Flint, MI — Flint City Council President Allie Herkenroder announced her resignation during a June 8, 2023 budget meeting. Her last day on council will be July 1.
“There has been a number of consequences happening in my personal life regarding my health that have made me come to this decision,” she said. “This has been an incredibly difficult . . . decision for me to make.”
She added that her decision to resign was months in the making.
While the meeting adjourned directly after Herkenroder’s announcement, Councilwoman Judy Priestley told Flint Beat in a separate interview that it’s a sad day for the city.
“She’s been a very big asset not only to her ward but to the entire city,” Priestley said. “I wish her well in the future and I hope that we can continue to stay friends.”
Council Vice President Ladel Lewis told Flint Beat that even though the circumstances surrounding Herkenroder’s resignation are “very unfortunate and very untimely,” she supports her colleague’s decision and wishes her the best.
Councilman Eric Mays had a slightly different take, saying that depending on the process of selecting the outgoing president’s replacement, Herkenroder’s stepping down could be a positive for the council.
“Depending on the process to replace her, whether we do a temporary appointment or whether there’s a special election, depending on the person that takes that 7th ward spot, it could end up being beneficial to the Flint City Council based upon what I’ve seen in [my] experience so far,” he said. “The council has not always applied rules equally under her leadership.”
As for how Herkenroder’s replacement process will take place, neither the city’s communications director nor the Genesee County elections supervisor responded to Flint Beat’s requests for information by press time.
Herkenroder was originally elected to be the 7th ward councilwoman in November 2021.
She found herself council president by way of her role as vice president in April 2022, after Councilman Eric Mays was removed from the higher post, and then she was appointed president by her fellow councilmembers in November 2022.
Throughout her tenure Herkenroder has championed efforts to expand broadband access and affordable housing, building on her former work with the Flint Housing Commission and current job with the Michigan High Speed Internet Office.
The council president was also facing a potential recall, with language filed against her on June 2.
Herkenroder did not respond to Flint Beat’s request for comment by press time.
Great story and accurate reporting. Flint loses another great asset while the crazy clown in Ward 1 continues disrupting meetings!