Mayor Duggan weighs in on DPS, city consent agreement

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Mayor Mike Duggan made a big announcement in the city on a new initiative to get increase homeownership in Detroit.

It's a great program that has a lot of promise, but it may not do much good if the problems in Detroit Public Schools are not solved in the near future.

One thing the mayor spoke on Thursday afternoon is a consent agreement between the city and the district.

As you know, too many schools in Detroit are in need of building repairs.

"We have all of the reports available on the website," says Duggan. "We are on the verge of a consent agreement with the Detroit Public Schools that will lay out a timetable for everything being accomplished."

The mayor says DPS will have thirty days once an inspection is done, and that will follow a second inspection after one month. If the deadlines are not met, legal action will be taken.

A spokesperson for DPS sent a statement which says.

"Good progress has been made on correcting a significant number of the violations; however, there are certain issues for which the district has requested an extension to the completion date (including for total roof replacements, the ordering of materials, and the scheduling of certified contractors for specific work)."

"The emergency manager is well aware if they don't meet the deadlines, we will have them in court." says Duggan." We are going to enforce the building health codes, but I’m encouraged so far."

Emergency Manager Darnell early will soon be out of picture concerning DPS once his resignation goes into effect.

Right now, there are some names floating around on a replacement,

But the mayor says, emergency management in Detroit needs to end.

"When the governor appoints the next emergency manager, it'll be five emergency managers in five years." Duggan says. "No one in this state would tolerate five superintendents in five years in their local school district and Detroiters shouldn't have to put up with it either."