Suit Seeks to Stop Team Reviewing Detroit Finances

LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- A union activist said Wednesday he's seeking a court order to stop a state-appointed review team examining the city of Detroit's finances from meeting in private.

The suit from Robert Davis, a Highland Park school board member and a union staff representative with AFSCME Council 25, claims the review team has violated the state's Open Meetings Act by meeting in "secret." Davis also has filed suit against the appointment of an emergency manager in the Highland Park schools.

Davis said he plans to urge an Ingham County judge to issue an order Thursday blocking the Detroit financial review team meetings. But a spokeswoman for Gov. Rick Snyder said the financial review team isn't subject to the Open Meetings Act, and wouldn't have been even before changes to state law enacted last year.

"We are confident that all rules and procedures have been properly followed," Snyder spokeswoman Sara Wurfel said.

The review team is working to determine if a financial emergency exists in Michigan's largest city. It is expected to report to Snyder by the end of February.

The governor then could decide whether Detroit should get an emergency manager.

Emergency managers were granted expanded powers last year, including the ability to toss out union contracts and strip locally elected leaders of authority.

Detroit officials continue to negotiate with city unions and bargaining units on health, pension and other concessions.

Mayor Dave Bing had earlier set Tuesday as the deadline for the concessions and other structural changes to help the city avoid going deeper into debt. Spokeswoman Naomi Patton said Wednesday morning talks were ongoing.