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Highland Park City Council Meeting ... Business As Usual

HIGHLAND PARK (WWJ) - Tough economic times are forcing many communities across the state to stretch every dollar. Highland Park is one of those cities, facing the possibility of an Emergency Financial Manager and higher water rates.

Although Councilman DeAndre Windom says the cash-strapped city can be saved and they don't need an emergency financial manager to do it.

"The code enforcement department will start bringing in money right away, as well as inspections ... we don't have inspectors in the city. Those two areas are areas that the city can ...if we all agree, tomorrow we can have those two departments running and they will be bringing revenue into the city," said Windom.

Windom says it's all about using the city's resources to their full advantage: "Highland Park can actually be self-contained...it was set up by Henry Ford to be a self-contained city, I mean, we have our own water plant ... and that's another area, where the city can start making money to sell water... water is one of the highest commodities, a lot of people have a shortage," adds Windom.

Monday night's City Council meeting did not address the possibility of raising water rates by nearly 50% to generate money but those issues could come up at a future meeting.

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