DETROIT - Darnell Earley didn't come up with the plan to channel corrosive river water into the water system in Flint, Michigan, and he isn't responsible for the fiscal collapse of Detroit's schools.

But Earley's leadership of Flint's city government and Detroit's school system during key points in their recent turmoil has made him a focal point of anger over Republican Gov. Rick Snyder's use of state-appointed emergency managers to temporarily run public entities that are hopelessly in debt.

Critics say emergency managers ignore the concerns of the local communities and that this played a role in Flint's water fiasco, since residents had been complaining about the water's taste and color.

Defenders of the system say emergency managers are bound to hurt feelings because they are tasked with fixing deeply flawed systems.