Flint, MI– Flint City Council had their first round of committee meetings on Feb. 17, since they voted to do away with them last year.
The purpose of committee meetings is for the council to discuss agenda items and ask questions to appropriate officials before the regular council meeting where the items will be put to a vote.
The council discussed several items they moved to the upcoming council meeting on Feb. 22. Here is what you can expect to see at next Monday’s meeting:
- $500,000 Change Order for Rowe Professional Services
Rowe requested additional funding to continue project management services for lead service line replacement. The company entered into a contract with the City on March 11, 2019 in an amount not to exceed $2,138,735. City Administrator Clyde Edwards said the company will be out of money come March.
Council members requested information about the exact services the $500,000 will be paying for, as well as the start and end dates for the contract. Councilman Eric Mays requested to speak with Rowe officials to get more information.
Council voted to move this to a Special Affairs Committee Meeting at 4:30 p.m. before Monday’s regular council meeting.
- Setting a public hearing for the Brownfield Redevelopment Plan
According to agenda documents, the tentative public hearing date is March 8, but council will set this hearing at the meeting on Feb. 22.
The redevelopment plan is approximately $14.25 million and will result in renovated and new industrial space at 1809 James P. Cole Blvd. Edwards said a copy of the plan would be given to council members.
- Setting a public hearing for the City of Flint 2020-2021 Annual Action Plan
According to the action plan document, its purpose is to “identify strategies for affordable housing, prevent homelessness, ensure fair housing, expand economic opportunities, improve neighborhoods, and more.”
Councilman Mays and Councilwoman Jerri Winfrey-Carter said they would like to spend more time going through the plan and discussing it. Still, the council voted to move the resolution to set a public hearing on the matter to the next council meeting. The action plan can be viewed here.
- Appointment of Matika M. Fisher to the Board of Review
Pastor Allen Gilbert’s term on the Board of Review expired Jan. 1, 2019, but continued to serve until he resigned earlier this year. Fisher is Councilwoman Monica Galloway’s recommendation.
Fisher is a real estate agent with Keller Williams First Real Estate. Galloway asked her colleagues to support the appointment, and said that as a real-estate professional, Fisher would be a good addition to the board.
- Amendments to Chapter 18 of the Flint City Code of Ordinances
City Attorney Angela Wheeler said the amendments of this chapter were related to the creation of a special assessment relief board, and could deal with issues that come up when combining lots. It will be brought up at the next council meeting for first reading.
- Grants related to the National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative
Two resolutions were moved to the next council meeting that would make the Genesee County Prosecutor’s Office and the YWCA of Greater Flint sub-grantees of the City’s 2019 National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative grant. The total grant amount that was given to the City of Flint Police Department was $1,650,361, and was approved Jan. 13, 2020.
This grant was created to address the issues of unsubmitted sexual assault kits at law enforcement agencies, and investigate and prosecute sexual offenders. The funds are for a three-year period from Oct. 2019 through Sept. 2022.
The Genesee County Prosecutor’s Office would receive $383,037 as a sub-grantee, and the YWCA of Greater Flint would receive $112,623.