At least one Detroit City Council member thinks that a deal to make Belle Isle into a state park can be salvaged.
The state took the deal off the table last week, after a majority of Council members declined to vote on it. Lansing had set the end of January as the deadline to finalize a lease agreement.
But Council President Pro-Tem Gary Brown says he thinks a deal can still get done if both sides are serious about it.
Brown used Governor Snyder's catch phrase when he suggested the Governor “use some relentless positive
action” to push the issue.
Noting that he supported the deal last week along with two others, says three of his colleagues who voted against considering it are persuadable.
“There’s certainly enough time to ask my colleagues," Brown said.
"I mean, ask them what they need in this deal to change their vote. And then give it to
them. And make sure that the deal gets done.”
Governor Snyder pulled the deal off the table after the failed vote last week, saying that was a hard deadline the Michigan Department of Natural Resources needed to include Belle Isle in this year's state parks programming.
State officials could not be reached for comment on whether the Belle Isle deal could be revived.
