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flygirl311
F L I N T O I D
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Flint City Council tries to sweeten deal to sell 9 miles of water pipeline
Print Ron Fonger | rfonger1@mlive.com By Ron Fonger | rfonger1@mlive.com
on May 21, 2014 at 8:15 PM
FLINT, MI -- The City Council didn't find an alternate buyer for 9 miles of water pipeline Wednesday, May 21, but suggested a new way of getting paid $3.9 million by Genesee County for the infrastructure.
The council voted 8-0 with 1st Ward Councilman Eric Mays abstaining to request the county divide its payment into the next two fiscal years rather than in a lump sum.
"The county will have to agree," Neeley said. "What we are doing is just trying to make the deal a little bit better."
Council met Wednesday after voting to deny a proposed sale of the pipeline section owned by the city and used by the county for $3.9 million.
County Drain Commissioner Jeff Wright has said the proposed purchase of the pipeline section is designed to put the existing infrastrucure to good use and to provide the city with cash for an asset that otherwise will serve it no purpose.
Although needed by the county as a connection point to the Detroit-owned section of pipeline, the city no longer uses the pipeline section because it is using the Flint River as a drinking water supply instead.
State law gave the council seven days to submit an alternative proposal to the local emergency financial assistance loan board "that would yield substantially the same financial results as the action proposed by the emergency manager."
Several council members said they were frustrated trying to find an alternative in such a short time and after they were left out of negotiations with the county.
Mays abstained, saying council President Scott Kincaid was stifling discussion after not allowing debate following Neeely's introduction of the proposal.
"I abstain from this nonsense and this mess ... I'm not a part of it," said Mays, who walked away from the council table after his vote to abstain. |
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Thu May 22, 2014 12:07 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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| That was not a legitimate reason to abstain. Where was the City Attorney . But then again Mays would not have listened! |
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Thu May 22, 2014 5:29 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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John Daly From M-live
John Daly
Sounds to me like the majority of the City Council had not done their homework with respect to the provisions of P.A. 436 before voting to reject the original offer made by the KWA and had to come up with a face-saving alternative. The City Council's alternative actually results in less money coming to the City than the original offer. Welcome to the big leagues, boys and girls!
John Daly took the Emergency Manager training and is well versed in Finance.
The final decision belongs to the EM. Council is sometimes pathetic in their grasping at straws. Neeley has fought the KWA pipeline since it was first suggested. The communities still being served by Detroit are in a battle with the Detroit Water Authority and some counties are calling for their own new pipelines. Detroit never even took a Flint/Genesee county bid to have a seat on the Water Board seriously. Yet Neeley thought Flint had a chance to negotiate! |
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Thu May 22, 2014 6:13 am |
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flygirl311
F L I N T O I D
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| Eric Mays was the one that started the fire in the first place. So, what does he do, he picks up the fire extinguisher and walks out. If that's not bad enough, Sheldon Neeley chimes in, and says that the County has to accept this offer? No they don't. It really doesn't matter what this Council does or doesn't do. I hope that Darnell Earley rejects this proposal, and sticks with the original offer that Jeff Wright made in the first place. I didn't think that the majority of this Council couldn't do anything dumber than they already have, but I was wrong. I'm am not a proponent of recalls, but we, the residents need to save ourselves from these folks. This Council has shown time and time again, that they aren't capable of running anything, except their mouths. I hope the State stays forever. |
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Thu May 22, 2014 9:47 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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| Please tune in to the "Truth shall make you free" broadcast with your host AC Dumas this and every Saturday mornings on Flint's gospel radio station WFLT 1420 am from 9:30-10am. This is a call in show 810-239-5733 and your calls are certainly welcome! This week's guest will be Mr. Jeff Wright, Genesee County Drain Commissioner. If you have questions and concerns about the KWA Pipeline and the proposed sale of a portion of the existing pipeline that belongs to the City of Flint, please weigh in on Facebook and tune in and join the conversation on tomorrow's broadcast. Thanks for listening! |
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Fri May 23, 2014 5:52 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Ac Dumas is very good at bringing out the issues the public wants to know in an interview. Jeff Wright explained the issues well, but callers confused the two water distribution systems- Flint and Genesee County.
It was embarrassing to have politicians and would-be politicians ask dumb questions.
Wantwaz Davis is bright. However he should have questioned the Drain Commissioner before he went on the air. Davis asked the Drain Commissioner and head of Genesee County Water and Waste Services, about the possibility of leasing the 9 mile 72 inch pipeline for $1.3 million a year for 3 years and then raise the possibility of a sale to Genesee County. (He must be reading too much Detroit water proposals)
Wright pointed out he can build a new parallel pipeline for $4 million that would serve 4 communities in the county. He made it clear that he would not waste taxpayer money by paying twice the value of the system. If not purchased, the line is abandoned and useless.
When Davis mentioned selling the 9 mile pipeline to Oakland, I think some heads spun. The 9 mile pipeline is not located in a beneficial location for Oakland County. Wright ignored that part of the question.
Bishop Bernadel Jefferson, Candidate for Omar Sims Genesee County Commission seat, chastised Wright for Flint water rates. If she had been listening, she would have known that Genesee County is in no way responsible for rate n the City of Flint. |
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Sun May 25, 2014 8:33 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Wright did state the water usage in Flint was said to have doubled during this harsh winter due to broken water lines. It is critical to upgrade the water and sewer lines as many are failing.
Wright also emphasized how the State of Michigan ordered the $40 million plus upgrade to the water treatment plant and the state issued the bonds for the upgrade. Flint pays approximately $4.5 million per year and the bonds and about $20 million remains owing.
Some complained about the taste of the river water. Wright said the water meets all purity standards but that it is about twice as hard as lake water. |
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Sun May 25, 2014 8:40 am |
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