Petitions filed to recall Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley

(This article has been updated with a comment from Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley.)

Flint, MI — Eight petitions have been filed in an attempt to launch recall efforts to remove Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley from office. 

According to documents filed with the Genesee County Clerk/Register office on Sept. 27, 2024, Renita Robinson is seeking to recall Neeley for several reasons including a wrongful termination lawsuit surrounding a May 2022 house fire where two boys died on Flint’s north side, campaign dollars the Mayor received from a Political Action Committee (PAC) associated with developers of the Buick City property and the Flint water crisis.

The petition language reads as follows:

1. In a memorandum from the Office of the Mayor signed by Sheldon Andre Neeley, the parties agreed (A) Flint City Golf L.L.C., shall manage and operate the courses on behalf of the City of Flint during 2024.
2. Sheldon Andre Neeley stated in a Scripps news article on May 16, 2023, that deadlines were set and deadlines were missed, I admit to that.
3. Under Mayor Sheldon Andre Neeley, in a Scripps news article dated April 25, 2024, the Environmental Protection Agency warned it was not safe for any resident to drink water in Flint without special filters.
4. Mayor Sheldon Andre Neely announced the City of Flint would enter into a contract with Stat-EMS, stating the partnership would bring Flint residents a faster service and higher quality service.
5. Under Mayor Sheldon Andre Neeley, the City of Flint Mayoral Administration in a news article dated May 25, 2024, stated that the Environmental Protection Agency and state officials warned it wasn’t safe for any resident to drink water in Flint without special filters.
6. Flint Mayor Sheldon Andre Neeley was denied qualified immunity in a wrongful termination lawsuit filed by former Fire Chief Raymond Baton.
7. In a memorandum from City of Flint, Office of the Mayor, the City of Flint will pay Flint City Golf L.L.C. a monthly management fee of $6,000 a month for a not to exceed total of $72,000.000 upon receipt of the monthly reports and invoice.
8. Sheldon Neeley received a check from Ashley Capital Political Action Committee, in the amount of Two Thousand One Hundred Dollars.

This isn’t the first time Neeley has faced recalled efforts. 

In late 2020, Flint activist, Arthur Woodson submitted a petition in hopes of launching a recall to remove Neeley. The language was eventually rejected by the Genesee County Election Commission.

“Unfortunately, recall attempts have become the norm in Flint politics. Each of our last five mayors had recall attempts against them, but never before have we seen so much outside influence dividing our community,” said Neeley in a Sept. 30, 2024 email statement. “I am confident that the people of Flint will choose unity instead of division and we will continue to work together to drive progress in our community.”

Robinson could not immediately be reached.

County Clerk officials said the next step is to set a meeting with the Election Commission to verify if the petition language is valid before moving forward.

(Flint Beat reporter Ramona Watson contributed to this story.)