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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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East Village Magazine
A look at the city’s new economic team: the “director” is his company, Rodrick Miller explains
Home»Features»A look at the city’s new economic team: the “director” is his company, Rodrick Miller explains
Posted on May 28, 2018
By Jeffery L Carey Jr.
Does the City of Flint have a director of economic development or not? And is the position, financed as part of a $2.9 million Kellogg Foundation grant, being filled by a person or a company? Is there a conflict of interest built into the way the grant is being administered? And does this all matter, as Rodrick Miller and the team assembled to work with him attempt to bring more jobs to Flint? Or is it just a minor misunderstanding about a word?
Confusion on all these questions emerged recently over Miller’s official position and concern about a possible conflict of interest if he were to be a city employee receiving a salary while also a CEO of a company awarded the contract for the economic development of Flint.
The concern arose after a press release issued by the City of Flint April 9, where Mayor Karen Weaver stated, “Rodrick Miller, president and CEO of Ascendant Global, has been hired to lead the team in the position of Economic Development Director.”
Miller was also announced as both the CEO of Ascendant Global Consulting and the director of economic development for the City of Flint at the recent “Going Global” event at the Ferris Wheel.
After an East Village Magazine story appeared, Fourth Ward City Councilperson, Kate Fields, emailed, “To my knowledge Mr. Miller has not been appointed as Director of Economic Development. He is a consultant who has been hired using Kellogg grant to head up a Flint Economic Development initiative. There is a difference.”
Flint City Attorney Angela Wheeler affirmed in an email back to Fields, “Mr. Miller is the consultant leading Economic Development efforts for the City.”
Rodrick Miller at the recent “Going Global” event at the Ferris Wheel (photo by Darlene Carey).
Asked about this confusion over his title, in a recent interview Miller clarified he and his firm, Ascendant Global, are in effect the city’s economic director. He said his firm has contracted with the City of Flint.
“I am not an employee of the City of Flint,” he said, suggesting the job title confusion was a miscommunication between the administration and the council.
Asked if the mixup over his job title highlighted the City of Flint’s lack of an ethics and accountability board and an ombudsman called for by the revised City Charter approved by voters 2-1 last August, Miller said, “This is out of my purview.”
[The charter was to take effect Jan. 1, but has remained unimplemented, languishing in city council committees. The ombudsman’s position, with $250,000 already designated in the overall city budget for salary and operations, is to be appointed by an ethics and accountability board to handle complaints and manage internal conflict resolution and ensure there are no conflicts of interest.
But so far, the council and city administration have not appointed an ethics and accountability board. According to the charter, each of the nine council members is to nominate one person from his or her ward, and the mayor is to make two appointments, making a total of 11 members–Ed.]
From an economic standpoint, Miller said that City of Flint should make things more “turnkey,” providing a complete product or service package ready for immediate use.
“Bringing new jobs to Flint is the focus of my team,” Miller said in a phone interview. “It’s not an amorphic thing,” he said as summarized challenges he has been tasked with and the goals of his team for Flint. “We want to bring new jobs to the City of Flint and to drive investment.”
About Miller and his team
Miller stepped down as president and CEO of the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC) in March, 2017, after a three-year tenure. He came to Detroit from New Orleans, where he was the founding president and CEO of the New Orleans Business Alliance, according to Crain’s Business the official economic development organization for the city. Before that he’d been economic development officer in Baton Rouge LA and Phoenix AZ.
He started Ascendant Global after his departure from the DEGC, in September, 2017. Headquartered in Detroit, its website, lists 15 employees and additional offices in Atlanta; Washington, D.C.; Medellin, Colombia; and New Orleans. Flint is not its only client.
Miller says his Flint team has been hosting round-table sessions to bring together business, civic and community leaders to talk about the economic direction of the city. He says they discuss “what are the biggest pain points or challenges and what are the biggest opportunities.”
In addition to Miller, the local economic development team includes Outreach Development Liaison Aonie Gilcreast, a longtime advisor to the mayor who had described himself as a volunteer through most of Weaver’s administration until the Kellogg grant came through.
Also on the team are Deputy Director Linnette Phillips, a Flint native focusing on small business and workforce development; and Deputy Director Janice Karcher, a longtime Flint and Genesee County Chamber of Commerce staff member, responsible for business attraction and retention.
Seeking a collective dialogue
Miller has brought in advisors from outside the city as well, economic counterparts of his from around the state with the objective of creating a “collective dialogue” and to help move the city forward.
A typical day, he said, involves “meeting with all these folks, having a meeting with the Mayor and some of her senior staff to deal with hot button issues, and then meeting with my team.”
According to city records, Miller’s pay is $12,500/month for a total of $150,000/year. All members of the team are on four-year contracts corresponding to the term of the Kellogg grant.
Flint’s size may be an advantage
A former five-year term member of the U.S. Council on Foreign Relations and who has had experience building economic growth in much bigger cities, Miller said Flint may end up being easier to bring immediate and noticeable change to because of its size.
In a city the size of Flint, he said, “You can have very significant impact with a few transactions,” adding he finds that prospect “very exciting.”
Flint faces many of the same issues as other cities, including environmental justice and years of economic decline, he said, and on these issues, he can take advantage of “lessons learned.”
He said his team is looking for, “not just high end jobs and not just low end jobs but jobs across the spectrum.” He aims to bring in a diverse array of companies, but focus on Flint’s talent as well — “ensuring our residents are well trained for those jobs.”
Seeking “green” and “blue” technology
Miller said he hopes to “shift the narrative” about Flint away from the water crisis and pivot and focus on the many things Flint has to offer. One aspect that Miller is hoping to focus on is Flint as a place for “green” and “blue” technology – a strategy, he admits, is in its infancy in the city. “Blue technology” refers to methods for addressing water issues, including depleting aquifers, managing the water supply and recycling waste water from energy production.
Miller stated approaches to several new companies are in the pipeline, with several possibilities the team are “aggressively” pursuing. None are as yet a “done deal,” he said.
In addition to the Kellogg funds, Miller said the city is looking at other grants and investors.
He admits he thought when he accepted the consulting position, the situation he would encounter in Flint would be much more difficult.
“There are divisions and challenges of course, but what I found was whether it was a private sector business leader, a local person on the street or political leadership, everyone was very pro-Flint and had the same objective around bringing Flint back,” he says.
Resources are Flint’s biggest challenge – the need to bring in more capital and more philanthropy to the city and community. Miller says he hopes to use the immigration overhaul proposal known as HR 4760, Securing America’s Future Act of 2018 which has been introduced in Congress, to Flint’s advantage, “We will be very aggressive,” he says.
Designing pitches with “surgical” strategy
Attempting to avoid a “scattershot approach” of seeking foundation funding, Miller and his team instead are being more specific when asking private companies for investments, demonstrating how their investment will leverage other investments in a more “surgical” way.
Ultimately, Miller said he hopes the city, which has dropped from 200,000 to less than half that in the past 50 years, will achieve population stability and then population growth with the opportunity for the community to participate in a meaningful way.
According to his entry on consultingconnect.org, Miller has a Master of Public Policy from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, a Bachelor of Science in international business from St. Augustine’s College, and a graduate diploma in finance from the Monterrey Institute of Technology (ITESM) in Monterrey, Mexico, acquired when he was a Fulbright Fellow.
On his Twitter page, he describes himself as “World Citizen, Patriotic American, Blessed Father, Forgiven & Saved by Grace.” On his LinkedIn page he notes he speaks fluent Spanish and proficient Portuguese.
EVM Staff Writer Jeffery L. Carey, Jr. can be reached at jlcareyjr@hotmail.com. EVM Editor Jan Worth-Nelson contributed to this report. She can be reached at janworth1118@gmail.com. |
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Mon May 28, 2018 5:27 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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September 18, 2017 12:30 p.m. UPDATED 9/21/2017
Former DEGC chief Miller starts new consulting firm
By KIRK PINHO
Economic Development
Roderick Miller's new consulting company, Ascendant Global, launched in April
Offices in Detroit; New Orleans; Washington, D.C.; Atlanta; and Medellin, Columbia
Miller ran the Detroit Economic Growth Corp. from August 2014 to March of this year
The former head of the Detroit Economic Growth Corp. has started a new economic development consulting firm.
Rodrick Miller, the former president and CEO of the DEGC who stepped down from that position in March, said in a news release that there is "a gap in the market" for consulting firms that offer "the full breadth of economic development services with a keen focus on urban centers." Among the focal points will be economic competitiveness, inclusion and resilience; corporate growth; disaster recovery; organizational development; real estate; disaster recovery; and placemaking.
The company launched in April and has more than 10 employees, according to its website.
The release says Ascendant Global's client list includes Washington, D.C.-based Living Cities Inc. and the Wallace Center at Winrock International, which focuses on building a more modern food system. It is managing projects in the U.S. and Latin America, the release says.
Miller replaced former longtime DEGC head George Jackson in August 2014.
Miller was involved in the launch of the Motor City Match grant program for small businesses, along with large real estate deals including the opening of a Microsoft Corp. office in Detroit and the Ally Financial Inc. move from the Renaissance Center to One Detroit Center, among others.
He has also been involved in the Little Caesars Arena construction process and the Detroit Pistons' move from The Palace of Auburn Hills, expected for the 2017-18 season, which opens in October. |
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Mon May 28, 2018 5:30 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Team Members
Staffed to Meet Your Department’s Legal Needs
The Legal Department is made up of the Chief Legal Officer Angela Wheeler,
Assistant City Attorney William “Bill” Kim, Assistant City Attorney Reed
Eriksson, Assistant City Attorney Whitney Frazier-Jenkins, Assistant City
Attorney Kelly Kiertzner, Assistant City Attorney Harrell Millhouse, Paralegal
Jennifer Delaney, and Litigation Assistant Victoria Cooper.
Angela Wheeler, Chief Legal Officer
Primary Department Assignments: City Administration, Flint City Council,
Human Resources/Labor Relations (HR/LR), Purchasing, Information
Technology, Utilities, Communications and Public Relations, Public Health,
Water Service Center, Finance
Contact Information: awheeler@cityofflint.com/810.237.2075
_______________________________________________________________________________________
William “Bill” Kim, Assistant City Attorney
Primary Department Assignments: Police, Lock up, Fire, Facilities/Building
& Grounds, Transportation
Back up Support Departments: Utilities, Information Technology,
Communications & Public Relations, Purchasing, Water Pollution Control,
Water Treatment Plant, Engineering, Towing, Impound & Forfeitures
Contact Information: wkim@cityofflint.com/810.237.2079
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Kelly Kiertzner, Assistant City Attorney
Primary Department Assignments: , District Court, F.O.I.A., MDCR
Complaints
Contact Information: kkiertzner@cityofflint.com /810.237.2080
Reed Eriksson, Assistant City Attorney
Primary Department Assignments: Planning and Development, Assessment,
Water Pollution Control, Water Treatment Plant, City Clerk’s Office, Towing,
Impound & Forfeitures, Engineering, HR/LR Labor Arbitration (FPOA)
Back up Support Departments: Blight, District Court, Public Health,
Transportation, HR/LR Labor Arbitration (1600/1799)
Contact Information: reriksson@cityofflint.com/810.237.2078
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Whitney Frazier-Jenkins, Assistant City Attorney
Primary Department Assignments: Treasury, Community and Economic
Development
Back up Support Departments: Police, Building and Safety Inspection, Human
Resources/Labor Relations, Facilities, Building & Grounds, Planning and
Zoning
Contact Information: wfrazierjenkins@cityofflint.com /513.328.5950
______________________________________________________________________________________
Harrell Millhouse, Assistant City Attorney
Primary Department Assignments: Building and Safety Inspection (BSI)
Back up Support Departments: Police and Fire, Community and Economic
Development, Treasury
Contact Information: hmillhouse@cityofflint.com/ 810.237.2071
______________________________________________________________________________________
Jennifer Delaney, Paralegal
Department Support Staff and Assignments:
Finance, Human Resources/Labor Relations, Police and Fire, F.O.I.A.
Contact Information: jdelaney@cityofflint.com /810.237.2082
Victoria Cooper, Litigation Assistant
Department Support Staff and Assignments: District Court, Street
Maintenance, Utilities, Damage Claims
Contact Information: vcooper@cityofflint.com /810.237.2073 |
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Mon Jun 04, 2018 6:46 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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| Frazier-Jenkins is the only assistant Prosecutor that is not shown with a City of Flint phone number. Notice how Frazier-Jenkins is the only Assistant Prosecutor without a City of Flint phone number. Also with her primary as Economic Development is there the possibility of a conflict of interest arising with her uncle's role in economic development? |
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Mon Jun 04, 2018 6:48 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Harrel Milhouse is Frazier-Jenkins support in economic development.
FindLawCaselawMichiganMI Supreme Ct.IN RE: Honerable Harrell D. MILHOUSE
IN RE: Honerable Harrell D. MILHOUSE
ResetAAFont size:Print 68
Supreme Court of Michigan.
IN RE: Honerable Harrell D. MILHOUSE, Magistrate of the Sixty-Eighth District Court, Flint, Michigan.
Docket No. 114963.
Decided: February 01, 2000
On order of the Court, the Judicial Tenure Commission has issued a Decision and Recommendation for Order of Discipline, and The Honorable Harrell D. Milhouse has consented to the Commission's findings of facts, conclusions of law and recommendation of public censure and a ten-day suspension without pay, with credit given for a ten-day unpaid suspension already imposed by the Sixty-Eighth District Court. We therefore ORDER that The Honorable Harrell D. Milhouse be publicly censured, and that he be suspended without pay from the performance of his judicial duties for a period of ten days, with credit given for the ten-day unpaid suspension already served. This order stands as our public censure. Further, we therefore adopt as our own the following findings and conclusions of the Judicial Tenure Commission.
1) Respondent is now, and was at all times mentioned, a Magistrate of the 68th District Court in the City of Flint, County of Genesee, State of Michigan.
2) Roger Dale Collins was charged in said court with three traffic misdemeanors: 96Z00814A, no operator's license in possession; 96Z00814B, driving while license suspended; and 96Z00814C, improper plates.
3) Mr. Collins was subsequently sentenced to incarceration after he pled guilty to a felony driving offense.
4) While Mr. Collins was incarcerated, Respondent sent him a Plea By Mail form pertaining to each of the misdemeanor offenses charged. These standardized forms advised Mr. Collins, among other things, about his right to plead guilty or not guilty, to have a trial by judge or jury, and to have the assistance of an attorney. These forms also allowed Mr. Collins to indicate by a check mark whether he plead guilty or not guilty. As to all three offenses, Mr. Collins indicated he was pleading not guilty and returned the forms to the court.
5) In response, on April 17, 1997, Respondent sent Mr. Collins a letter in which Respondent acknowledged receipt of the Plea By Mail forms as to all three matters in which he had indicated he was pleading not guilty. Respondent's letter advised Mr. Collins that the quickest way to receive credit for time served in jail was to plead guilty and provide a jail release date to the court.
6) On May 9, 1997, Mr. Collins sent a letter to Respondent in reply to Respondent's April 17, 1997 correspondence. In his letter, Mr. Collins rejected the idea of a guilty plea.
7) Respondent received Mr. Collins' May 9, 1997 letter and in response sent another letter to Mr. Collins on May 19, 1997 concerning the three misdemeanor matters. In that letter, Respondent again asserted that the quickest way to receive credit for time served in jail was to plead guilty and give the court a jail release date. Respondent's letter also stated he was enclosing new Plea By Mail forms for Mr. Collins' convenience and advised Mr. Collins that he could hire or request an attorney if he did not wish to plead guilty.
 In reply to Respondent's letter of May 19, 1997, Mr. Collins reiterated in another letter to Respondent that he was not pleading guilty. Mr. Collins also requested that either an alleged plea agreement to dismiss the three traffic misdemeanors be honored or that arrangements be made for his presence at a hearing on the charges.
9) Notwithstanding Mr. Collins' repeated statements that he was pleading not guilty, Respondent, on July 22, 1997, knowingly executed and caused to be filed in the records of the 68th District Court, a Judgment of Sentence as to each of the three misdemeanor matters, which falsely stated that Mr. Collins had been advised of right to counsel and appointed counsel and had knowingly, intelligently and voluntarily waived that right, and pled guilty to the charged offense. In each matter a fine and costs were suspended; Mr. Collins received credit for time served; and a $25.00 clearance fee was imposed. With respect to 96Z00814A and 96Z00814B, the convictions were reported to the Michigan Secretary of State for inclusion in Mr. Collins' driving record. As a result of these actions, Mr. Collins was denied the opportunity for a hearing and basic due process.
10) Even though the defective Judgment of Sentence in each matter was brought to Respondent's attention, he took no corrective or remedial action.
11) Respondent's conduct, as described in paragraphs 1) through 10) above, constitutes:
(a) Misconduct in office, as defined by the Michigan Constitution of 1963, Art. VI, § 30, as amended, and MCR 9.205;
(b) Conduct clearly prejudicial to the administration of justice, as defined by the Michigan Constitution of 1963, Art. VI, § 30, as amended, and MCR 9.205;
(c) Irresponsible or improper conduct which erodes public confidence in the judiciary, contrary to the Code of Judicial Conduct, Canon 2A;
(d) Conduct involving impropriety and the appearance of impropriety, contrary to the Code of Judicial Conduct, Canon 2A;
(e) Refusal to be faithful to the law, contrary to the Code of Judicial Conduct, Canon 3A(1);
(f) Creation of a false judicial record; and
(g) Conduct violative of MCR 9.104(1), (2) and (3), in that such conduct:
is prejudicial to the proper administration of justice;
exposes the legal profession or the courts to obloquy, contempt, censure or reproach; and
is contrary to justice, ethics, honesty or good morals.
12) On March 24, 1998, as part of the Commission's preliminary investigation, Respondent was asked to comment on Grievance No. 97-11135, filed by Roger Dale Collins. On April 28, 1998, Respondent submitted a written reply to the grievance. In that reply, Respondent did not make a full and fair disclosure and knowingly made false and misleading statements that he had mistakenly entered the judgments and closed the files and that it was not his intent to falsify documents or deprive Mr. Collins of his right to due process.
13) On June 24, 1998, the Commission sent Respondent a 28-day letter, pursuant to MCR 9.207(C), and invited his further reply. In Respondent's reply of August 4, 1998, he did not make a full and fair disclosure and knowingly made false and misleading statements that he had mistakenly closed the files and he had not intended to knowingly and purposely deprive Mr. Collins of his due process rights. Respondent described the processing of Mr. Collins' files as a mistake.
14) Respondent's conduct, as described in paragraphs 12) and 13) constitutes:
(a) Misconduct in office, as defined by the Michigan Constitution of 1963, Art. VI, § 30, as amended, and MCR 9.205;
(b) Conduct clearly prejudicial to the administration of justice, as defined by the Michigan Constitution of 1963, Art. VI, § 30, as amended, and MCR 9.205;
(c) Irresponsible or improper conduct which erodes public confidence in the judiciary, contrary to the Code of Judicial Conduct, Canon 2A;
(d) Conduct involving impropriety and the appearance of impropriety, contrary to the Code of Judicial Conduct, Canon 2A;
(e) Failure to cooperate with the Commission during a preliminary investigation, contrary to MCR 9.213(B); and
(f) Conduct violative of relevant portions of MCR 9.104(1), (2) and (3), in that such conduct:
is prejudicial to the proper administration of justice;
exposes the legal profession or the courts to obloquy, contempt, censure or reproach; and
is contrary to justice, ethics, honesty or good morals.
(15) Prior to the filing of Formal Complaint No. 63, Respondent had not been charged with misconduct in office or conduct clearly prejudicial to the administration of justice.
(16) After these formal complaint proceedings commenced, Respondent was suspended without pay from the performance of his judicial duties by the 68th District Court for a period of 10 days. |
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Mon Jun 04, 2018 7:06 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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MILHOUSE, Harrell D. - Attorney Discipline Board
www.adbmich.org/coveo/notices/2012-11-15-12n-53.pdf
Nov 15, 2012 - Harrell D. Milhouse, P 43392, Flint, Michigan, by the Attorney Discipline Board Genesee. County Hearing Panel #2. 1. Suspension - 30 Days. 2
.Case No. 12-53-GA
Notice Issued: November 15,2012
Harrell D. Milhouse, P 43392, Flint, Michigan, by the Attorney Discipline Board Genesee
County Hearing Panel #2.
1. Suspension - 30 Days
2. Effective November 15,2012
The respondent appeared at the hearing but was found to be in default for failing to file an
answer to the formal complaint. Based on respondent's default, the panel found that, in two
matters, he neglected those legal matters, in violation of MRPC 1.1 (c); failed to act with reasonable
diligence and promptness, in violation of MRPC 1.3; failed to keep his clients reasonably informed
about the status oftheir matters, in violation of MRPC 1.4(a); failed to refund any advance payment
offees that had not been earned and surrender property to which his clients are entitled, in violation
of MRPC 1.16(d); knowingly failed to respond to a lawful demand for information from a disciplinary
agency, in violation of MRPC 8.1 (a)(2); failed to timely provide a copy of his client file, in violation
of MRPC 8.1 (a)(2); failed to timely answer two Requests for Investigation, in violation of MCR
9.104(7) and MCR 9.113(A) and (B)(2).
Additionally, the panel found that respondent engaged in conduct that is a violation of the
Rules of Professional Conduct, contrary to MRPC 8.4(a) and MCR 9.104(4); is prejudicial to the
administration of justice, in violation of MRPC 8.4(c) and MCR 9.104(1); exposes the legal
profession or the courts to obloquy, contempt, censure or reproach, in violation of MCR 9.104(2),
and is contrary to justice, ethics, honesty, or good morals, in violation of MCR 9.104(3).
The panel ordered that respondent's license to practice law in Michigan be suspended for
30 days and that he be subject to a condition relevant to the established misconduct. Costs were
assessed in the amount of $1,732.19. |
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Mon Jun 04, 2018 7:08 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Flint City Council wants new attorney representing it in termination lawsuit
Print Email Mary Ann Chick Whiteside By Mary Ann Chick Whiteside
Follow on Twitter
on March 20, 2008 at 10:54 AM, updated March 20, 2008 at 12:30 PM
Flint City Council President Carolyn Sims introduced an emergency resolution at a committee meeting Wednesday to terminate attorney Harrell Milhouse, who was appointed by City Attorney Trachelle Young to represent the council in a lawsuit over whether Mayor Don Williamson has the authority to lay off employees who work for the City Clerk and the City Council. The council will vote on the resolution Monday.
The resolution came the day that Young said the city will no longer pursue a lawsuit against City Clerk Inez Brown. The lawsuit sought to force Brown to call a Standards of Conduct Board meeting over an incident between Brown and an employee. Brown was accused of using profanity after she heard about layoffs in her department.
"Mainly, we don't want him to do the same thing to us that he did to Ms. Brown -- dismissing the case like he did to her without talking to us," Sims said.
A hearing on the termination issue is scheduled for today before Genesee Circuit Judge Geoffrey Neithercut.
Sims said that she or other members of the council have not been able to reach Milhouse since he was appointed to represent them.
Sims planned to ask Neithercut today to allow a different attorney to represent the council.
Young has maintained that she has the power to appoint whomever she wants to represent the council. |
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Mon Jun 04, 2018 7:40 am |
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