Pontiac's EFM and mayor have inside advice for Detroit if a state takeover does go into effect

DETROIT (WXYZ) - Before Governor Snyder announced that the city of Detroit is in a financial emergency and that he intends to appoint an Emergency Financial Manager, both Pontiac's Mayor Leon Jukowski and that city's Emergency Financial Manager Louis Schimmel had advice for Mayor Bing and City Council.

They were speaking without knowledge of what the Governor would announce when they said Detroit officials should "face it and embrace it."

Schimmel has been the EFM in Pontiac since September of 2011. He has made many deep cuts and many changes, but says the city is way better off financially.

He also said he believes there is no choice left for Detroit but an EFM. Schimmel says the governor has been patient and it is time for action.

He says an EFM will need a good team to help him or her, saying that's what he needed. So he pays the Mayor as a consultant. Pontiac City Council members get no pay - but they still show up for meetings.

When we spoke with him before the governor's announcement, Schimmel said he believed that if Detroit gets an EFM it should be someone from the outside with no ties to the city. He says that will make it easier to make the difficult decisions and cuts.

Detroit has 10 days to appeal the governor's decision.