Paul Borle

The City of Flint's Strategic Plan aims to establish a well-managed, financially stable, and accountable government, focused on creating and maintaining a vibrant and growing community. Its core pillars include providing professional governance and administration, ensuring public safety through effective police, fire, and 911 services, delivering dependable and affordable public works and transportation infrastructure, fostering economic development and blight elimination through planning, and maintaining robust financial and administrative functions. The plan seeks to assure customer-friendly and fiscally responsible municipal services to improve the quality of life for residents, businesses, students, and visitors.

The event announced a one-year grant of $190,000 to strengthen tax foreclosure prevention efforts in Jennese County. This funding is allocated with $100,000 to the Jennese County Treasurer's Office and $90,000 to Legal Services of Eastern Michigan. The investments aim to facilitate proactive outreach, support application processing for exemptions and housing counseling, and provide direct legal support to households facing foreclosure, thereby protecting housing stability and preserving neighborhood integrity. Speakers emphasized the importance of collaboration between the county commission, the Rocket Community Fund, the Treasurer's Office, the City of Flint, and Legal Services of Eastern Michigan to meet residents' needs.

The discussion centered on two main issues addressed during the special meeting. The first issue involved the proposed 5.8% increase in water rates from the Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) and the administration's plan to use $1 million from the general fund (derived from ARPA funds) to place into the water stabilization fund to shield residents from this cost increase. Strong opposition was voiced against the council members who voted against protecting residents from the rate increase. The second major topic concerned the collective bargaining contract for Flint Patrol officers, which involved negotiations for recruitment and retention improvements; the delay in its approval by the City Council was criticized as petty personal politics potentially jeopardizing law enforcement morale and public safety.

The Committee-of-the-Whole meeting agenda included a Special Order for an overview of Smith Village as presented by the Department of Community and Economic Development. Resolutions addressed several budget matters, including authorizing additional spending for Office Depot office supplies, issuing a change order for the second year of electrical supplies pricing with McNaughton McKay Electric, and processing multiple budget amendments. These amendments involved recognizing grant revenue for the Imagine Flint Neighborhood Planning Initiative, appropriating funds from U.S. Department of Justice and DANY grants related to the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative, and recognizing grant revenue for park mowing and maintenance. Another resolution authorized the 5th Division budget amendment for the consolidation of the 67th and 68th District Courts. Appointments included Ada C. Washington to the Hurley Board of Hospital Managers and the reappointment of Matthew Schlinker to the Flint District Library Board. Discussion items included the continuation of the discussion regarding the transition from the Detroit Water & Sewer Department to the Karegnondi Water Authority.

The agenda for this meeting included special orders for presentations to Sarvis Park adoptees and Cook Park adoptees. Multiple public hearings were scheduled concerning an Obsolete Property Rehabilitation Exemption Application for the Garden Hilton Hotel property, the establishment of a Plant Rehabilitation District for 1101 N. Center Road, and an Industrial Facilities Exemption Certificate Application for a Lear Corporation project within the Buick Motor Division Industrial Development District. Resolutions covered the approval of the OPRA exemption for the Garden Hilton Hotel, the establishment of the Center Road Plant Rehabilitation District, approval of the IFEC for Lear Corporation, authorization of a contract with Wade Trim, Inc. for preliminary design services related to watermain replacement, approval of continuation for laboratory services from F&V Operations and Resource Management, approval of a Master Agreement with Great Lakes Water Authority and Karegnondi Water Authority, amendment to the FY2018 Master Fee Schedule to include fines for non-filing of Property Transfer Affidavits, and authorization for contracts to extend and establish new excess liability insurance coverage via Lake Agency, Inc. Additionally, a resolution was proposed to process a budget amendment allocating funds from the 542 Fund Balance to cover increased wage and fringe expenses resulting from reclassifications.