The East Village Magazine – April 2021
The latest edition of The East Village Magazine is available for download here: [pdfjs-viewer url="https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eastvillagemagazine.org%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2021%2F04%2FEVMApril2021.pdf" viewer_width=100% viewer_height=800px fullscreen=true...
Flint’s new Chief Financial Officer Shelbi Frayer hits the ground running as city council considers $71 million budget
By Tom Travis Shelbi Frayer has joined the City of Flint Finance department as the new Chief Financial Officer (CFO). "Frayer comes to Flint with a wealth of experience in municipal finance, previously serving in key leadership roles with the City of Lansing, State of...
Is it time to get back to “normal”? Maybe, but not yet.
By Paul Rozycki “It ain’t over till it’s over” -Yogi Berra There is a feeling of spring in the air. The days are getting warmer. The snow is melting. More and more people are getting the COVID vaccine. The Flint water crisis seems to reaching some sort of conclusion....
City of Flint yard waste collection begins April 5, 2021
Yard waste collection in Flint begins the week of April 5, 2021. Yard waste is picked up weekly on residents’ regularly scheduled trash collection day through Thanksgiving week. According to a City of Flint press release, compost is limited to 50 pounds in each brown...
Village Life: Pierce Preschool connected us to our “Pandemic Village”
By Melodee Mabbitt Before the pandemic hit, I was the kind of parent who relied heavily on my village to help raise our child. Pre-pandemic, I was lucky to have a flexible schedule with the ability to work remotely. I even got away without needing a babysitter much of...
Rise in child abuse, violent crimes, home repairs, and dead trees highlighted at March FNU
By Coner Segren A rise in child abuse in Genesee County, a $200,000 grant to remove dead trees, available funds for home owners' home repairs, and a presentation addressing violent crime were items discussed at the monthly Zoom meeting of the Flint Neighborhoods...
City of Flint to receive $99.33 million in federal stimulus from American Rescue Plan
By Tom Travis As part of federal coronavirus stimulus bill, The American Rescue Plan, the City of Flint will receive an estimated $99.33 million. Flint households projected to get more than $125 million in direct benefits, according to Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley. In a...
Education Beat: Flint students returning to school buildings as COVID rates rise, water fountains still Inoperable, water filters not yet installed
By Harold C. Ford Flint Community Schools’ (FCS) K-3 students began returning to school buildings March 15. Students in grades 4-12 began returning March 22. At its meeting on March 17, the Flint Board of Education learned that 81 hydration stations (drinking...
Education Beat: Flint students to return to school buildings March 15 and March 22; decision prompts tension among board members
By Harold C. Ford “Parents are upset because we keep changing the date for school.” --Diana Wright, trustee, Flint Board of Education, March 10, 2021 The board of education of Flint Community Schools (FCS) approved an administrative plan for returning students to...
Flint City Council’s “failure to act” jeopardizes completion of service line replacement project, Mayor Neeley says
By Tom Travis On Wednesday Mayor Sheldon Neeley released a statement scolding the council for a "failure to act" on a resolution that would allow for additional $500,000 in funding towards the "Fast Start" water line replacement. Neeley added that the council's...
U.S. District Court judge throws out Eric Mays’ lawsuit against the City of Flint – taxpayers foot $24,000 bill
A lawsuit filed by Flint City Councilman Eric Mays (1st Ward) was thrown out by the judge overseeing the case, who ruled it had no merit, according to a press release from Mayor Sheldon Neeley. Mays announced Wednesday evening that he would appeal. Mays sued the City...
Forty-three Flint residents so far vie for a seat on the tumultuous city council
By Tom Travis As the Flint City Council falls further from decorum and civility, a weary community can look forward to a Fall 2021 election with all nine council members up for re-election. Nominating petitions became available in February, with candidates required...
The East Village Magazine – March 2021
The latest edition of The East Village Magazine is available for download here: [pdfjs-viewer url="https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eastvillagemagazine.org%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2021%2F03%2FEVM-03.21_web.pdf" viewer_width=100% viewer_height=800px fullscreen=true download=true...
Health Coalition launches “Commit to Fit” challenge, with cash incentives, to get Genesee County students moving
The 6th annual Commit to Fit Active Schools Challenge is now open through March 31 to all Genesee County school districts to promote physical activity among their students, according to a press release from the Greater Flint Health Coalition (GFHC). Students and...
State Rep. John Cherry to host “virtual community conversation” with MDOT; neighbors urged to call for I-69 sound walls
State Representative John Cherry will host a virtual community conversation at 6 p.m. Monday, March 8 to focus on transportation in Genesee County, according to an invitation shared by his office. Cherry plans to be joined by Michigan Department of Transportation...
Woodside Church of Flint eying name change, seeking marketing pros to help “rebrand”
Woodside Church of Flint is seeking qualified marketing professionals to guide the church in renaming and branding itself, according to a press release from the church's pastor, Rev. Dr. Deborah Conrad. Written proposals will be received until March 15. Select...
Commentary: Civility workshops for City Council? Good intentions, but keep the Jack Daniel’s handy
By Paul Rozycki Can workshops bring “civility and decorum” to City Council meetings? Imagine an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting which starts out with good, sober, intentions, but concludes several hours later with most members passed out on the floor, littered with empty...
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...
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...
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...
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 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...
Students invited to enter Genesee Health Plan’s sixth annual Health Heritage essay and scholarship contests
Genesee Health Plan (GHP) is accepting entries through March 31 for its sixth annual Health Heritage Essay Contest from all Genesee County students in elementary grades five and six, middle school, junior high, and high school students, including students in...
Resident participation sought in Flint Community Advisory Task Force on Public Safety Meetings
The newly formed Flint Community Advisory Task Force on Public Safety is asking residents to voice their ideas and concerns as part of its ongoing work to provide a bridge between community members and police, according to a press release from the City. Mayor Sheldon...
Low-interest homeowner loans, residential water sampling, resumed rental inspections among topics covered at FNU
By Coner Segren A low-interest loan program for homeowners, lab testing for residential water, and announcement of resumed inspection for rental properties were among items presented to participants at the monthly gathering of Flint Neighborhoods United (FNU). The...
