Council approves $50K grant for youth-led climate initiatives in Flint

Flint, MI — Flint City Council recently voted to accept a $50,000 grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies to support youth-led climate projects in Flint.

During a council meeting on Monday, April 22, 2024, Grants Management Officer Seamus Bannon told council the grant would be distributed in microgrants of $1000-5,000 to youth, defined as ages 15-24, who are raising awareness about climate change or doing climate activist work.

“They might raise awareness around the importance of tree planting, participating in mitigation planning, mobilizing public education campaigns, launching recycling, waste reduction initiatives, anything around climate action,” Bannon said.

Once the funds are received, Bannon said the city will put together a request for proposals for people to receive the microgrants.

According to the resolution language, the city must use the funds six months after receiving them. The application process and eligibility for a microgrant will be determined after the funds are received.

City Council voted 6-0 to accept the grant. Councilmembers Jerri Winfrey-Carter and Dennis Pfeiffer were not present. Councilwoman Tonya Burns is currently serving a 30-day suspension. 

Council also voted 6-0 to approve new council rules after months of making changes and amendments. 

One of the most significant changes in the new proposed rules would have reduced the time allotted for each speaker to speak during the public speaking portion of council meetings from three minutes to two minutes.

However, after several residents expressed in previous public comments that they were unhappy with this new rule and some council members agreed with them, it was amended at an April 17 finance committee meeting back to three minutes. 

One last rule amendment was made during the meeting, with Mushatt proposing to amend a rule regarding how issues are placed on the agendas.

The new rule would have read: “Matters shall be placed on the agenda of any meeting of the City Council by action of the Council president, any chairperson of any council committee, or by the mayor before the start of the meeting.”

At Mushatt’s request, council amended the rule to read “or at the request of the mayor” instead of “by the mayor.”

Council also approved several American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding items. Those items include:

• $100,000 previously obligated for revenue replacement to the City of Flint Police Department for police training.
• $375,000 previously obligated for revenue replacement to provide funding to contract with the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) for a predevelopment grant program, BIPOC Emerging Developer Program.
• $200,000 previously obligated for revenue replacement to provide funding for the City of Flint Clean and Safe Summer Youth Job Training Program. The program will provide 5-week summer jobs for youth aged 15-19 years old.
• $25,000 previously obligated for revenue replacement Friends of Berston for alternative vacant lots and site improvement uses.
• $22,500 previously obligated for revenue replacement to Flint Innovative Solutions to serve as fiduciary for Friends of Hasselbring Volunteer Group. According to the resolution language, funds will be used to purchase a utility vehicle that will be used in the park to assist with park cleanup and events.
• $25,000 previously obligated for revenue replacement to Sylvester Broom Empowerment Center to serve as fiduciary for North Flint Neighborhood Action Council for a Fighting Litter in Neighborhoods Together (F.L.I.N.T.) project that will focus on neighborhood cleanups in the 1st and 3rd Wards.
• $1,462,500 previously obligated for revenue replacement to provide funding for wages of four new ARPA Contract Coordinators, supplies and training costs for those staff members, partial funding for wages of existing finance and Pand staff to manage those coordinators, and funding for one new Community Center Liaison.
• $25,000 previously obligated for revenue replacement to Communities First to help fund a food truck park called Foodie Park in a formerly vacant lot.
• $25,000 to Neighborhood Engagement Hub to serve as a fiduciary for Sarvis Park Neighborhood Association for park revitalization.

Additionally, council approved a host of other items through its consent agenda. For those, council voted to:

• Reappoint John E. Hardy to the Zoning Board of Appeals for the remainder of a three-year term expiring on Aug. 31, 2026.
• Accept a $50,000 Michigan State Housing Development Authority grant to assist small-scale, income-qualified developers to increase to affordability housing stock in Flint.
• Set a public hearing to consider approving the amended brownfield plan for the Dupont Industrial Facility at 1809 James P. Cole Blvd.
• Issue a $18,481.91 change order with Shannon Chemical Corporation for the supply of Phosphoric Acid, bringing the total contract amount to $158,481.91.
• Issue a $54,300 change order with J & M Tree Service for tree trimming and removals, bringing the total contract amount to $432,850.
• Issue a $60,000 change order with Aldridge Trucking for aggregate materials, bringing the contract’s total amount to $392,000.
• Purchase a parcel located at 760 Dewey St. to support the Berston Fieldhouse Project from Friends of Berston.