FLINT, MI – Nearly one hundred cars wrapped around Flint City Hall today hoping to be part of a water giveaway to be told by reporters and one lone city council member that the event had been cancelled.
“I try to come get water anytime I can,” said Flint resident Dorothy Matejeek. “I use it for cooking, for brushing my teeth. I use it for everything except bathing.” Matejeek said she was in line for about 30 minutes before being informed by local media who showed up at city hall that there would be no water.
The water giveaway was a partnership with Flint Mayor Weaver and Operation Hydration/Durty Burbz Truck club.
Around 2:40 p.m. City of Flint Spokeswoman Candance Mushatt sent out a press release saying a water giveaway at city hall was cancelled, “”due to the organization running into issues on the highway.” Operation Hydration is a clean water initiative of the Durty Burbz Truck Club, in collaboration with The Conner C. Vernon Fdn, Inc., Self-Made Car &Truck Club, Certified Panther Ryderz and a host of other truck clubs from southern states. There is no word on when or if the water giveaway will be rescheduled.
Flint City Councilman Eric Mays said the event was cancelled after the delivery truck had maintience issues on the interstate on its way to Flint.
“I had to come be the bad news bear,” said Mays to residents in passing. “The truck broke down in Kentucky, coming from Texas so we got to regroup.”
Mays said he received a phone call from a familymember about an hour prior to the giveaway’s set time of 4 p.m. saying that it was cancelled.
“I said I would come and do the deed,” Mays said. “I knew for about an hour or so, but I was tied up. My sister-in -law… called me and said you better get down there and I said I would go do it.” Mays said he informed Weaver that he would go to city hall to alert residents. He made it to city hall shortly after 4 p.m.
Prior to Mays there were no officials present on site nor were there any signs at city hall letting residents know that there would not be a giveaway.
“I’m just at a total loss for words,” said Flint resident Gwen Mingo. “The line, it was like four blocks line. Then you wait in the line and someone finally gets here, and they say the truck broke down. It’s totally unfair to people who are going through the water situation anyway… it’s outrageous, just simply outrageous.”
There is no word on when the water giveaway will be rescheduled.