Here’s what happened at the May 11 Flint City Council meeting

FLINT, Mich. — A three-hour Flint City Council meeting on Monday ended with another delay in funding for the Eric B. Mays Senior and Community Service Center, along with approval of a new city holiday.

Here’s a rundown of what the council did during the May 11, 2026, meeting: 

Delayed approval of millage funding for Senior Service Center

A long-debated resolution to grant more than $50,000 to the Mays senior centers failed in a 4-3 vote.

The resolution called on the council to accept $54,744 for programming and operations at the Mays Senior and Community Service Center. The center was awarded the funding after the Genesee County Board of Commissioners approved the Senior Millage in 2024.

Councilwoman Tonya Burns reiterated concerns about what she sees as a lack of financial transparency with the current city administration.

“We have not gotten answers, and we keep asking,” Burns said. “We know that it costs more than $50,000 to run the facility. There’s programming, there’s food, there’s activities, salaries and fringe benefits. And when we ask how we’re paying for this, and we ask for months and months, we’re not getting an answer.”

A motion to leave the resolution at the council level to be voted on again at the next full council meeting on May 26 also failed in a 4-3 vote, requiring the resolution to return to the committee level for review before it can be reconsidered.

“I’m in full support of this resolution, which has been repeatedly revised, looked at and scrutinized,” said 1st Ward Councilman Leon El-Alamin. “Respectfully, it’s time to support our seniors and let [the center] continue to do great programming and things that are taking place over there, and not make this so political.”

Approved the first reading of an ordinance altering city holiday observances

Council members voted 6-1 to approve an ordinance adding Good Friday to the list of holidays observed by the city. Councilwoman Judy Priestley voted “no,” citing an unwillingness to approve changes to ordinances related to working conditions while contracts with city employees are still awaiting approval. 

Approved first reading of an ordinance requiring registry of vacant buildings 

A resolution requiring owners or occupants of vacant buildings to register their properties with the City of Flint and its Safety Inspections Department passed in a 6-1 vote. Councilwoman Burns voted “no,” citing a lack of regulations for buildings falling under the jurisdiction of the Genesee County Land Bank.

New vehicles, police funding and more money for water control cleaning services

The council voted to approve the following resolutions in a 7-0 vote:

• A resolution authorizing the final payout to be made on a John Deere wheel loader vehicle for a price not to exceed $80,805.88. 
• A resolution allowing city officials to update the purchase order with D.H.T. Transport for sludge hauling and transportation services in an amount not to exceed $305,000 for the 2026 fiscal year, with an option to extend the contract for a fourth year.
• A resolution accepting a Flint Police Foundation Grant in the amount of $127,000.
• A resolution accepting funding to provide early voting wage reimbursement in the amount of $6,792 for the Nov. 2, 2024 general election.