South Side group discusses police layoffs, trash collection

The South Side Business and Residents Association March 27 discussed police lay-offs, trash collection, code enforcement and beautification grants.

Patrick Gerace, director of neighborhood services, said there are three staff people to mow the 64 parks in the city. The city administration will again hire people from outside government to maintain the parks.

Gerace said weed and trash abatement is "a very big issue." The city is negotiating with the Genesee County Land Bank to put the Land Bank in charge of taking care of all Flint's abandoned property this summer.

Gerace said the city will use money from a settlement to hire four people for code enforcement. There are now three code enforcement officers in Flint. He encouraged residents to call with code enforcement concerns.

Genesee County Assistant Prosecutor David Mays discussed the South Side Task Force. A grant pays the salary of six uniformed police officers within the area bounded by Interchange 69 and Hemphill, Fenton and Center Road. These six police officers, Mays said, are not effected by the recent lay-offs. During the three-year grant duration, there will always be six officers in the area.

Mays said of the task force grant, "It is the biggest grant of its type awarded in Michigan, and it's nothing but a good thing for Flint."

Mays also discussed the Restorative Justice Community Court Program. The program deals with first time offenders for minor crimes. There is no formal charge. The defendant and plaintiff agree to a  program and the defendant must accept responsibility for the charge and comply with provisions of the sentence.

Mays gave the case examples of a 24-year old in trouble for domestic violence and a 14-year old boy who brought marijuana to school.

The court is held every fourth Thursday of the month at the Brennen Center. Volunteer jurors are needed.

Councilman Scott Kincaid (9th Ward) addressed the recent change in garbage pick-up and police lay-offs. "We're not sure how long the cuts are going to be," he said. Administration is talking with unions to change routes, he said.

With the biweekly pick-up, residents are allowed to put out up to 20 bags of trash and 20 bags of compost.

"Unemployment in Flint is 29 percent. Tax revenue is falling. The projected population of Flint is 90,000, which will dramatically cut the city's federal funding," Kincaid said, illustrating the city's need to save money.

Kincaid discussed the community policing grant from the Mott Foundation that will pay for a sergeant and 10 officers for one year.

Community policing is not new to Flint. It began with Mayor Jim Sharp in the 1980s as a "foot patrol," and graduated to automobiles. Kincaid said it is not yet decided how the community policing officers will patrol.

"In the Ninth Ward we're blessed because we'll have seven committed officers," Kincaid said.

Kincaid also discussed the federal Neighborhood Stabilization 2 funds. The current plan, he said, is to go block by block to demolish as many houses as possible. There are 237 homes to be demolished with the grant. Code enforcement officers will help to select the houses.

One resident asked if it would be possible to combine wards, reduce the number of councilmen and retain the police and fire fighters.

Kincaid said this number of councilmen is a matter of City Charter so changes must be voted on by the people.

Dr. Thom Nikolai, turf grass specialist from Michigan State University, and Dr. Steven Gastayer, sociology professor, presented a research project beginning at McKinley Park. The project, through a three-year grant from Scott's Fertilizer Co. and coordination with the Land Bank, will explore the functional aspects of turf grass in an urban setting.

The researchers are trying to answer several questions.

"What happens to a neighborhood when you replace weeds and garbage with turf grass? What does it means in terms of the people of the neighborhood? Do they get to know each other better? Do kids go out and play more? Do more of them finish high school?"

Art Wenzlaff said the association has requested a grant from the Ruth Mott Foundation for a three-year program of beautification projects. This first year will include a mural, using a $10,000 grant from Disney. Wenzlaff hopes the foundation will meet that amount.

UM-Flint professor Michael Sevick and his mural art class will be designing plans for the mural, and students from MCC and International Academy will paint the mural.

"We need to create an ambiance on South Saginaw Street," Wenzlaff said. "If South Saginaw Street looks better, the rest of the neighborhood will catch up."

The group meets at 11:45 a.m. every third Tuesday at Applegate Chevrolet, 3637 S. Saginaw St.