Gretchen Whitmer has expressed hope the mediation talks can continue and reach a final settlement. But the Michigan Supreme Court upheld a lower appellate court ruling that found in favor of the GLWA and rejected the city's request for an appeal hearing.Ī Democratic-controlled Michigan Senate committee has approved a $20.3 million appropriation for the city to use to pay off its debt.
Highland Park owes as much as $24 million, which would include accrued interest, for failing to make sewer payments from 2014 onward as it argued the city was being overcharged for water and sewer services. 5 on the 2020 litigation to reach final agreements. Originally, the interim agreement set deadlines of Oct.
Separate litigation from 2020 between GLWA and Highland Park was also stayed or paused.Ī GLWA attorney said the authority agreed to the indefinite stay of the 20 litigation to allow for deadline-free talks. The judge amended the interim agreement in court so the 2015 judgment wouldn't be slapped on city taxpayers if Highland Park failed to make the $1 million payment, saying he would hold hearings on the subject if GLWA officials filed for action. The conflict over the payment had started at a Tuesday hearing when Joseph granted GLWA's request to reinstate a 2015 Michigan Court of Appeals judgment against Highland Park for unpaid sewer bills but said the judgment was paused pending the $1 million payment. Gretchen Whitmer, whose involvement in the talks is considered by the GLWA to be "key to any long-term solution." The GLWA will also continue to participate in court-ordered mediation with all parties, including the administration of Gov. “It is important for everyone to understand that GLWA will not directly benefit from the $1 million, rather it will be utilized to begin to reimburse those member partner communities who have absorbed portions of Highland Park’s bad debt expense,” GLWA Chief Executive Officer Suzanne Coffey said in a statement. The authority expects to issue credits in the first quarter of fiscal year 2024, beginning July 1. GLWA officials on Friday called the payment a "pivotal element of the interim agreement reached between the parties.” The suburban water authority plans to return the $1 million from Highland Park to eligible communities in the form of credits after the GLWA board of directors meets on June 28. Around 5 p.m., the city indicated it paid the $1 million because the pending lawsuits "including the tax levy have been stayed" and mediation will continue. Highland Park officials had signaled Friday morning they were ready to pay $1 million to the GLWA, but said they were withholding the money until the water authority rescinded a $19.8 million judgment against the city.
The $1 million is considered a good faith down payment by the Wayne County community in an interim agreement that will extend mediation talks over two lawsuits involving up to $58 million in delinquent bills owed to the water authority, which provides water and sewer services to more than 80 communities in southeast Michigan. The city of Highland Park on Friday paid $1 million to the Great Lakes Water Authority, GLWA, after city officials threatened to withhold the money in a dispute over language in an interim water debt agreement, authority officials confirmed.
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