Granholm and reappointed last year by Republican Governor Rick Snyder.