City Council considers waiving fee for brownfield assessment; James P. Cole public hearing set
By Tom Travis City Council considered an ordinance at the Monday, Feb 22 council meeting that would waive an assessment fee for property owners with lots adjacent to a Land Bank brownfield property. City of Flint Assessor, Stacey Kaake (pronounced cake) was on the line and explained that property owners can contact the Assessor’s office at 810-766-7255 to obtain the waiver form by May 1, 2021, once the council approves the...
Seven “trailblazers” from Flint’s Black community receive City’s highest honor
By Tom Travis Mayor Sheldon Neeley called them “trailblazers” in the African-American community of Flint as he honored seven at a presentation on Wednesday, Feb 24. The event, at the Flint Development Center on Martin Luther King Boulevard, was closed except to the honorees, city officials and the media, but can be viewed at the City of Flint’s Facebook page. The honorees were presented the “Mayor Sheldon A....
Education Beat: Flint schools will not reopen to students Feb. 22: district does about face
By Harold C. Ford Following a raucous board of education meeting lasting more than three hours, officials of Flint Community Schools (FCS) decided buildings would not reopen to students on Feb. 22 as previously announced. (See Feb. 19 public statement from FCS superintendent Anita Steward at this link and printed below.) This follows months of preparation for reopening buildings for face-to-face instruction during which FCS...
City Council considers Jefferson School property, $500,000 more needed for lead line replacement; Council’s decorum is not perfect but improves
By Tom Travis Flint City Council met in committee session on Wednesday for the first time since April, 2020, resuming a COVID-delayed structure that allows the council to discuss resolutions, ordinances, appointments and special orders that will appear on the next City Council agenda. Unlike in most recent meetings, the council managed to conduct business for five and a half hours with no chaos. The committee sessions usually are held...
City Council attempts at “decorum” and “civility” training descend into chaos
By Tom Travis Moments into Monday night’s virtual Flint City Council meeting, discussion descended into chaos and arguing over whether the public should be allowed to speak. It was a squabble which set the stage for a planned training session on decorum and civil debate. After more than an hour of wrangling, the council ultimately voted six to three to allow public speaking — the majority disagreeing with Council...
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