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Emergency
Manager
puts
City
Water
Department
responsibilities
under
Mayor
Duggan
DETROIT,
MI -
Kevyn D.
Orr,
Emergency
Manger
for the
City of
Detroit,
today
issued a
new
order
that
amplifies
the
responsibilities
of the
Mayor
with
respect
to
management
of the
Detroit
Water
and
Sewerage
Department.
Emergency
Manager
Order 31
grants
to the
Mayor
authority
to
manage
DWSD and
make
appointments
to the
Board of
Water
Commission.
The
order
amplifies
the
authority
given to
the
Mayor to
manage
City
operations
and make
appointments
as
outlined
in Order
20.
Mike
Duggan,
in a
statement
said, "I
welcome
the
Emergency
Manager's
order
this
morning
giving
me the
responsibility
for
dealing
with the
Water
Department
issues.
We need
to
change a
number
of
things
in the
way we
have
approached
the
delinquent
payment
issues
and I
expect
us to
have a
new plan
shortly.
There
are
funds
available
to
support
those
who
cannot
afford
their
bills -
we need
to do a
much
better
job in
community
outreach
to tell
our
residents
how to
access
those
funds."
"I've
heard
complaints
from
many
Detroiters
who are
trying
to make
payment
arrangements,
but who
have
faced
long
waits on
the
telephone
or long
lines at
the DWSD
offices.
We've
got to
do a
much
better
job of
supporting
those
who are
trying
to do
the
right
thing in
making
those
payment
arrangements,"
Duggan
said.
Detroit
Chapter
NAACP
spokesman
Rev. Dr.
Wendell
Anthony
said,
"Today’s
announcement
by
emergency
manager
Kevin
Orr that
Detroit
Mayor
Mike
Duggan
will
regain
management
and
control
of
Detroit’s
Water/Sewerage
Department,
is
indeed
most
appropriate
and
overdue.
We hope
that
this
move is
an
indication
that
democracy
is
rapidly
returning
to the
city of
Detroit."
“This
order
provides
additional
clarity
to the
powers
already
delegated
to the
Mayor,”
Orr
said.
“As the
Detroit
Water
and
Sewerage
Department
works to
operate
more
efficiently
and
communicate
more
effectively
with
customers,
it is
important
to
ensure
there
are
clear
lines of
management
and
accountability.
This
order
ensures
a common
focus on
customer
service
and
sound
management
practices
that
reflects
the
City’s
commitment
to
refocusing
its
efforts
to help
DWSD
customers
get and
remain
current
on their
water
bills.”
A copy
of Order
No. 31
is
posted
on the
Emergency
Manager's
website
at
www.detroitmi.gov/EmergencyManager.
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