Tag: Quincy Murphy
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“We have to make the city of Flint a better place” Mayor Neeley calls for unity, strength and hope in second swearing-in ceremony
By Tom Travis Themes of love, unity, strength and hope flowed through the remarks at Mayor Sheldon Neeley’s second swearing-in ceremony Monday with familiar faces of politicians, community leaders, city officials, activists and city residents. Longtime local news anchor and friend of Neeley, Bill Harris, was emcee for the ceremony that lasted just under an…
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City Clerk candidates – Guillen and Donohue – to be interviewed Dec. 5
By Tom Travis Out of 24 applicants, two will be interviewed next Monday, Dec. 5, in an open public meeting, for the position of Flint City Clerk – Angela Guillen and Davina Donahue (currently serving as the Interim City Clerk). East Village Magazine (EVM) has reached out to both candidates but neither has responded. City…
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Herkenroder and Lewis voted president and vice-president of Flint city council, city clerk interviews to be Dec. 5
By Tom Travis Councilperson Allie Herkenroder (Ward 7) was selected Monday on a 6-3 vote to be Flint city council president, with Councilperson Ladel Lewis (Ward 2) as vice-president. Councilpersons Eric Mays (Ward 1), Jerri Winfrey-Carter (Ward 5) and Tonya Burns (Ward 6) voted against Herkenroder and Lewis. In addition, the council accepted a $10…
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A tale of two ARPA budgets – Council approves their ARPA budget and rejects the Mayor’s
By Tom Travis In Monday’s meeting City Council approved their version of a budget to spend the remaining $60 million of the $94 million American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. Back in June the Mayor and his administration had presented their version of an ARPA allocation budget. The council has not approved Mayor Neeley’s ARPA…
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Flint Council approves $8.6 million from ARPA funds to provide a $300 credit to every Flint water customer
By Tom Travis This article has been updated to include new developments in a press release from the Mayor’s office on Friday afternoon, 9/30/22 – EVM Editors City council has passed an $8.6 million resolution, funded out of the $94 million ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds that aims to bring relief to Flint water…
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City Council Beat: Lead line replacements and restorations to begin as council approves $17.8-million contract
By Tom Travis City of Flint residents can expect remaining lead line replacements and restorations to sidewalks, curbs and yards to begin in the coming weeks. At its Monday meeting, the city council approved a $17.8 million contract with LGC Global, based in Detroit, to take on the mammoth task of completing more than 400…
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Commentary: Good governing betrayed by “knuckleheads”– the public urgently needs better
By Tom Travis This is not the usual city council article. No “news” here, just observations and commentary from a local city government beat community journalist. As editor, and supported by the board of East Village Magazine, this entire issue is dedicated to governance. Specifically, this entire issue of East Village Magazine (EVM) is dedicated…
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“Blight elimination” top priority in Mayor’s plan to allocate $94 million ARPA funds
By Tom Travis Mayor Sheldon Neeley and his administration outlined a proposal to allocate the $94 million American Rescue Plan funds awarded to Flint in April 2021 at a special city council meeting Monday. The proposal calls for $69.5 million of the funds to be used for housing and blight elimination ($33.6 million); economic development…
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City Council tosses out months’ long investigative hearing on botched waste collection bid
By Tom Travis A botched bid for the city’s waste collection contract in 2021, revealed in a June 2021 city council meeting, launched an investigative hearing that lasted nearly a year and over two different city councils. One year later, in Wednesday’s Finance Committee meeting, city council voted 5-2 “to end all legal services and…
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Flint City Council passes $64 million “balanced” budget after Winfrey-Carter’s dramatic pause during rollcall vote
By Tom Travis In a dramatic and unprecedented vote, the city council passed a $64 million budget in its Monday meeting. According to Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Robert Widigan, the budget allocates $64 million for the city’s expenditures and is based on $50.7 million in revenue. Widigan explains the budget will be balanced with a…
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