Flint, MI — Residents packed Flint City Hall in hopes of being heard about concerns over a new lease agreement increasing rent at Hasselbring Senior Center and obligations to pay a percentage of the center’s revenue to the city.
Under the old lease agreement, the center only paid $1 annually. The new lease requires Hasselbring to pay $500 monthly as well as 10 percent of any revenue earned from renting the city-owned property.
“We have programs over there for our seniors. I don’t know who wants that property, but somebody wants that property,” said Gwendolyn Wafford during a Sept. 18, 2024 Flint City Council committee meeting. “They want us out of there… Y’all need to take care of us…Basically, what we want you to do is…what’s right for the center.”
Hasselbring Senior Center officials, following months-long negotiations, in July 2024 signed a new lease agreement with the City of Flint but Flint City Council members rejected the contract 8-0 in a September meeting. Councilwoman Judy Priestley was absent.
“I do completely understand…everyone’s passion around this subject,” said Flint City Councilwoman Candice Mushatt. “We have all supported Hasselbring in one way, shape or form. And so I’m not sure if you all had a chance to see the meeting last week, but the council unanimously voted down what [the administration] put in front of us.”
“What I said to them originally is, ‘I’m sure we can swing the 500 because of the rentals,'” said Beverly Lewis, Executive Director of Hasselbring Senior Center, to Flint Beat. “If we had three rentals a month minimum, then the 500 would be no problem. But then, when you start taking additional money, what [Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley] failed to realize…is I have one employee here who is paid completely out of our fundraising. And the rentals are our fundraising.”
It is unclear why the administration is seeking to raise the rent at Hasslebring and city officials have not responded to emails from Flint Beat regarding the issue.
“I did a lot of investigating, and I found out that the administration put out the bid to run Hasselbring and I’m baffled,” said Flint City Councilman Dennis Pfeiffer. “I would argue that the seniors still take care of this city because they are the ones that pay the bills. They’re the homeowners. They do more for this city than they realize…I will not support anything other than $1 per year for Hasselbring.”
Neeley’s office issued a Sept. 18, 2024 press release saying that the senior center would remain open and alleged that alcohol had been allowed at the building which violates city policy and led officials to seek new management of the center.
“At issue is the presence of alcohol at events hosted by the service provider at this City-owned building,” stated the press release. “Alcohol is prohibited on all City of Flint property. Moreover, the City’s insurance does not allow for alcohol on city-owned property, so this puts the City in financial and legal jeopardy.”
According to the press release the City issued a bid for management of Hasselbring Senior Center on Aug. 20 but did not receive any respondents. In addition, the City posted a position through Human Resources to hire a senior center director, and the hiring process is still ongoing.
One-third of the Genesee County Senior Millage funds the salary of the service provider’s executive director, with two-thirds directed toward senior activities.
Lewis said, that Hasselbring receives $137,923 annually from the millage. The center makes up a difference in revenue through fundraising and grants to maintain its operations.
In the past, Percy Knapp, Hasselbring Senior Center Board President, said the late former councilman, Eric Mays, would advocate for the center.
“Our mouthpiece is gone now, which was Eric Mays…He was the one, along with the county and the administration at that time, who got together to put this board together… to run the center for the city,” said Knapp. “This administration just disavows anything with the seniors nowadays. They want to be served more than be servants, and I think it’s a tragedy.”
Mays died on February 24, 2024. In March 2024, Flint City Council appointed Leon El-Alamin as 1st Ward Councilman.
“I’m in support of the seniors…I’m 100 percent sure that we will come to getting things resolved and keeping things moving smoothly…as we continue to work through this process… It’s not going to [close]…we’re not getting rid of Ms. Beverly neither.”
The city originally requested a larger monthly amount and 25 percent of the rental revenue. Lewis said El-Alamin negotiated to lower the rent to $500 with 10 percent profit sharing.
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