The leaders of a task force that looked into the causes behind the Flint water disaster told a panel of lawmakers they should make changes to Michigan’s emergency manager law.
Former state Senate Majority Leader Ken Sikkema co-chaired the task force.
He says the law focuses too much on fixing a local government’s finances without looking out for public health and safety.
“The emergency manager structure does a tremendous job on providing support and help on the financial piece, and it’s sort of loosy-goosy on everything else.”
One task force member says the state should create a cabinet-level public health ombudsman.
They also said the Flint lead contamination crisis was a product of a government “culture problem” that starts at the very top.