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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Today's Detroit Free Press editorial about the possible state takeover in Detroit raises the same issues Flint faces. The headline screams CITY RESCUE MUST FOCUS ON THE PEOPLE'S RIGHTS, but the focus is not on voting rights or the rights of a democratic society. Rather the emphasis is the rights of the citizens to expect basic human rights -life liberty and the pursuit of happiness- in a city that has become so dysfunctional that these rights are trampled on every day and every night.
The editorial recognizes that the rights of every citizen are trampled on by the rash of violence, murders, robberies and even the metal thefts that plaque our city every day.
"This is what passes for life in Detroit. This is the product of failed leadership and epic financial mismanagement that has brought Detroit to the brink of insolvency
What Detroiters need-no, what they deserve- is a rescue effort that is centered on righting those fundamental wrongs. Focus on delivering basic services. keep the books balanced. And then grow the city's tax base and economy to make it a more stable and attractive investment."
While written about Detroit, one could insert and substitute Flint in place of Detroit. Administration after administration has had their share of corruption, financial mismanagement and epic backroom deals. Flint residents have long been powerless to combat the corruption in all of our local government and quasi-government units, including not only the city but the county commission and entities like the land bank.
Last edited by untanglingwebs on Sun Mar 25, 2012 8:01 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Sun Mar 25, 2012 7:18 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Word is that the Mayor and City Council are working together to create a consent agreement to present to the state, although council originally refused to consider one. In my opinion too much corruption and mismanagement has come to light for the state to consider such an agreement.
Brown had to create a supplement to the federally required conflict of interest document in order to revise the corrupt Department of Energy contract entered into by the City of Flint. He also restored the contract to the original vendor selected throught the method that met federal guidelines.
He also terminated former City manager Gregory Eason and recently terminated the contracts of kate Fields of Advanced Solutions and her associate, Juan Pimental of Altenergy at kettering.
The Complete Towing contract is under review ans word is Brown had hired Attorney Kendall Williams to review all contracts for anomalies.
The Free Press sub title, THE PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO A FUNCTIONAL CITY MUST TAKE PRECEDENCE " screams loudly about what is needed in Flint. Flint needs an emergency manager, but I disagree that that manager should be Mike Brown. |
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Sun Mar 25, 2012 7:32 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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I have noted before that Flint is an entity created by the state through the Home Rule Act and therefore can fall under the governance of the state. The state has a whole litany of laws that govern how all Michigan cities are to be run. The state has the right to supercede the elected government when that government fails to protect it's citizens and fails to manage it's finances in a competant manner. It is however true that the serious reductions in revenue sharing has had a detrimental effect on the governance of all Michigan communities.
But the degree of corruption in Genesee County at so many levels is what is really taking it's toll on our society. Right now there are backroom deals involving large tracts of land being kept secret from most of the residents.
The Doctoral Dissertation of Andrew Highsmith for the University of Michigan completed in 2009 entitled DEMOLITION MEANS PROGRESS: RACE, CLASS AND THE DECONSTRUCTION OF THE AMERICAN DREAM IN FLINT,MICHIGAN offers indights into not only our past but foretells our future. At 707 pages it is still a valuable tool that explains the cultural, educational and living disparities among the races in Flint. It explains how Flint remains one of the most deeply segregated cities in the United States and how HUD and other entities maintained this segregation. It is a must read for anyone worried about gentrification and future urban renewal in Flint. |
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Sun Mar 25, 2012 7:49 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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If I understand the issue correctly, Muma also addressed the issue of a lack of transparency within the governance of Emergency manager Mike Brown. Note that Brown is not the Emergency Financial Manager as one named unter the previous act, but is the Emergency Manager under the new act and his powers are broader.
I understand that Bob Emerson and John Daly were also candidates and either one would have been preferable to Brown. Brown has too many ties to what citizens relate to as corrupting influences within the downtown culture.
The Governor required Brown to appoint an advisory committee and Brown did. But then he involved up to 50 citizens or more in sub-committees and kept them secret until their existance was revealed. Even then he only disclosed the names of the chairs of his five subcommittees and has kept their meetings secret. So much for transparency. How do the citizens know if backroom deals are being cut that favor members of these subcommittees when we are not allowed to know who they are. |
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Sun Mar 25, 2012 7:59 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Mike Brown submitted a Financial and Operating Plan to the State on January 15, 2012. In the summary of the Econnomic Vitality Incentive Program written on December 30,2011 Brown said this:
Several Genesee County area units of government, including the City of Flint, asked the Flint Area Reinvestment office (FARO) to facillitate a process to re-envision local govewrnment service delivery systems. "Future Genesee" was the result.
"Future Genesee"developed a Shared Services Category of Priorities. Through two sub-committees: (1) Administrative and (2) Finance-potential services werecategorized as Easy, Medium or Hard...."
While several collaborations are shown as already implemented-many long before Future Genesee was conceived- most collaborations are TBD "to be
determined).
Interestingly the Karegondi water Authority is shown as a collaboration in 2010 and indeed council has signed two agreements to that effect. The issue is still under debate because despite going through the motions, no administration has implemented this collaboration, Mike (afraid to make a decision without a committee) Brown is now haveing more studies done. Meanwhile the Genesee County Drain Commissioner is commencing with the project, with or without Flint. If the project is built without including the capacity necessary for Flint, will Flint later be allowed to join? |
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Sun Mar 25, 2012 8:18 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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The relationships between Mike Brown and his advisory committee as well as the chairs of his sub-committees are too close for any independent action by these committees and most importantly there is a serious appearance of a conflict-of-interest.
Tim Herman, CEO of the Genesee Regional chamber of Commerce, was one of the mandatory Advisory Committee members as required unde Brown's contract with the state. I don't know about anyone else,but I was appalled when Herman told the Journal about how excited he was to be working with the finances of the City of Flint.
On 2-16-2012, Brown addressed residents concerns about the $15,000 in Community Block Development Funds that was given to the Regional Chamber of Commerce through a "Significant Amendment" to the Cosolidated Plan for 2011-2012. Brown corrected the resident and stated he gave the Chamber of Commerce $45,000 and he could do so because he was only required to report to the State his expenditures over $50,000.
By resolution Brown had given the Genesee Regional Chamber of Commerce $30,000 from the funds in the Department of Community and Economic Development.
Brown was a former employee of the Genesee Regional Chamber of Commerce before he went to Prima Civitas. Brown is only on leave from prima Civitas according to their web page. Tim Herman, CEO of the chamber is named as a member of his Advisory Board . Duane Miller, Brown's former City Administrator was (or is) a Vice President of the Chamber and is a Board Member of Prima Civitas. There is no way to tell if any other chamber employees are on any committee of Brown's because Brown won't tell.
These are federal conflicts of interest. Even if Miller were made an employee now the federal conflict rules are in effect for a minimum of a year. |
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Sun Mar 25, 2012 8:37 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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A second conflict-of-interest is the $15,000 transferred from DCED administration to LISC . On Page 4 of his financial plan, Brown shows Sue Peters of LISC as being on his advisory committee and Chair of the Grants/DCED Committee. I understand she has been in a consultant capacity within the department.
Why Brown and Howard Croft, who is acting as the contractual head of DCED and other departments, don't view this as a conflict, I don't understand. |
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Sun Mar 25, 2012 8:50 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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The City of Flint submitted a consolidated Plan to HUD and in that plan they detailed how the City was to involve the community in public output. In the past, not only would there have been publication in the Flint, Journal,there would have been council discussion. Without council meeting and council input many in the community were unaware of the process and could not speak out.
Brown claimed that the Genesee Regional Chamber of commerce was a sole source for job development. That is not true and other entities in the past received such funding.
This tells me Brown did not seek other sources as required by HUD. Brown also claimed he sought entities to run the Parks and Recreation Senior centers. Were bids sought or was this Brown's personal method of outsourcing?
Word on the street is the Pierce Center is being eliminated by both the County and the City for future funding as a senior center. That would explain why the CDBG funding for the centers decreased from $125,250 to $83,500. There would be 2 senior centers instead of 3.
But it does not explain how the funding is now going to the Crim Foundation. Phil Shaltz, a downtown developer, is a Board Emeritus of the Crim Foundation. Putting that aside the real question is did Brown and his administration follow the protocals as established and accepted by HUD when they accepted our Consolidated Plan?
Also funding was increased for Smith Village infrastructure. watch for more federal money to be funneled to this project as Eason told HUD that Flint would pay for all infrastructure costs, including sidewalks and landscaping.
There was also a change to include $200,000 to sidewalks and a new allocation for another $200,000 for sidewalks. What part of the city is getting the sidewalks?
Was anything presented to the CWAC. Walling assured a resident this would happen. |
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Sun Mar 25, 2012 9:08 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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If the state would restore more revenue sharing and stop balancing the state budget on the backs of the smaller political units, many communities would not have such large deficits.
Flint firefighters approve concessionary contract, union president vows to fight Michigan emergency manager law
Published: Monday, April 16, 2012, 12:22 PM Updated: Monday, April 16, 2012, 12:23 PM
By Ron Fonger | RFONGER1@mlive.com
FLINT, MI -- Flint firefighters have made peace with the city by approving a new concessionary contract but their union president is declaring war on the emergency manager law that he says allowed for it.
Trent Farnsworth, president of Flint Firefighters Local 352, said 69 firefighters voted for the deal, which includes a 20 percent cut in overall compensation, while 21 voted against it.
Trent Farnsworth
"I will be fighting from this day on," Farnsworth said today about Michigan's emergency manager law, formally known as Public Act 4.
"If (emergency manager Michael) Brown really wants to be productive, he should examine" how to transition the city to a city manager form of government, he said. "I'm a firm believer that the strong mayor form of government is archaic."
The Flint Journal could not immediately reach a representative of Brown's office for comment this morning.
Until now, Brown has been unwilling to discuss details of the tentative agreement with firefighters. The city has been talking with each of the six employee bargaining units.
Last week, two Flint police unions passed tentative contract agreements with the city.
Brown has said he wanted to have a plan this week for addressing union contracts as well as a 2013 budget and a deficit-elimination plan.
The city's four public safety unions -- three police units and the fire union -- have all been operating under expired contracts for more than two years. The unions had been heading to arbitration prior to the state takeover.
pavjo April 16, 2012 at 12:40PM
The union leaders don't realize that PA 4 is the best thing for the city and that Michael Brown is the right man. Only he can save the city and the union jobs. Further, as I have said before, Mr. Brown should disband thae City of Flint Police Department and give law enforcement to the Sheriff. This will save the Flint police jobs as they can transfer to the County and, in the meantime save the City miliions in health care and other benefits.
jacobsmith April 16, 2012 at 2:41PM
Sorry, but the county sheriff is a joke who thinks this is still 1980 in terms of law enforcement and 1880 in terms of rights. Having him in charge would make it worse.
joilieder April 16, 2012 at 7:09PM
The Sheriff is a politic and doesn't even have to have law enforcement background. Plus, how do you think the Genesee County is going to be able to afford adding the number of police officers necessary to do the job in Flint? They had major budget problems this year so that means they will bill the City of Flint for the Sheriff's Dept. patrolling Flint and we know how fair
not) they are when billing Flint (68th District Court). They probably won't hire even the amount of officers Flint currently has in order to cut the County's cost and how would that help the City?. You have to know ALL the facts before making rash statements about such matters.
jkb01 April 16, 2012 at 2:45PM
There's that relentless positive action the Governor keeps speaking about! Grow up!
Larry Gentry April 16, 2012 at 5:07PM
Brown didn't just "reach" an agreement, he used PA4 blackmail. Prove that PA4 is the best thing for any City? Where is your proof? To say millions will be saved if the Flint Police were consolidated with the Sheriff is coming from someone obviously without knowledge of how a City and County Police Agency operates. The County is also unionized. Their Union would have to be willing to accept Flint. Then you have issues of whether they accept Flint Officers with full seniority, rank, etc. The County also has health bennies, retirement, etc. What information do you have on these issues to make your statements?
The biggest thing this friggin State and its nerd could do is to CONSOLIDATE the State HOUSE AND SENATE!!!!!! Michigan is one of only TEN STATES that have two Chambers. Millions would be saved and could go towards schools and local/county governments.
The nerd cuts public safety/ems and then repeals the helmet law. I hope the cyclists don't take this to the voting booth, as he is just trying to get their votes. Does not care about any of us.
Flint Police/Fire we support you. REPEAL PA4!!!!
jacobsmith April 17, 2012 at 9:58AM
I think it is funny that a bunch of mouth breathing rednecks use nerd as an insult. If being smart was the only problem our governor had he would be a great man.
ohniner April 16, 2012 am
What the EM does cant really be considered "negotiating." Negotiating would imply that both sides are giving, taking, and comprimising. An EM knows going in that, he's going to get what he wants. Either agree to what he is willing to give, or don't.... Its not a negotiation, its an offer they cant refuse.
The Flint cops and firemen must know what Baghdad Public Safety felt like when it was time to talk to Saddam about budgets. |
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Tue Apr 17, 2012 9:44 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Former Pontiac Emergency Manager Michael Stampfler says Public Act 4 isn’t working (and can’t work)
By Eclectablog on April 17, 2012in Emergency Manager Law, Emergency Managers, Pontiac
Oh. NOW you tell us.
Former Emergency Manager of Pontiac Michael Stampfler is giving a presentation to the Rotary Club of Wyandotte about why Public Act 4 – Michigan’s Emergency Manager law — isn’t working and cannot work.
Stampfler says, “I do not believe EMs can be successful — they abrogate the civic structure of the community for a period of years then return it virtually dismantled for the community to attempt to somehow make a go of it. The program provides no structure for long term recovery, and that is why most communities slide back into trouble, if they experience any relief at all — a vicious cycle. The Public Act is not sufficient and the state bureaucracy isn’t up to a performance offering any significant success — as can be noted from the communities repeating
.”
This is interesting commentary coming from a guy who privatized Pontiac’s water treatment to a company, United Water, facing 26 felony indictments for violations of the Clean Water Act.
United Water Services Inc., the former contract operator of the Gary Sanitary District wastewater treatment works in Gary, Ind., and two of its employees, were charged today with conspiracy and felony violations of the Clean Water Act in a 26-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury, the Justice Department announced today.
United Water Services Inc., and employees Dwain L. Bowie, and Gregory A. Ciaccio, have been charged with manipulating daily wastewater sampling methods by turning up disinfectant treatment levels shortly before sampling, then turning them down shortly after sampling.
~SNIP~
According to the indictment, the defendants conspired to tamper with E. coli monitoring methods by turning up levels of disinfectant dosing prior to E. coli sampling. The indictment states that the defendants would avoid taking E. coli samples until disinfectants had reached elevated levels, which in turn were expected to lead to reduced E. coli levels. Immediately after sampling, the indictment alleges, the defendants turned down disinfectant levels, thus reducing the amount of treatment chemicals they used.
~SNIP~
The case was investigated by the Northern District of Indiana Environmental Crimes Task Force, including agents from the Criminal Investigation Division of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the FBI and the Indiana State Police. The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana and the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section.
It will be interesting to see what Stampfler thinks should be done to correct what is insufficient about Public Act 4. More incentives and power to privatize public assets maybe? Or does that “abrogate the civic structure of the community”??? |
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Wed Apr 18, 2012 6:28 pm |
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