(Update) Seeing Kevyn Orr speak (Detroit's Emergency Mgr)

[Deleted]

I'm Detroit's #1 cheerleader, so my boss's boss passed me her ticket to see Kevyn Orr speak at a luncheon tomorrow. He was appointed by the governor to be Detroit's Emergency Manager, and he counseled the city through their bankruptcy.

I have some major philosophical differences with some of his ideas (he proposed that the Detroit Institute of Arts sell off its works, including Picassos, Monets, and Renoirs) but I am interested in hearing him speak nonetheless. Someone remind me tomorrow to bite my tongue and not say anything controversial at work.

[jeaniebueller]

That will be interesting I bet! I wonder what he is allowed to talk about.

[gogreengowhite]

Ohhh, very interesting!

Enjoy!

[jayhawkbecca]

I would love to hear him speak. Enjoy and report back!

[Deleted]

He helped the city through incredibly difficult times (not that things are great now) and did it with data and a clear head, something I admire.

Enjoy the speech and I hope you get to meet him!

While I also don't think selling the DIA gems was the right answer, his proposal to do just that actually spurred the right actions (more donations to DIA, huge publicity for the DIA and the city) so I believe he put that forth to show how serious we all needed to take the city's financial affairs. It was all over the news, including here in DC, when that was put forth.

Tangent....have you seen the Anthony Bourdain "Parts Unknown" that features Detroit? Fascinating. I am not a Bourdain fan but a few family members recommended it and I am planning a trip to the rib / BBQ place that is featured when I am back in town.

(((Detroit)))

[Deleted]

Apr 23, 2015 6:03:55 GMT -5 @shoegal said:

He helped the city through incredibly difficult times (not that things are great now) and did it with data and a clear head, something I admire.

Enjoy the speech and I hope you get to meet him!

While I also don't think selling the DIA gems was the right answer, his proposal to do just that actually spurred the right actions (more donations to DIA, huge publicity for the DIA and the city) so I believe he put that forth to show how serious we all needed to take the city's financial affairs. It was all over the news, including here in DC, when that was put forth.

Tangent....have you seen the Anthony Bourdain "Parts Unknown" that features Detroit? Fascinating. I am not a Bourdain fan but a few family members recommended it and I am planning a trip to the rib / BBQ place that is featured when I am back in town.

(((Detroit)))

I can understand the argument that selling artwork could be a "necessary evil" to help fund pensions and even pay the city's bills (there's a history of the city of Detroit bouncing checks for water bills and teachers' paychecks bouncing too). Looking an an oil painting doesn't put food on the table.

However, it really distresses me that this is what the city has come to. The threat of selling off the artwork did rally enough donors (and tax dollars from neighboring counties) to save the museum, but even if it all worked out in the end, just the thought that this was even an option gets me all riled up. Detroit may never rise back up to where it was in its glory days, but to "monetize" (his word) these works of such cultural significance seems like a short term fix. Those millions will pay a few bills, but then Detroit has lost pieces it will never get back. The DIA is so significant in Michigan, and is one of the attractions that brings people to the city not only from across the state but from across the world. Currently there is an exhibit of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera's works, and it is bringing press and visitors from all over the world. Diego Rivera himself said at one point that his murals in the DIA were his lifetime achievement.

I did see the Bourdain show, and I LOVED his monologue about the spirit of Detroit. It really rang home for me about Detroit being a fierce underdog city with an energy like nowhere else. That speech and Eminem's Chrylser commercial always give me chills. www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKL254Y_jtc

Quick anecdote about the Chrysler commercial. The doorman in the commercial is the tour guide of the free tours through Detroit's Guardian Building. He's super friendly and poses for pictures if you ask. I may DD this pic later, but this will help milsaroo recognize me at the g2g.

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[Deleted]

Update time!

The speech was short, but very interesting. He said most of his colleagues cautioned him against accepting this position, as it would surely be the death of his career as well as the death of Detroit. He didn't shy away from discussing race either, and mentioned the insults, name calling, and protests against him.

He said what made up his mind was that his wife told him this was his moral obligation to step in and help. She said they're always saying "someone should do something!" and they realized that he is in the unique position that he has the ability to actually make a positive change in the world. He thought of how 40% of the city's streetlights are off, more children ride the city buses to school than the few remaining public school buses, how many deaths are caused by the average wait time being 58 minutes after a 911 call is made, and how his 81 year old mother needs support just as much as Detroit's pensioners and retirees (who vastly outnumber Detroit's current workforce) need support.

He showed a lot of charts and graphs about Detroit's economic history, the recession, and projections for the future. He and his team have secured $1.6 billion in investments in Detroit for the next ten years, and are focusing on sustainability in everything they implement.

Overall, it was a great speech. Very passionate, and easy for a non economics person such as myself to follow. I am also very impressed that my company occupied a table pretty much front and center, right next to the governor's executive staff.

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[Deleted]

Great update! I am also a huge fan of Gov Rick Snyder, so glad to hear his team was present, too.

[Deleted]

@shoegal, Governor Snyder wasn't there, but the man in the foreground of my picture is on his executive staff.

Aaaand I am not so much of a fan of Snyder but we don't have to get into it here. Did you hear he may be a potential Republican Presidential candidate in 2016?

[keweenawlove]

Apr 23, 2015 7:37:00 GMT -5 @bellakitty said:

I did see the Bourdain show, and I LOVED his monologue about the spirit of Detroit. It really rang home for me about Detroit being a fierce underdog city with an energy like nowhere else. That speech and Eminem's Chrylser commercial always give me chills. www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKL254Y_jtc

Quick anecdote about the Chrysler commercial. The doorman in the commercial is the tour guide of the free tours through Detroit's Guardian Building. He's super friendly and poses for pictures if you ask. I may DD this pic later, but this will help milsaroo recognize me at the g2g.

I love the Chrylser commercial. There is such an energy about Detroit. One of the top jobs I was targeting last year was in Detroit and I had so many people comment about not wanting to live there. I know it's got it's challenges but I loved it when I lived there and would move back for the right job.

[hermione]

When the art debate was happening, I knew I SHOULD be appalled at the very idea of selling even one of the works in the DIA. However, as the daughter of a retired Detroit Police Officer whose pension is necessary to keep my parents in things like food and medicine? Yea, I would have supported selling every single canvas in the museum if it would have kept retired cops and firemen getting the checks promised to them while they risked their lives for the city. I'm glad it didn't come to that.

[Deleted]

@bellakitty I think Snyder would be a fantastic candidate (not surprisingly I suppose ) as the Republican field is looking like a total shitshow. If it is Bush v Clinton I am going to tear my hair out.

[crazygame]

I saw Orr speak last year a few days before Detroit emerged from bankruptcy. He was very inspiring about how things are getting better here and that positive changes are happening. I left very amped up for Detroit.

One thing that stood out for me were the personal sacrifices he made to take the job. Now, I know he was handsomely paid and pushed a lot of work to his former law firm, but he had to leave his family for 18 months. He talked about the conversation with his wife when they were deciding if he should take the job and it really resonated with me. He also talked about how excited he was go to home when the bankruptcy was over.

[jeaniebueller]

And plus didn't the Belle Isle deal happen because of Kevyn Orr? I am really excited for what Belle Isle could be to the region. I went to the yacht club for a wedding years ago and it was in a really sad condition. I love Detroit.