Detroit’s last effort to avoid emergency manager

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Although Mayor Dave Bing has repeatedly said he doesn’t want to be the city’s emergency manager, he would essentially become one under a new proposed consent agreement that he and city council staffers privately are hammering out this week.

Under the 26-page draft, obtained today by the Free Press, Bing proposes taking over many of the responsibilities of a nine-member financial advisory board that Gov. Rick Snyder wanted to assume control of most of the city’s finances.

Incensed that Snyder’s proposed consent agreement strips elected officials of many of their responsibilities, Bing and the council drafted their own version following private, individual meetings between his office and the council’s staff.

The draft would grant the mayor powers of an emergency manager, except that of being able to terminate union contracts.

Under the draft proposal, Bing would be empowered to unilaterally lay off employees, close departments, end services, terminate outside contracts and appoint a chief operating officer, chief financial officer and human services director — all tasks that belonged to the financial advisory board under Snyder’s proposal.

Council, which would lose virtually all of its authority under Snyder’s proposal, would have the authority to approve the budget and would have more say in who serves on the financial advisory board.