Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm has named Washington, D.C., consultant and former deputy mayor Robert Bobb to be emergency fiscal manager for the Detroit Public Schools.
The appointment comes about a month after the state declared DPS to be in a state of fiscal emergency stemming from a $130 million deficit and lack of a plan to overcome the shortfall. The state took over the district’s finances, and as the new fiscal manager, Bobb will have authority over its $1.1 billion annual budget.
“Robert has the ability to get the Detroit Public Schools’ fiscal house in order so the district can devote its attention to ensuring that every student receives a quality education,” Granholm said in a statement.
Bobb formerly served as a deputy mayor and city administrator in the District of Columbia. He has also worked as a city manager in Oakland, Calif., Richmond, Va., and Kalamazoo, Mich.
He is expected to take over in mid-February, according to local news reports.