May 16, 2013 at 1:00 am The outsider: Kevyn Orr vs. everybody Can state-appointed emergency manager change Detroit? By Darren A. Nichols The Detroit News 1 Comments Purchase Image Even before his first day on the job, Kevyn Orr faced harsh criticism and questions about his real motivations as Detroit’s emergency manager. (Elizabeth Conley / The Detroit News) Detroit It's a sentiment so deeply ingrained in the city's culture that it's a catchphrase for a popular T-shirt: "Detroit vs. Everybody." The city's resistance to outsiders is a major hurdle for Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr, who is charged with restructuring a city whose residents have long insisted they can fix issues on their own. Orr, who has been on the job about slightly more than a month, says he is meeting with community leaders, city officials and consultants looking into city operations to get a grasp of the city's problems and needs. But opponents of the emergency manager law say Orr will never fully grasp what Detroiters need because he's never been on the front lines. Not only is Orr accountable to few, they say, but he's never experienced life as an everyday Detroiter — living with abandoned houses on his block, dealing with high crime or excessive insurance rates. Political analyst Eric Foster says Orr breaking through "would be like a 16 seed beating a 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. It hasn't happened." Foster points to the stormy tenure of former Detroit Public Schools Superintendent Debra McGriff, who was hired away from the second-in-command in the Milwaukee schools. She — along with a reform-agenda group called the HOPE team — failed to enact major innovative educational reforms in the 1990s. "That's the type of insurmountability (Orr's) facing," said Foster, of the Troy-based Foster McCollum White & Associates firm. "There's a history within Detroit that says we can fix our own, but if we have somebody from the outside come in, there's a constant battle." Detroiters have long been skeptical of public officials from outside the areas, whether they are from out of state or the suburbs. Mayor Dave Bing and mayoral candidate Mike Duggan have had to fight that image, with Bing's move from Franklin and Duggan's from Livonia. Appointed by Gov. Rick Snyder amid protests from Detroiters angry about the loss of elected representation, Orr is charged with fixing Detroit's structural and operational challenges. Detroit faces an accumulated deficit of $380 million and has long-term debt of $14.9 billion, state officials have said. That makes his job challenging at best. But just as crucial is getting Detroiters to believe his path is the right medicine to cure the illness, Orr said. He called Detroit a very insular place, but one he hasn't had a problem breaking through in. He credits having family in the area and his meetings with community stakeholders. "You're a storied city in American history, but in a sense — for whatever reason — Detroit has been sort of somewhat insular in how it's behaved over time," Orr said during a recent interview with The Detroit News. "I've gotten a pretty good feel for the city. It's a very layered and textured community. I really haven't felt any problems with me breaking into Detroit and getting an understanding of Detroit." City residents have over time consistently fought against those in leadership positions who have taken the reigns in the politically charged environments. Former Police Chief Jerry Oliver, who was hired from Richmond, Va., as the first outsider to lead the department in 34 years, was frequently the target of officers who sought to undercut his leadership. He's credited with overhauling the city's police manual and a zero-tolerance policy to rid the department of bad officers. Oliver, who took tough stances on demoting and firing supervisors for failing to do their jobs and female officers wearing braids and long nails, was labeled a union-buster and even the target of a website called firejerryo.com. He resigned amid a misdemeanor gun charge in 2003. DPS Emergency Financial Manager Robert Bobb of Washington, D.C., also faced criticism for firing underperforming principals, closing more than 50 schools in city neighborhoods, having a bloated inner-circle making decisions and in-fighting with the board of education. Parents were particularly outraged that plans to merge schools caused rival gangs to interact in the same schools. Some said it lacked a basic understanding of Detroit. That resistance stems from Detroit's blue collar mentality and the need to protect the interests of the masses, particularly surrounding city neighborhoods, said resident Reginald Amos. "When someone with education comes along, they feel threatened," said Amos, 62, who lives on the city's west side. "It's all about change. Change is hard for some people to come by." Amos added that's something Orr has to get up to speed on quickly. "(Orr) doesn't understand the dynamic and the people of Detroit," Amos said. "He's working for the governor and he's going to do whatever the governor tells him to do. You've got to include the citizens." McGriff, who led the Detroit schools for three years, said she sought to make alliances with those who agreed with her reform agenda, but there "were those who were not so happy or less than happy that I was chosen by a school reform board." "If you are a leader, there is never a time when everyone will agree with you," said McGriff, a partner at NewSchools Venture Fund, a charter management and school turnaround organization. She continues to work in Detroit. "You really have to be focused on those principles and values you believe are right and the goals you are trying to accomplish. I just don't think it's the insider-outsider dichotomy that's going to provide you with some expertise that you need, and that we need to judge people on what they are able to accomplish." She still called her Detroit experience memorable. "It was a wonderful experience to be superintendent in Detroit and I would never take that back." Orr has taken his time to get acclimated to Detroit. Orr said he's sought to restore calm to City Hall, allowing city leaders to continue to collect their paychecks and maintain their roles in most city affairs, though he retains final approval over all decisions. Tough decisions on the way His approach is consistent with Orr's upbringing as the son of a prominent educator and an African Methodist Episcopal minister who fought for civil rights in the 1960s. Soon, the hard decisions will be made and scrutiny will come. Orr calls Detroit very complex, but his job is simple: fixing a city of 700,000 people that's a major economic driver for the region and the state. "Because of that insularity to a degree, (Detroit) also had — good, bad, right or wrong — the luxury of not being involved in some current development," Orr said. "The rest of the country is moving. Detroiters have the right to experience that next change because it's missed a couple of cycles of growth and development." But political consultant Greg Bowens says Orr will have limited access to city residents who normally see public officials at gas stations or restaurants. Orr stays in downtown Detroit during the week, but flies back to Washington, D.C., on weekends. Contact with residents is in conflict with the normal operation of emergency managers, who typically stay out of the line of fire "to avoid direct criticism" of decisions, Bowens said. "Right now (Orr) is a mythical figure that people see on TV," said Bowens, the former press secretary to Mayor Dennis Archer. "There is no avenue to be able to talk to the man in charge, and how does that work for the average Detroiter?" Detroiters, he said, "look to leadership to do more than balance the books and to provide leadership outside of the four walls of the 11th floor (in City Hall)." Some say the outsider factor explains city residents' disenchantment with Mayor Dave Bing. Despite having an NBA Hall of Fame career with the Detroit Pistons and running Bing Steel on the city's north end for nearly three decades, people perceived him as an outsider. Many considered Bing as someone who was drafted by the largely white business community as a pawn to take over city operations. Political analyst Steve Hood is calling on Orr to go on a listening tour. In addition to engaging with city leaders, Orr needs to engage with community groups and visit some barber shops. Orr also needs to go places where a variety of Detroiters go, such as Mitch's and Flood's downtown and Theresa's on the city's west side, he said. "(Orr) doesn't need to campaign, he needs to listen. This is not a campaign; it's a listening (session)," Hood said. "Nobody has to like this guy, (but) he has listen so his decisions are full." Hood credits Roy Roberts, the emergency manager for the Detroit Public Schools, for reaching out to 600 people before making some of his major decisions. Roberts is leaving his post when his contract expires in two weeks. Mayoral candidates emphasize roots "It's incredibly difficult because people feel (Orr's presence) is a result of (outsiders) taking the votes away," said Hood, whose father and brother served on the Detroit City Council. "They automatically don't like the guy because of why he's here. They don't recognize he's an accomplished African-American man (and) don't understand his background." On the campaign trail, Mike Duggan is quick to point out he grew up on the city's west side and attended Catholic Central High School. He's trying to dispel those who say he moved into Detroit from Livonia simply for a shot at the mayor's seat. Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleon, a Detroit mayoral contender, challenges Duggan on the issue, making sure city residents understand he's a lifelong Detroiter who has never left. "I also know this community from Belle Isle to Eight Mile. I don't need a map," Napoleon said at a recent campaign forum. "I've been coming into your homes for almost 30 years. I've been in thousands of Detroit homes, sometimes for good news and sometimes for bad news. But I've been there. I've been in this community all my life. I think you should trust me." dnichols@detnews.com (313) 222-2072 From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20130516/OPINION01/305160313#ixzz2TS76NE5v

This article about the emergency manager takeover in Detroit is not very encouraging. It appears the people of Detroit just don't get it. You cannot keep going the way you have and expect the rest of us to bail you out . Things have got to change once and for all. There are now Detroiters wearing t shirts saying "Detroit vs everybody . They believe they can fix there own problems. I say no they can't and the disaster should be headed off before the rest of the state of Michigan is dragged into the fray.

I say to Mr. Orr: Do what you have to do and do it quickly. Nobody in Detroit will like you. Straighten out the finances and get the hell out of there.

This emergency manager will not be the last. They just don't get it in Detroit. I remember one Detroit city council woman telling Obama because we voted for you, you have now got to come and bail us out. I don't think that's on his agenda now or in the future.

May 16, 2013 at 1:00 am

The outsider: Kevyn Orr vs. everybody

Can state-appointed emergency manager change Detroit?

• By Darren A. Nichols
• The Detroit News
• 1 Comments

Purchase Image

Even before his first day on the job, Kevyn Orr faced harsh criticism and questions about his real motivations as Detroit’s emergency manager. (Elizabeth Conley / The Detroit News)

Detroit

It's a sentiment so deeply ingrained in the city's culture that it's a catchphrase for a popular T-shirt: "Detroit vs. Everybody." The city's resistance to outsiders is a major hurdle for Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr, who is charged with restructuring a city whose residents have long insisted they can fix issues on their own.

Orr, who has been on the job about slightly more than a month, says he is meeting with community leaders, city officials and consultants looking into city operations to get a grasp of the city's problems and needs.

But opponents of the emergency manager law say Orr will never fully grasp what Detroiters need because he's never been on the front lines. Not only is Orr accountable to few, they say, but he's never experienced life as an everyday Detroiter — living with abandoned houses on his block, dealing with high crime or excessive insurance rates.

Political analyst Eric Foster says Orr breaking through "would be like a 16 seed beating a 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. It hasn't happened."

Foster points to the stormy tenure of former Detroit Public Schools Superintendent Debra McGriff, who was hired away from the second-in-command in the Milwaukee schools. She — along with a reform-agenda group called the HOPE team — failed to enact major innovative educational reforms in the 1990s.

"That's the type of insurmountability (Orr's) facing," said Foster, of the Troy-based Foster McCollum White & Associates firm. "There's a history within Detroit that says we can fix our own, but if we have somebody from the outside come in, there's a constant battle." Detroiters have long been skeptical of public officials from outside the areas, whether they are from out of state or the suburbs. Mayor Dave Bing and mayoral candidate Mike Duggan have had to fight that image, with Bing's move from Franklin and Duggan's from Livonia.

Appointed by Gov. Rick Snyder amid protests from Detroiters angry about the loss of elected representation, Orr is charged with fixing Detroit's structural and operational challenges.

Detroit faces an accumulated deficit of $380 million and has long-term debt of $14.9 billion, state officials have said.

That makes his job challenging at best. But just as crucial is getting Detroiters to believe his path is the right medicine to cure the illness, Orr said.

He called Detroit a very insular place, but one he hasn't had a problem breaking through in. He credits having family in the area and his meetings with community stakeholders.

"You're a storied city in American history, but in a sense — for whatever reason — Detroit has been sort of somewhat insular in how it's behaved over time," Orr said during a recent interview with The Detroit News. "I've gotten a pretty good feel for the city. It's a very layered and textured community. I really haven't felt any problems with me breaking into Detroit and getting an understanding of Detroit."

City residents have over time consistently fought against those in leadership positions who have taken the reigns in the politically charged environments.

Former Police Chief Jerry Oliver, who was hired from Richmond, Va., as the first outsider to lead the department in 34 years, was frequently the target of officers who sought to undercut his leadership. He's credited with overhauling the city's police manual and a zero-tolerance policy to rid the department of bad officers.

Oliver, who took tough stances on demoting and firing supervisors for failing to do their jobs and female officers wearing braids and long nails, was labeled a union-buster and even the target of a website called firejerryo.com. He resigned amid a misdemeanor gun charge in 2003.

DPS Emergency Financial Manager Robert Bobb of Washington, D.C., also faced criticism for firing underperforming principals, closing more than 50 schools in city neighborhoods, having a bloated inner-circle making decisions and in-fighting with the board of education.

Parents were particularly outraged that plans to merge schools caused rival gangs to interact in the same schools. Some said it lacked a basic understanding of Detroit.

That resistance stems from Detroit's blue collar mentality and the need to protect the interests of the masses, particularly surrounding city neighborhoods, said resident Reginald Amos.

"When someone with education comes along, they feel threatened," said Amos, 62, who lives on the city's west side. "It's all about change. Change is hard for some people to come by."

Amos added that's something Orr has to get up to speed on quickly.

"(Orr) doesn't understand the dynamic and the people of Detroit," Amos said. "He's working for the governor and he's going to do whatever the governor tells him to do. You've got to include the citizens." McGriff, who led the Detroit schools for three years, said she sought to make alliances with those who agreed with her reform agenda, but there "were those who were not so happy or less than happy that I was chosen by a school reform board."

"If you are a leader, there is never a time when everyone will agree with you," said McGriff, a partner at NewSchools Venture Fund, a charter management and school turnaround organization. She continues to work in Detroit.

"You really have to be focused on those principles and values you believe are right and the goals you are trying to accomplish. I just don't think it's the insider-outsider dichotomy that's going to provide you with some expertise that you need, and that we need to judge people on what they are able to accomplish."

She still called her Detroit experience memorable.

"It was a wonderful experience to be superintendent in Detroit and I would never take that back."

Orr has taken his time to get acclimated to Detroit. Orr said he's sought to restore calm to City Hall, allowing city leaders to continue to collect their paychecks and maintain their roles in most city affairs, though he retains final approval over all decisions.

Tough decisions on the way

His approach is consistent with Orr's upbringing as the son of a prominent educator and an African Methodist Episcopal minister who fought for civil rights in the 1960s.

Soon, the hard decisions will be made and scrutiny will come.

Orr calls Detroit very complex, but his job is simple: fixing a city of 700,000 people that's a major economic driver for the region and the state.

"Because of that insularity to a degree, (Detroit) also had — good, bad, right or wrong — the luxury of not being involved in some current development," Orr said. "The rest of the country is moving. Detroiters have the right to experience that next change because it's missed a couple of cycles of growth and development."

But political consultant Greg Bowens says Orr will have limited access to city residents who normally see public officials at gas stations or restaurants. Orr stays in downtown Detroit during the week, but flies back to Washington, D.C., on weekends.

Contact with residents is in conflict with the normal operation of emergency managers, who typically stay out of the line of fire "to avoid direct criticism" of decisions, Bowens said.

"Right now (Orr) is a mythical figure that people see on TV," said Bowens, the former press secretary to Mayor Dennis Archer. "There is no avenue to be able to talk to the man in charge, and how does that work for the average Detroiter?"

Detroiters, he said, "look to leadership to do more than balance the books and to provide leadership outside of the four walls of the 11th floor (in City Hall)."

Some say the outsider factor explains city residents' disenchantment with Mayor Dave Bing. Despite having an NBA Hall of Fame career with the Detroit Pistons and running Bing Steel on the city's north end for nearly three decades, people perceived him as an outsider.

Many considered Bing as someone who was drafted by the largely white business community as a pawn to take over city operations.

Political analyst Steve Hood is calling on Orr to go on a listening tour.

In addition to engaging with city leaders, Orr needs to engage with community groups and visit some barber shops. Orr also needs to go places where a variety of Detroiters go, such as Mitch's and Flood's downtown and Theresa's on the city's west side, he said.

"(Orr) doesn't need to campaign, he needs to listen. This is not a campaign; it's a listening (session)," Hood said. "Nobody has to like this guy, (but) he has listen so his decisions are full."

Hood credits Roy Roberts, the emergency manager for the Detroit Public Schools, for reaching out to 600 people before making some of his major decisions. Roberts is leaving his post when his contract expires in two weeks.

Mayoral candidates emphasize roots

"It's incredibly difficult because people feel (Orr's presence) is a result of (outsiders) taking the votes away," said Hood, whose father and brother served on the Detroit City Council. "They automatically don't like the guy because of why he's here. They don't recognize he's an accomplished African-American man (and) don't understand his background."

On the campaign trail, Mike Duggan is quick to point out he grew up on the city's west side and attended Catholic Central High School. He's trying to dispel those who say he moved into Detroit from Livonia simply for a shot at the mayor's seat.

Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleon, a Detroit mayoral contender, challenges Duggan on the issue, making sure city residents understand he's a lifelong Detroiter who has never left.

"I also know this community from Belle Isle to Eight Mile. I don't need a map," Napoleon said at a recent campaign forum. "I've been coming into your homes for almost 30 years. I've been in thousands of Detroit homes, sometimes for good news and sometimes for bad news. But I've been there. I've been in this community all my life. I think you should trust me."

dnichols@detnews.com

(313) 222-2072

From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20130516/OPINION01/305160313#ixzz2TS76NE5v