Judge David Guinn of the 67th District Court performs the Oath of Office to the new Flint City Council on Nov. 8, 2021, at City Hall. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat)
Flint, MI– The newly elected Flint City Council members made history as they took the oath of office.
For the first time ever, Flint’s council has a female majority with six of the nine seats belonging to women. During the swearing in ceremony at City Hall on Nov. 8, speakers drew attention to this fact a few times.
“Ladies, our young women will be looking upon you as role models,” said Cleora Magee, the past Chairperson of the 2017 Flint Charter Revision Commission. “And you have this great opportunity to demonstrate how ethical services to the community is rendered.”
The newly-elected Seventh ward councilwoman, Allie Herkenroder, said in her remarks that the presence of so many women marked “a new perspective,” on the council.
“Today marks the first time in Flint’s history where a majority of the seats will be represented by women. That is the kind of new perspective we need,” she said. “Out of the nine wards, six of us are newcomers. That is the kind of new perspective we need.”
The council election on Nov. 2 brought a big change to the group. Only three members were re-elected, and six newcomers joined the council. First ward Councilman Eric Mays, Fifth ward Councilwoman Jerri Winfrey-Carter, and Ninth ward Councilwoman Eva Worthing have retained their seats.
Worthing said she was proud to be on a council with six women.
“At 41 years old, it shouldn’t have taken this long, but I’m very glad it happened,” she said. “And we’ll be gentle on you gentleman, and I hope that we work together.”
Working together and respecting one another was another common theme in the new council’s remarks.
Third ward councilman Quincy Murphy said he didn’t want there to be “this side,” and “that side,” but just “us.”
Fourth ward councilwoman Judy Priestley said she didn’t want there to be any animosity between the council members, and hoped they could all work together and be civil.
Sixth ward councilwoman Tonya Burns said she promised to “keep it classy.”
Congressman Dan Kildee spoke at the ceremony and told the council that arguments aren’t always a bad thing.
“Our differences…our arguments are what democracy looks like,” he said. “If everybody agrees, you probably don’t have a democracy.”
Kildee said that it’s OK to have differences, but the important thing is to treat each other well and be good to one another– an example he said was set by his late uncle, Dale Kildee.
“The challenges are hard enough without adding to them with anger, with animus, with all the negativity that is too pervasive already,” Kildee said. “Let’s not let it minimize the argument, but let’s try. Let’s do our best to live up to that example that he set.”
The council will hold their first meeting this evening at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 8. Their meeting tonight will be the first in-person council meeting at city hall since the COVID-19 pandemic.
VFW Post 8236 color-guard welcomes people to the
the Flint City Council swearing in ceremony at City Hall on Nov. 8, 2021. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat)
VFW Post 8236 color-guard welcomes people to the the Flint City Council swearing in ceremony at City Hall on Nov. 8, 2021. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat)
Vocalist Breana Anderson sings God Bless America at the Flint City Council swearing in ceremony at City Hall on Nov. 8, 2021. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat)
Reverend Alfred Harris of the Saints of God Church delivers the invocation at the Nov. 8, 2021 Flint City Council swearing in ceremony at City Hall. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat)
State Rep. Dan Kildee gives remarks before the swearing in of the six new city council members on Nov. 8, 2021 at City Hall. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat)
State Rep. Dan Kildee gives remarks before the swearing in of the six new city council members on Nov. 8, 2021 at City Hall. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat)
Atty. Carl Bekofske delivers welcoming remarks at the Flint City Council swearing in ceremony on Nov. 8, 2021. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat)
Former Chairperson of the 2017 Flint Charter Revision Commission, Cleora Magee, discusses the occasion at the Flint City Council swearing-in ceremony on Nov. 8, 2021 at City Hall. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat)
Genesee County Treasurer Deborah L. Cherry discusses the occasion at the Flint City Council swearing-in ceremony on Nov. 8, 2021 at City Hall. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat)
New and returning Flint City Council members take the Oath of Office to the new Flint City Council on Nov. 8, 2021, at City Hall. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat)
Judge David Guinn of the 67th District Court performs the Oath of Office to the new Flint City Council on Nov. 8, 2021, at City Hall. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat)
Judge David Guinn of the 67th District Court performs the Oath of Office to the new Flint City Council on Nov. 8, 2021, at City Hall. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat)
Returning First Ward City Councilman Eric Mays thanks his constituents for re-electing him during the Flint City Council swearing-in ceremony on Nov. 8, 2021, at City Hall. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat)
Newly elected Second Ward City Councilwoman Ladel Lewis gives remarks after being sworn in to the new Flint City Council on Nov. 8, 2021, at City Hall. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat)
Newly elected Third Ward City Councilman Quincy Murphy delivers remarks after being sworn into the new Flint City Council on Nov. 8, 2021. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat)
Newly elected Fourth Ward City Councilwoman Judy Priestley delivers remarks after being sworn in to the new Flint City Council on Nov. 8, 2021. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat)
Returning Fifth Ward City Councilwoman Jerri Winfrey-Carter delivers remarks after being sworn in to the new Flint City Council on Nov. 8, 2021. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat)
Newly elected Sixth Ward City Councilwoman Tonya Burns delivers remarks after being sworn in to the new Flint City Council on Nov. 8, 2021. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat)
Newly elected Seventh Ward City Councilwoman Allie Herkenroder delivers remarks after being sworn in to the new Flint City Council on Nov. 8, 2021. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat)
Newly elected Eighth Ward City Councilman Dennis Pfeiffer delivers remarks after being sworn into the new Flint City Council on Nov. 8, 2021. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat)
Returning Ninth Ward City Councilwoman Eva Worthing delivers remarks after being sworn into the new Flint City Council on Nov. 8, 2021. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat)
Father Jay Gantz of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church delivers the Benediction after the Flint City Council swearing-in ceremony at City Hall on Nov. 8, 2021. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat)
Newly sworn-in and returning Flint City Council members Jerri Winfrey-Carter and Tonya Burns are greeted and congratulated by their loved ones after the swearing-in ceremony on Nov. 8, 2021. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat)
Newly sworn-in Flint City Council member Allie Herkenroder is greeted and congratulated by her loved ones and community members after the swearing-in ceremony on Nov. 8, 2021. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat)
Newly sworn-in Flint City Council member Ladel Lewis is greeted by a Flint Police officer after the swearing-in ceremony on Nov. 8, 2021. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat)
Newly sworn-in Flint City Council members Ladel Lewis and Quincy Murphy are greeted and congratulated by her loved ones and community members after the swearing-in ceremony on Nov. 8, 2021. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat)
Newly sworn-in Flint City Council member Judy Priestley is greeted and congratulated by her loved ones and community members after the swearing-in ceremony on Nov. 8, 2021. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat)
Amy Diaz is a journalist hailing from St. Petersburg, FL. She has written for multiple local newspapers in her hometown before becoming a full-time reporter for Flint Beat. When she’s not writing you...
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One reply on “New Flint City Council makes history with majority of women”
Congratulations to the newly election City Council!
ABC12 reported that the swearing in ceremony was not legitimate because it DID NOT follow the City Charter. The election results MUST be certified before the members can be sworn.
I find it disturbing that: 1. A Charter Revision Commissioner was present at the ceremony and gave remarks. 2. A new Councilperson was also a CRC member. 3. The new Charter has been in effect since January, 2018–4 years. 3. It appears the City Clerk, the 2 CRC members nor any of the 3 returning City Council have read the Charter. If they had read the Charter, they would have waited until the election was certified before having the swearing in ceremony. All is not lost. They can take their oaths again later.
Congratulations to the newly election City Council!
ABC12 reported that the swearing in ceremony was not legitimate because it DID NOT follow the City Charter. The election results MUST be certified before the members can be sworn.
I find it disturbing that: 1. A Charter Revision Commissioner was present at the ceremony and gave remarks. 2. A new Councilperson was also a CRC member. 3. The new Charter has been in effect since January, 2018–4 years. 3. It appears the City Clerk, the 2 CRC members nor any of the 3 returning City Council have read the Charter. If they had read the Charter, they would have waited until the election was certified before having the swearing in ceremony. All is not lost. They can take their oaths again later.