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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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In my opinion, the best use of the money so far has been the demolition of the backlog of abandoned and condemned homes.
The local politicians have to promote the so-called benefits of the programs in an attempt to get more money into the community. But so far most of Flint's money has gone to Detroit businesses.
BOJI built the new DHS building on Clio near Pierson. However BOJI is now under investigation in the Wayne County investigation of the Wayne County Land Bank and the Ficano scandals, no bid contracts and contracts issued without prior Commissioner approval, including federal contracts.
The Flint Department of Energy grant to Flint was terminated amidst allegations of mismanagement and misspending. The Flint Law department ignored the allegations for over a year and denied receiving them after the feds swooped in until they were shown to be liars. The Department of energy took a year to act on the allegations themselves.
The Officice of Inspector General called Flin't Department of Community and Economic Development a "department in disarray". They wrote about the new supervisors and staff of DCED as nice but untrained.
Jaime Curtis of Genesee County led the charge to give the Genesee Regional Chamber of Commerce a no bid seven year contract for the hotel taxes, despite pleas of retailers involving tourism not to. Only two Republicans and two Democrats voted against the contract. The county at one time claimed they were going to eliminate the elite Leadership Committee that meets only in shrouded back room meetings that are not open to public scrutiny.
Genesee County anf Flint both gave CHDO status to an organization that did not meet Federal guidelines. Genesee County executed contracts with this entity because a Commissioner told the Planning Committee the CEO was a local guy trying to do good. Flint executed contracts with the same entity for federal funds when the compant did not meet minimum federal guidelines.
Flint, under Walling, changed the contractors in two grants, the DOE and Smith Village. When a community defines the process under which a developer or contractor is to be selected, there is an expectation that "due diligence" in the selection (procurement) has been undertaken.
Flint and Genesee County has to praise the benefits of the Neighborhood Stabilization program. Not only to keep the money flowing, but to also placate HUD, the Department of Energy and even Obama. If this program is demonstrated to be riddled with misappropriation and mismanagement then if reflects badly on the Obama politics and the federal agencies responsible for managing the programs.
An audit conducted by the Office of Inspector General has already cited the State of Michigan for problems in the NSP 2. The money for NSP 2 went to the State of Michigan and then to the state designated communities.
Interesting to note that Brown and his administration are not involved in this charade.
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Local leaders to praise benefits of federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program grants in Flint, Genesee County
Published: Thursday, January 12, 2012, 3:55 PM Updated: Thursday, January 12, 2012, 4:18 PM
By Kristin Longley | Flint Journal
Follow
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GENESEE COUNTY, Michigan — The federal government pumped $21 million into the local economy through its Neighborhood Stabilization Program grants, local leaders are expected to announce at an event on Friday.
Officials from Genesee County, Flint and the Genesee County Land Bank are holding a news conference at 10 a.m. to highlight NSP grant accomplishments, "including tracking of funds spent, number of properties improved and local businesses who benefited" from the grant funds, according to a news release.
Speakers will include Flint Mayor Dayne Walling, County Treasurer Deb Cherry, county board Chairman Jamie Curtis and county Commissioner Brenda Clack, along with some local business owners.
The news conference will be held at Vernon Chapel, 5802 Dupont St. |
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Thu Jan 12, 2012 10:32 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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It appears the press conference was about how Obama had helped stimulate the local economy.
The pastor of Vernon Chapel praised the Land Bank calling them dynamic.
No Flint Council members were present and no one from HUD was there. Jaime Curtis was replaced by Omar Sims. Deb Cherry had a death in her family so she was represented by Doug Weiland. Cherry allegedly sent a message to remind everyone that Obama's Stimulus ZPrograms helped stir the local economic development.
Walling, the only Flint representative, also touted the partnership as a major boost to the economy-"economic development at it's best". He said that thanks to Obama, you can see the progress and the renovated homes for sale.
Brenda Clack, County Commissioner and Vice Chair of the Land Bank, seems to have forgotten that the county took the funds to deal with blight in the properties owned by the Land bank. Instead, she and others touted the jobs programs and boarding up of houses the Land bank did in the past and unless a new funding source comes about they can no longer perform these tasks.
Charles Young Jr of Smith Village Construction LLC and Operation Unification, spoke of declaring victory in Smith Village. Odd because just today the list of forfeitures and foreclosures came out fom the Treasurers Office. Operation Unification, Joann Burks of OU Homes who owns the offices or Operation Unification, and Charles Young Jr, all had properties on that list. That had to make victory seem somewhat hollow.
Even the properties that comprise the Village in Beecher and are owned by Young, were on the list and county records show them as delinquent in their taxes. Some kind of deal must have been cut as some of the delinquencies go back to 2008.
Two properties were transferred to other entities, but taxes are still owing and must be paid by February.
Parcel #14-14-552-026, 2452 Coldwater Rd, was transferred to Kingdom First COGIC. The taxes for 2009 are now $400 and for 2010 are $752. This does not include 2011 taxes.
Parcel #41-17-377-032, 1005 Lippincott, was transferred to T R Harris Community Development, however the city still shows the property as belonging to Operation Unification. The taxes for 2009 are $1,970.37 and 2010 are $1, 372.04. Summer taxes for 2011 are $905.70 and winter taxes are $59.90.
Last edited by untanglingwebs on Fri Sep 13, 2013 10:47 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Fri Jan 13, 2012 9:05 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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PRESIDENT OBAMA'S ROLE WAS REALLY ADDRESSED AT LEAST THREE TIMES, IF NOT FOUR.
Is this the beginning of the Obama campaign in Flint's north end. The Land Bank has been implecated in politics before.
$21M in federal anti-blight funding created jobs, cleaned up communities, officials said
Published: Friday, January 13, 2012, 12:10 PM Updated: Friday, January 13, 2012, 1:31 PM
By Kristin Longley | Flint Journal
View full sizeKristin Longley | The Flint JournalCounty Commissioner Omar Sims, D-Flint, speaks to members of the media Friday morning at a news conference to promote the local economic benefits of the federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program at Vernon Chapel AME Church in Flint.
FLINT, Michigan — More than $21 million in federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program funds were pumped into the local Genesee County economy last year, benefiting more than 100 local businesses and cleaning up blight, city and county officials said this morning.
And, another $15 million in federal grants is expected to be spent on projects in 2012.
"This is a celebration," county Commissioner Omar Sims said, flanked by more than a dozen public officials, clergy members and business leaders at Vernon Chapel AME Church. "We're celebrating a new beginning — a spark has been lit."
The grants funded the demolition of more than 1,100 vacant houses and more than $12.5 million of the funds were used to build or rehabilitate 134 homes in 10 communities — and the new state Department of Human Services building in Flint.
As of today, all the federal and state deadlines and spending requirements have been met, according to a news release from the Land Bank.
So far, the city of Flint has spent $8.9 million, the Genesee County Land Bank has spent $6.1 million and Genesee County has spent $6 million as part of the grant program, officials said.
"For those naysayers out there, this is truly a partnership," Sims said.
Work was done in Flint, Burton, Clio, Fenton, Mt. Morris, Swartz Creek, Flint Township, Genesee Township, Grand Blanc Township and Mt. Morris Township.
The Neighborhood Stabilization Program was announced in 2008 as part of President Obama's federal economic stimulus program.
© 2012 MLive.com. All rights reserved. |
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Sat Jan 14, 2012 7:37 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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The first comments from M-Live
jacobsmith January 13, 2012 at 12:21PM
21M in federal aid and Flint is far worse than it was twelve months ago. It scares me to think what an ACTUAL fix, that was more than a PR move, would require.
davide January 13, 2012 at 1:03PM
And I wonder how much cream was skimmed off the top before this money was spent?????
Inappropriate? Alert us.
ReplyPost new
Group W Bench January 13, 2012 at 1:07PM
The grants funded the demolition of more than 1,100 vacant houses .... (Good up to this point)
and more than $12.5 million of the funds were used to build or rehabilitate 134 homes in 10 communities..... (Why do we need to build MORE housing units when there's such a glut of them on the market now. This does nothing to help the value of existing housing units.)
and the new state Department of Human Services building in Flint. (Ah yes! Government had to make sure they got their big fat piece of the pie for themselves. What was wrong with the old building or getting one of the many, many buildings that are vacant in the county to house the welfare office?)
davide January 13, 2012 at 1:16PM
All the jobs created were temporary and the economy in Genesee county still sucks, but my grandkids can affort this ,,,right Obama
bluesky101 January 13, 2012 at 1:57PM
what scares me is their idea of cleaned up. If its like any normal person they missed a few spots.
B17Bomber January 13, 2012 at 2:48PM
where do you start at?
3gunmack January 13, 2012 at 2:49PM
...all at the expense of our liberty in the further celebration of the death of the Constitution. Please read the 10th amendment and let me know how these "federal grants" ever became acceptable.
Aloguy January 13, 2012 at 3:18PM
There is nothing to celebrate if you believe that our tax money should be spent wisely. Instead the money is used being used for corruption and nepotism.
deelee39 January 13, 2012 at 4:01PM
This taxpayer funded "program" is just one of myriad federal programs created to dump money into Flint on the pretex of creating jobs, but in truth are/were simply make work jobs that existed only until the grant money ran out.
And coupled with HUD community development block grant dollars that have been poured into Flint beginning in the mid-70's that averaged upwards of $20 million annually into the 90's and what have we to show for a total estimated half billion tax dollars and over 35 years later? Answer: The creation and perpetuation of social agencies numbering in high double digits and each with it's own well-compensated administrative structure that has served only to expedite the squandering of these federal tax dollars as witness Flint's rotting infrastructure and massive neighborhood blight.
When will it become obvious to politicians that throwing money at a problem is not a solution. Or, better put, when will voters wake up to the fact that "the government" is not some mystical thing or place where "free money" is always available only for the asking to maintain the lifestyle they've become accustomed to.
mrpike2 January 13, 2012 at 4:18PM
The question all the "haters" fail to ask is how did all those capitalists who made money off those houses get away with walking away from them once they were worthless? They should have paid for the demolition, gone bankrupt or be in jail. Instead, they walked away with their pockets full of cash, leaving their neighbors with a mess and the government with the bill.
The laws need to change.
jacobsmith January 13, 2012 at 4:51PM
I hope you count me as a hater, because high school children commenting here tend to have insular and ignorant world views just like yours, and they always hate me.
Rikkitikkitembo January 13, 2012 at 6:11PM
More lies from a typical government loser.
valtwin January 13, 2012 at 7:02PM
"This is a celebration," county Commissioner Omar Sims said. This is exactly the problem with Flint. It celebrates living off the Govt. It celebrates taking money that isn't theirs. It celebrates spending money that isn't theirs. It celebrates a welfare mentality from the mayor on down. The entire economy of Flint is structured around money and services it never earned. A house of cards.
dogon3 January 13, 2012 at 7:20PM
Anyone wonder whether it would be a better investment to buyout those homeowners who wish to flee and settle them in a more stable environment¿ Reducing the population would also increase wages in blighted areas...that is if any industry still exists there. |
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Sat Jan 14, 2012 7:46 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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I brought up this issue six months ago and now Flint is being ordered to repay $550,000 in HUD dollars mis spent by the Walling and Eason administration.
Eason worked in Detroit in banking related industries. Did he develop connections that led to these deals now under scrutiny in Flint? |
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Sat Jul 21, 2012 6:49 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Look at the City of Flint and genesee County and some of their seemingly unethical decisions involving the genesee Area Chamber of Commerce. Also Walling created a non-profit that no one in the media has discussed. Much of the Ficano scandal and it's pay-to-play allegations remind me of Flint under walling and eason.
The subpoenas are the clearest sign yet that the controversial Wayne County Business Development Corp., a nonprofit group funded by businesses and labor groups to promote economic activity, is a key part of the investigation.
Seven of the 14 companies named in the subpoenas gave a total of $117,500 to the nonprofit in 2010 -- almost 60% of the money it generated.
Grand jury issues a 4th subpoena in Wayne County pay-to-play probe
12:52 PM, November 18, 2011 |
By Jim Schaefer
Detroit Free Press Staff Writer
A federal grand jury has sent a fourth subpoena to Wayne County as it investigates a possible pay-for-play scheme in government, the Free Press has learned.
County lawyers William S. Pearson and Kevin Kavanagh would not discuss the subpoena earlier today outside a court hearing where the news emerged. But county spokeswoman Brooke Blackwell said later the grand jury subpoena seeks information about Health Choice, a county program that offers health insurance for smaller businesses and workers.
Sources have told the Free Press that Michael Grundy, an assistant county executive at the time, pressured a health-care company associated with Health Choice, into sending money to a company incorporated by one of his friends, and that Grundy also sent payments to the companies from Health Choice.
Grundy has not returned calls since it was reported the FBI is investigating his dealings. He has been fired, as has a Health Choice accountant, Sharon Mattic.
Earlier this week, the Free Press reported that three subpoenas that a federal grand jury delivered to the county last month requested scores of documents zeroing in on two people, 14 companies and four arms of county government.
The revelation of the fourth subpoena came this morning during a Wayne County Circuit Court hearing of a Michigan Freedom of Information Act lawsuit.
Robert Davis, a union activist and frequent litigant over public records issues, filed the suit earlier this week alleging that Wayne County had not turned over all subpoenas responsive to a Freedom of Information Act request he made last month, a day after the FBI delivered them to the county.
Davis asked for all subpoenas issued Oct. 19. In court, lawyers said the fourth subpoena came at a later date, so it was not handed over to Davis.
Earlier this week, the Free Press published the details of the three known subpoenas, which seek nearly five years of information on the work history, salaries and business relationships of ousted Metro Airport CEO Turkia Awada Mullin and former Deputy County Executive Azzam Elder, who resigned Nov. 3. Mullin served as the county's chief development officer before moving to Metro Airport on Sept. 7.
In sweeping legal language, the first three subpoenas ask for all bidding and contract records involving the Boji Group; the Piston Group; the Sterling Group; Metro Cars; Steward Investments; Ghafari; Henry Ford Health System; Grand Sakwa Properties; Walbridge; RCP Associates; Strategic Staffing Solutions; Delta Air Lines; the Roxbury Group and Clark Hill.
The subpoenas are the clearest sign yet that the controversial Wayne County Business Development Corp., a nonprofit group funded by businesses and labor groups to promote economic activity, is a key part of the investigation.
Seven of the 14 companies named in the subpoenas gave a total of $117,500 to the nonprofit in 2010 -- almost 60% of the money it generated.
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Sat Jul 21, 2012 7:10 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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| What role, if any did Vernon Chapel play in the use of Operation Unification in the contracts involving the Land bank? |
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Sat Sep 21, 2013 9:28 am |
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