The transition back to local control of government on the mind of Benton Harbor Mayor James Hightower. At this week's city commission meeting, Hightower said that he's met with the deputy state treasurer to discuss how the end of a financial emergency might happen. He tells WSJM that the process would likely involve some kind of interim steps:
Hightower's making a list of recommendations to the state on how local control should be restored, and he also wants input from the city commission. Among other things, he says that the elected leaders need more access to information, adding that a charter provision on to whom the treasurer reports needs to be changed. Right now, the city treasurer reports to the whole nine member city commission, rather than just one boss -- the city manager. Hightower says almost no other Michigan cities operate that way, and it leads to fiscal confusion. He also wants the city commission to show more unity and organization in order to demonstrate to the state that it's capable of reassuming power.
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Hightower's making a list of recommendations to the state on how local control should be restored, and he also wants input from the city commission. Among other things, he says that the elected leaders need more access to information, adding that a charter provision on to whom the treasurer reports needs to be changed. Right now, the city treasurer reports to the whole nine member city commission, rather than just one boss -- the city manager. Hightower says almost no other Michigan cities operate that way, and it leads to fiscal confusion. He also wants the city commission to show more unity and organization in order to demonstrate to the state that it's capable of reassuming power.
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