Search for next Flint ombudsperson could resume soon, officials say

FLINT, Mich. — The City of Flint has been without an ombudsperson since 2022, leaving residents without an independent office to investigate complaints against city departments and help resolve disputes.

However, proposed staffing changes have some city officials hopeful the role will be filled soon.

“The ombudsman’s office is the connection through which residents can have their complaints against the administration addressed and rectified,” said 4th Ward Councilwoman Judy Priestley. “So that has not been available.”

Ombudsperson assistant Shaxda Flythe-Little and William Harris, chair of Flint’s Ethics and Accountability Board, updated the City Council on April 29 about budget needs for the office and recent efforts to fill the vacancy.

Flint has not had a full-time ombudsperson since Tané Dorsey resigned in 2022. Dorsey did not directly state her reasons for leaving the office, Harris said, though he believes her departure was due in part to a perceived lack of support from the board.

Flythe-Little served as interim ombudsperson from 2022 to 2024, but was later reassigned after officials determined she did not meet the qualifications required for the position, according to Priestley.

The number of complaints directed to the office has been lower than usual over the past year since city residents know there is currently no ombudsperson, Harris said. As of May 1, about 30 complaints have been filed since the vacancy began, all of which have been added to a database queue to be revisited once a new ombudsperson is inducted. 

Complaints directed toward the mayor, city council members or other politically appointed positions are handled by the EAB itself, Harris said. 

Harris said he is currently working with human resources and legal officials to potentially make changes to the city’s ordinance that would allow for a larger pool of candidates the next time the job is posted. The proposed changes would then be submitted to the City Council Legislative Committee for approval.

The board’s search for a new ombudsperson stalled in 2025 when the Ethics and Accountability Board lacked enough members to consistently achieve a quorum. Harris said the seats for wards 5, 6 and 9 are currently vacant despite other recent appointments.

Re-elected chairman in January 2026, Harris said he also consulted with city legal and HR officials on whether to proceed with existing candidates or reopen the search.

“That whole 2025 year, we weren’t able to achieve quorum to establish dates and set up interviewing times,” Harris said. “It was in that conversation (with HR) that they said it had been literally a year, and all the people that were interested had more than likely moved on.”

Flythe-Little is currently the office’s only employee.

The office’s funding is expected to be discussed during upcoming budget hearings, including a May 4 presentation for the city’s legal and finance departments.