PAAdvisory Briefs

Court of Appeals Hears Oral Arguments on PA 4

A three judge Court of Appeals panel heard more than four hours of oral arguments this week with regard to the applicability of the Open Meetings Act to the review teams dispatched to troubled local units of government under the Emergency Manager Law, PA 4. Union activists have sued the review teams from Detroit and Flint claiming their private meetings were in violation of the Act and, therefore, their recommendations and the Governor’s resulting action are null and void.

Waterfront Rights Measure Moves

The Senate Natural Resources, Environment and Great Lakes Committee passed a measure Thursday on a 5-2 vote eliminating the Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) permitting requirement for property owners seeking to groom their beaches. Senate Bill 1052 is sponsored by Senator Tom Casperson (R-Escanaba). Proponents of the measure, including the organization Save Our Shoreline (SOS), compare the lakefront property owners’ requirement to negotiate the DEQ permitting process to homeowners needing a permit to mow their front yards.

House Conferees Named

After unanimously non-concurring in the Senate’s changes to the two omnibus budget bills, House Speaker Jase Bolger named the House conferees. Representative Chuck Moss (R-Birmingham), Joseph Haveman (R-Holland), and Richard LeBlanc (D-Westland) were named to the Conference Committee for House Bill 5365, the departmental budget bill. For House Bill 5372, the education omnibus budget bill, conferees are Representatives Moss, Bill Rogers (R-Brighton) and Ellen Cogen Lipton(D-Huntington Woods).

Pontiac Schools to Get Preliminary Financial Review

After being unable to follow some of the guidelines in the deficit elimination plan approved last March, the Pontiac School District will undergo a preliminary review by the State to determine its financial status. The District’s budget deficit has continued to grow since the deficit plan was approved, reaching 36 percent of operating budget. If the preliminary review finds a state of financial distress, the next step is the development and dispatching of a financial review team under PA 4.

Richardville Recall Fails

The Monroe County Election Commission unanimously voted Wednesday to reject the petition to recall Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville (R-Monroe). The petition had been filed by former Monroe County GOP chair Jeff Andring. The three-member panel rejected the language for multiple reasons, including the use of the phrase, “Right to Teach,” which referenced no specific proposal or legislation.

posted by PAA Online , Friday, May 4, 2012 11:12 AM
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