Featured photo: Former Flint Mayor Dr. Karen Weaver
Written by Tanya Terry
Former Flint Mayor Dr. Karen Weaver had been thinking about running for mayor again and said she had to pray about it.
“It’s taken me the whole time since I’ve been out of office,” she said. “I’ve been watching what’s been going on in Flint, and I didn’t like what I saw. One of the things I knew is: We need some leadership! As I continued you watch, I thought ‘I’m not going to complain; I’m going to do.”
Weaver told the Courier after her recent official announcement at her church, Vernon Chapel, that it has been a couple months since she’s decided to go back and “be a voice for the people of Flint.”
“People were asking me: ‘Would you run again; would you think about it; would you think about it?’” Weaver explained. “I said, ‘I will.”’
During the announcement presentation Weaver talked about how some people who did not support her before have since apologized to her.
“I think when I was out of office, people saw that a lot of those things people were saying about me were not true-whether it was I had taken some money-which I should have said right from the beginning: ‘That’s not true. It didn’t happen-‘ but that was one of the things I thought people wouldn’t believe…I’ve had a lot of people say ‘I’m sorry I believed those lies-or I’m sorry I didn’t get out and vote.”’
Among other things, Weaver said she is not happy about the asphalt plant that has been being proposed to be on the north side of Flint. She is also not happy that in May of 2021, the city of Flint received 94. 7 million dollars in American Rescue Plan funding, but American Rescue Plan money is “still sitting here.”
She said her number one priority if reelected will be crime and blight, which she said goes hand in hand.
“I just haven’t been happy. The people haven’t been happy. One of the things we know is Flint deserves better.”
Mayor Sheldon Neeley issued the following statement:
“Like in any election cycle we anticipated many will engage in this mayoral race. I will continue to focus on moving forward to unite this community by leading with dignity and integrity while setting structure and strong processes. That is what will benefit the residents of Flint. This administration is about stabilizing the community through a very difficult time in our country, state and city. The focus is on vision, not vengeance as we are one Flint.”
