Tag: Robert Widigan
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“This budget offers a level of stability” Mayor Neeley – an increase of $13 million from previous year
By Tom Travis Update: This article has been updated on March 27, 2023 to reflect more information from the Mayor and the city’s 2024 budget. Please note that entire city budget is available at the end of the article. And also, here. “This budget offers a level of stability,” Mayor Sheldon Neeley declared in his…
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City’s financial peril thwarted with $220 million boost from State coffers
By Tom Travis An infusion of $220 million into the city’s coffers from the State Treasury will give enduring relief to the city’s finances. On July 6, Mayor Sheldon Neeley announced the City of Flint will receive $220 million from State budget allocations to fund the city’s pension costs. That allocation is part of the…
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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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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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“Knuckleheads” comment sparks rancor, debate among city council
By Tom Travis No action was taken by design at Wednesday’s five-hour plus meeting of the Flint City Council . But the night was filled with verbal sparks flying and contentious moments as many council members sparred and jabbed each other with “point of order” and “point of information.” The epithet “knuckleheads,” directed from Council…
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City Council approves one year contract for ARPA compliance firm
By Tom Travis In an 8-0 vote the City Council Monday approved a one-year contract for $1,150,650 with compliance firm Ernst & Young for the disbursement of the $94 million American Rescue Plan (ARP) stimulus money. Councilperson Dennis Pfeiffer had left after the Special Affairs committee and was not present for the vote. Ernst &…
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COVID, public safety, finances highlight Mayor Neeley’s State of the City Address
By Paul Rozycki Beginning by saying that he was “a simple guy born and raised in Flint” and concluding by urging city residents to “keep building a stronger Flint together” to fight blight, crime, improve infrastructure and public services, Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley delivered his second State of the City address Tuesday, Dec. 14. The…
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Council aims to hold “community listening meetings” for ARP funds, as rules for use emerge
By Tom Travis In a 5-0 vote Wednesday city council voted to hold four community listening meetings throughout the city for residents to say how they think the $94 million federal stimulus American Rescue Plan allocated to the city should be spent. The first half of the allocation already has arrived, with the second half…
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City considers spending $3.9 million for “compliance and implementation” consultant for American Rescue Plan stimulus funds
By Tom Travis The City of Flint is considering contracting with compliance consultant Ernst & Young of Detroit for compliance and implementation of the American Rescue Plan (ARP) stimulus money. According to a pending resolution by the Flint City Council, the contract would not exceed $3,994,074 for budget years FY2022 to FY2027. Meeting as the…
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Eric Mays and Allie Herkenroder elected president and vice-president of city council
By Tom Travis The newly elected Flint City Council held their first meeting Monday night since last week’s election. In line with the rules of the charter, the City Clerk, Inez Brown called the meeting to order and chaired the meeting until a president was chosen. The longest serving council member, Eric Mays (Ward 1)…
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