Highland Park mayor says city is in state of emergency
HIGHLAND PARK, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - The mayor of Highland Park declared an emergency at Monday night's city council meeting to address the millions of dollars the city owes in unpaid water bills.
"I have no choice but to declare a state of emergency," said Mayor Glenda McDonald.
McDonald made the declaration after the city council voted not to retain bankruptcy lawyers to guide them through the city's upcoming mediation regarding the water debt.
"We had to get lawyers from all over the place because nobody would take this case," said the Highland Park City Administrator Cathy Square.
Square said with the mayor's declaration of a financial emergency, the city could hire the lawyers without the council's vote.
"It costs us a million dollars a year to fight this, just to keep it off the taxes. This is serious business because no one cares. These negotiators are the same negotiators that went up to Flint. So if we think they won't turn off the water after they sent letters, we had to get a restraining order," said Square.
McDonald did not elaborate on what her declaration of emergency would entail, but Square said it would likely not go beyond retaining the bankruptcy lawyers for the mediation that begins Monday, May 8.
"And in that state of emergency, we will move forward with what we have to do to make sure that our water levy is not put on your taxes," said McDonald. "And if it happens to go, and the court doesn't go our way, that you will not be paying $8,000 or whatever it is."
Before the meeting protestors gathered outside to voice their opinions about the city's marijuana ordinance. The mayor recently vetoed the council's proposed amendments to the ordinance. At Monday's meeting, the veto was not overturned as the council could not reach a supermajority.