Written by Tanya Terry, with photos by Tanya Terry
Tension over what protesters say is dysfunction in city government and a lack of transparency regarding the Flint Water Crisis settlement dollars, as well as about the treatment of participants in a June 1 march, led to a group of meeting attendees refusing to sit during a council meeting.
A physical altercation also erupted, and Flint Police officers who were brought in were attacked.
At the time, the city council members were considering a low interest state loan for improvements to the city water system that were mandated by EGLE (the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy).
The meeting ended, and council members did not meet their midnight deadline to pass a budget.
Clyde Edwards, city administrator, then said the following in response: “Tonight’s disruption and the failure to adopt a budget is a direct failure on the part of City Council to fulfill its legal and ethical responsibility to the residents of Flint. By not passing a budget by the June 2 deadline, Council stands in clear violation of the City Charter. This nonaction jeopardizes city operations and undermines public trust at a time when stability and leadership are most needed.”
At a press conference on the following day, on June 3, Mayor Sheldon Neeley stated this was the sixth balanced budget placed before the council for this fiscal year. He said as a result, residents stand to lose services.
He noted the council had until June 1 to pass a budget.
“They failed to even address the budget,” he said. “This is not the fault of all council people. But, definitely, forgive the oxymoron, it was organized chaos. Many council people have an attendance rating of less than 60%, failing to maintain quorum and decorum there. And they failed their fiduciary responsibility to the residents of Flint.”
Neeley said even the week before the meeting he had sent out an invitation to all council people to be able to talk and “find a common middle ground.” Neeley stated many council people continued to refuse the invitation.
He added: “Residents stand to use support from public safety, infrastructure, neighborhood revitalization dollars, blight services, senior services, economic development opportunities. It will be placed on hold.”
Neeley said the City’s HR director was preparing and sending out notices to over 500 personnel inside the City of Flint about a pending layoff if City Council failed to act.
However, Neeley also said residents should not be “overly concerned” at this time.
Some council members have said the budget presented to council was a deficit budget, indicating that as being a reason they did not want to pass it.
A city council meeting on Tuesday, June 3, ended almost immediately due not having enough council members present.
7th Ward Councilwoman Candice Mushatt had said prior to the meeting that council members should not be paid if they don’t attend meetings. She also said they should not be paid for each day they do not pass a budget. She stated she was committed to meeting about passing the budget whether paid or not.
The council is scheduled to meet on Wednesday, June 4, starting at 4:45 p.m., in council chambers, for a special city council meeting to consider unfinished business, including the FY2026 Budget adoption agenda item.
Flint City Council members have violated the city charter by not finalizing a budget by the first Monday of June for five consecutive years.
At the press conference it was also discussed that inciting a riot could be lifted to a felony charge as with the attack the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
Deputy Chief of the Flint Police Department Jeff Antcliff said felony charges would be a possibility, pending review of the video recording of the recent city council meeting.
