Flint Mayor’s $1M water stabilization plan a no go, council calls for long-term plan

FLINT, Mich. — Flint City Council members are asking Mayor Sheldon Neeley for a long-term plan for water stabilization and looking into ways to prevent water costs from being passed on to residents.

The move comes after the Great Lakes Water Authority Board of Directors approved a a 5.8% average increase for water services and a 4.25% increase for waste services on Feb. 25, 2026 that influenced Neeley’s administration to request using $1 million in American Rescue Plan Fund dollars for water stabilization.

Council members rejected the proposal during a March 4 Finance Committee meeting calling Neeley’s plan a “Band-Aid” and urging his office to present a long-term plan.

“Mr. Moore, we’re basically putting a Band-Aid on this situation,” said Flint City Councilwoman Winfrey-Carter to Flint Chief Financial Officer Phillip Moore. “Let’s say we approve this $1 million, what are we going to do in 2027? What is the plan?”

The council voted 5-2 against moving the request to the their Flint City Council agenda. Flint City Council Vice President Jerri Winfrey-Carter along with members Dennis Pfeiffer, Tonya Burns, Ladel Lewis and Johnathan Jarrett voted against the proposal.

“Is there any talk of doing any kind of cost-cutting?” Pfeiffer asked. “Because we’re just throwing money at it and kicking the can down the road. I’m worried about four years from now when we have to do a 30% increase because we didn’t do a 5% increase incrementally.”

Pfeiffer also questioned how the city would cover future rate increases once federal American Rescue Plan Act funds are exhausted and suggested bringing in a consultant to review spending and evaluate how the water department operates.

Other council members against the move, said the city should explore more alternatives before tapping into ARPA dollars.

“I’m not in favor, tonight or anytime soon, of approving a million dollars without applying some type of pressure to the administration to come up with a plan,” Jarrett said.

Flint City Council President Candice Mushatt and member Judy Priestly voted in favor of the proposal while council members Leon El-Alamin and Lashawn Johnson left before the vote.

Mushatt did address residents earlier in the meeting saying council was in talks with attorneys to see if there was any legal recourse for the latest GLWA water hikes.

“One thing that this council has been united on from the very beginning, without question is the fact that we are not interested in passing a rate hike.,” Mushatt said. “We’re committed to ensuring that we do not raise water rates… Several of us have been in contact with the city attorney, several of us are looking at every option available, but we’re doing everything we can to make sure that that new cost is not backed on the residents.”

Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley criticized the council’s rejection of his proposal.

“Families in Flint are already struggling with rising costs, and this ‘no’ vote puts them at even greater risk,” Neeley said in a statement released shortly after the meeting. “It’s unacceptable that politics are taking priority over the basic needs of our residents.”