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2Commentary
Can workshops bring “civility and decorum”
to City Council meetings?
By Paul Rozycki
Imagine an Alcoholics Anonymous minimized, at least for a meeting.
meeting that starts out with good, sober The workshop was directed by
Vol. LIX No. 3 March 2021 intentions, but concludes several hours Eleanor “Coco” Siewert, a trained par-
later with most members passed out on liamentarian, and former mayor of
Founder Gary P. Custer the floor, littered with empty Jack Birmingham, Michigan, who did her
Daniel’s bottles. best to bring the disparate voices on the
Managing Editor Tom Travis
Now imagine a Flint City Council council together. Unfortunately the
Consulting Editor Jan Worth-Nelson
Consulting Editor Ted Nelson workshop aimed at bringing civility and gathering turned into a typical council
Copy Editor Danielle Ward decorum to the council’s often endless and meeting with bickering, name calling
Reporters Harold C. Ford tumultuous meetings. In the first minutes and personal attacks.
Madeleine Graham of the meeting, for all their good intentions, A second session has been sched-
Patsy Isenberg
Melodee Mabbitt
the Feb. 15th “civility workshop” quickly uled and it remains to be seen if the
Zach Neithercut returned to the same name calling, race results are different.
Coner Segren baiting, and bickering over the rules, that But for what it’s worth, here are a
Columnists Jan Worth-Nelson have become a routine part of the Flint’s few New Year’s resolutions, Valentine’s
Teddy Robertson
contentious City Council meetings. Day promises, or St. Patty’s Day toasts,
Paul Rozycki
Photographer Edwin D. Custer Sometimes well-intentioned plans that might bring some civility and greater
don’t work out so well. productivity to the council meetings.
Distribution Staff To be sure, the Flint City Council has
Director: Edwin D. Custer. Staff: Sue Bailey, Kim
Bargy, Jacob Blumner, Connor Coyne & Ruby
more than a little history of turmoil and Put politics in its place
Coyne, Casey Custer, Caroline Fechik, Christine & conflict over the decades, but the current
Patrick Figgins, Marabeth Foreman, Charlie & Linda council has emerged as a poster child of First, let’s hope the council will put
& Patrick & Terrance & Christan & Jillianne
Goldsberry, Patsy Isenberg, Robert Jewell, Carol conflict and chaos. Other governing politics in its rightful place. Politics is a
Larzelere Kellermann, Stephen Kellermann, Jo boards in the area have been warned that great game. It’s often described as the
Larzelere, Mary LeRoy, James & Lillian & Livia
Londrigan, Alan & Julie Lynch, Ron & Mary Meeker,
unless they get their act together, they game of “who gets what, when they get it,
Robert & Nancy Meszko, Ted Nelson, Dave & Becky could be “just like the Flint City Council.” and how they get it.” It may be the greatest
Pettengill, Dick Ramsdell, Julian Rodriquez, Paul One can only wonder how many game in town, and I suspect that members
Rozycki, Mike Spleet, Kim & Ronan & Jude Streby,
Holly West, and Karen Wilkinson. businesses or new enterprises have taken of the council enjoy playing it. That’s one
Board of Trustees a look at the Flint Council and decided it reason why they ran and won their elec-
• FaLessia Booker • Edwin D. Custer might be wiser to locate in Burton, Flint tions. But there’s a time for politics and a
• Alec Gibbs • Jack D. Minore Township or elsewhere. The Council’s time for policy. Sometimes it’s hard to sep-
• Paul Rozycki
• Jan Worth-Nelson, ex-officio negative image may deter qualified can- arate the game of politics, where I want my
720 E. Second St. didates from running, when they decide side to win, from the making of policy.
Flint, Mich. 48503 it’s not worth being part of the chaos and Now is the time for putting old-style poli-
(810) 233-7459
Website: conflict in City Hall, and it may discour- tics aside, and creating policies that will set
eastvillagemagazine.org age the public from voting, or being Flint on a new path as we work past the
E-mail: involved in local politics. water crisis, the pandemic and our financial
eastvillagemagazineflint@gmail.com
Layout by Ted Nelson. Printing by Riegle Press Inc., The City Council’s recent workshop challenges.
1282 N. Gale Rd., Davison, Mich. 48423. on “civility and decorum” was meant to Another definition of politics is “the
East Village Magazine is a program of the Village inspire the council to become a collegial art of the possible.” Let’s hope that will
Information Center Inc., a nonprofit corporation. We
welcome material from readers, but all submissions and functioning legislative body that can emerge as a working definition of politics
become the property of the publication and if published actually deliver for its citizens. While the for Flint. Those on the council bring con-
will be edited to conform to the editorial style and poli-
cies of the publication. All inquiries about the publica-
workshop brought the return of the coun- siderable political skills to the table, and the
tion should be mailed to East Village Magazine, cil’s typical conflict and turmoil, there has same political skills that have led council
Village Information Center, 720 E. Second St., Flint, been at least some good news. At one members to be divisive can also be used to
Mich. 48503. Distribution is the first Thursday of each
month. Display advertising rates are $34 a column-inch committee meeting following the combat- unite the council. Whatever the council’s
plus any other costs. Unclassified ads are $2.50 a print- ive workshop, issues were discussed, and individual political goals, let’s hope they
ed line or part of a printed line. Rates subject to change
without notice. The deadline for advertising is 10 days
much of the division and conflict was (Continued on Page 12.)
before each publication date.
Cover: Snowy dock with cattails, Byram Lake
© 2021 East Village Magazine
3Photo of the Month: Empty Central High School tagged, its fate uncertain (Photo by Edwin D. Custer)
Seven “trailblazers” from Flint’s black community
receive city’s highest honor
By Tom Travis
Mayor Sheldon Neeley called The honorees were presented the black superintendent of Flint
them “trailblazers” in the African- “Mayor Sheldon A. Neeley City of Community Schools. Burtley’s wife,
American community of Flint as he Flint Ujima Award” and a key to the Kathy Burtley, accepted the award.
honored seven at a presentation on city. According to a press release from
Wednesday, Feb 24. the mayor’s office, it is Flint’s highest
honor. Ujima, [pronounced oo-JEE-
mah] is the third priniciple of Kwanzaa
and means “collective work and
responsibility,” according to the press
release.
“We honor these individuals for
their leadership, for their bold and
steadfast commitment to our commu-
nity, and for their willingness to forge
new paths and open doors for future Kathy Burtley, wife of the late
generations. We honor them and their Dr. Nathel Burtley
(Photo by Tom Travis)
work to build better neighborhoods
and stronger families, not just during Burtley explained, “We lost Nat
Black History Month, but every day,” one week before Easter Sunday in April
Mayor Neeley stated in the press 2020. He passed from COVID-19.”
release. Burtley added that her husband was in
the hospital for three weeks. “I felt iso-
The honorees were: lated from him ... it felt like doomsday,”
Pictured is the framed award and key she said.
to city presented to each honorees Dr. Nathel Burtley (posthu- Burtley spoke about her hus-
(Photo ny Michael Clack) mous) the longest-serving and first band’s passion for children and schools.
(Continued on Page 5.)
4... Honor Human Relations Commission is the
soul of the city.”
for the State of Michigan. Neeley intro-
duced them as a “powerhouse couple.”
(Continued from Page 4.)
She said, “Every time I look at a school
building, I think of him.”
Thanking the mayor and the City
of Flint, she ended, “This award feels
like a big bear hug that I need.”
Ruben Burks (posthumous) A
longtime community labor activist, Burks
was a leader in Flint-Genesee Economic
Development, a cooperative effort by
labor and business. In 1998, he became
the first African American International Honoree Cleora Magee after Floyd and Brenda Clack, with
UAW Secretary-Treasurer. receiving her award Mayor Sheldon Neeley
(Photo by Tom Travis) (Photo by Tom Travis)
Magee acknowledged her longtime Brenda Clack recalled teaching
friend and co-worker Alice Rutherford’s Black History Studies at Central and
recent passing, and her involvement in Northwestern schools and how she
establishing Flint neighborhood block chose the textbooks for the course. She
clubs. added, “We have to stop fighting each
Norm Bryant, founder and for- other. We have to recognize the
mer owner of the historic Bryant’s Barber ‘plusses’ and not the ‘minuses’.”
Shop, also founded the Greater Flint The final honoree was Joe Davis,
African American Sports Hall of Fame Flint’s first African-American firefight-
for Black athletes from the Flint area. er for the City of Flint Fire Department.
Larry Young, son of Ruben Burks, Bryant said of his life of service Davis worked from 1961-1975 as the
accepts the award for his father
who died recently in the community, “The Bible speaks of only Black firefighter in the department
(Photo by Tom Travis) hearers and doers. I’m a doer. I'd rather for almost 15 years before the next per-
Burks’ award was presented to be doing something for someone else son of color was hired in.
his son, Larry Young, and grandson rather than someone else doing some- In his remarks, Davis, 88, recalled
Omari Young. Larry Young spoke, thing for me.” he came to Flint from Macon,
emphasizing that the legacy of his father Mississippi, in 1956 and thought the city
is important. He remembered hearing was “so small.” Davis joined the military
his father often say, “What about the after graduating high school. Davis turned
workers? What about the people?” while he spoke and proudly saluted the
Young reminisced that his father American flag painted on a mural on the
came up to Flint from “the impover- gymnasium wall. “I like to salute the
ished Deep South” as his father “wanted American flag,” he said.
something more, something better for
his family.”
Burks’ grandson Omari Young
recounted his grandfather saying,
“When society said, ‘you can’t do it’ he Honoree Norm Bryant speaks
about his friendship with many of
always said, ‘you can do it.’” the honorees and his work and
Cleora Magee, a 57-year resident of service in Flint
Flint, served for 11 years as executive direc- (Photo by Tom Travis)
tor of the City of Flint Human Relations Bryant, referring to black history,
Commission, and for 16 years as communi- emphasized, “We need to know our his- Joe Davis with family members
ty organizer and neighborhood service cen- tory. We need to teach black history in and Mayor Sheldon Neeley
ter manager for the Urban Coalition and the schools. History is what we’re made (Photo by Tom Travis)
Flint NIPP (Neighborhood Improvement of. Flint is rich in history.” Davis said there has always been
and Preservation Project). Floyd and Brenda Clack were the something within him calling him to
Recounting the many leadership only couple to be presented the award. move on, move forward. Davis thanked
positions she’s held in Flint, Magee Both served as Genesee County the city of Flint “for giving him so
commented, “I’ve always said that the Commissioners and State Representatives much.” Davis recalled how he took
(Continued on Page 11.)
5Education Beat
Flint schools did not reopen Feb. 22 —
district does about face
By Harold C. Ford
On Feb. 22, following a raucous Thursdays, and Fridays. Students could • Bobby Mukkamala, MD,
board of education meeting lasting more also choose distance-learning five days American Medical Association chair-
than three hours, officials of Flint a week. The buildings would be closed elect
Community Schools (FCS) decided to all students on Wednesdays for clean- • Lawrence Reynolds, MD,
buildings would not reopen to students ing and sanitation; and distance-learning medical adviser to Flint mayor Sheldon
on that day, as previously announced. would be provided to all students on Neely
This follows months of preparation for Wednesdays. • Genesee County Health
reopening buildings for face-to-face • Students who opt for in-person Department officials
instruction, during which FCS adminis- instruction would be required to wear Board members had no immediate
trators assured FCS board members and facial coverings on school buses, in hall- response to Steward’s “communique.”
the public that students would return to ways, and common areas except during That would come later in the meeting.
a safe and healthy learning environ- meals.
ment: • Students and staff would sub- Board uncertainty and chaos
• Anita Steward, FCS superin- mit to daily temperature checks upon
tendent, Jan. 20, 2021: “We can do that entering the buildings. At the meeting’s 1:13 mark,
(reopen schools) safely, with social dis- • Social distancing would Carol McIntosh, FCS board president,
tancing in our classrooms.” include individual use of restrooms, suddenly departed from the printed
• Kevelin Jones, FCS assistant traffic arrows in the hallways to help agenda following a report by Jones,
superintendent, Feb. 10, 2021: “I defi- guide foot traffic, six-foot spacing of “26.3 Extended COVID-19 Learning
nitely believe the buildings will be classroom desks, and discouragement of Plan Update – January 29, 2021,” by
ready on the (Feb) 22nd.” handshakes and hugs. initiating a discussion of sneeze guards.
• Soap, hand sanitizer, and disin- The Flint board never got to the next
fectant wipes would be ever-present agenda item, “26.4 Comparative
throughout the buildings. Membership Report – January 29,
• Air filters have been replaced 2021,” in the final 1:48 of the meeting.
in all buildings; air handling equipment The remainder of the board meet-
and boiler systems are being upgraded; ing was dominated by a rambling dis-
the chiller at Doyle-Ryder is being cussion of reopening preparations that
replaced. devolved at times into terse confronta-
• Air conditioning equipment at tions and name-calling.
six schools — Brownell, Eisenhower, Board members expressed con-
Freeman, Holmes, Pierce, and Potter — cerns about the installment of sneeze
is expected to arrive in about three guards, water filters and cartridges, and
weeks; installation will start shortly the input of staff. Opinions on the mat-
FCS Superintendent thereafter. ter were not unanimous.
Anita Steward Steward reminded board mem- The board’s newest member,
(Photo from NCS swebsite) bers that the district’s “Safe Return and Trustee Adrian Walker, had recently
Recovery Plan” had received input from toured the Holmes and Brownell cam-
Safe Return and Recovery Plan administrators, teachers, other staff, puses. “I was pleasantly surprised by
community partners, union reps, parents the things that I saw in place,” he said,
At meeting’s start, at the 9- and board members. undecidedly “Having gone to two
minute mark, Steward and other central Steward had previously reported schools … and seeing what I saw, my
administrators discussed reopening that FCS leadership has relied on a team mind jumps to the schools: ‘Do they
plans during printed agenda item “E. of local health professionals to guide its have the right mitigating PPE in place to
Superintendent’s Communique”: decision making during the pandemic: help when the students come back into
• FCS would offer hybrid learn- • Eileen Tomasi, FCS health the classroom?’”
ing models to its students. In-person coordinator “We’re really moving in the
learning would be offered four days • Gwendolyn Reyes, MD, pedia- right direction,” observed Bruce
each week on Mondays, Tuesdays, trician, Hurley Medical Center Jordan, the Flint teacher’s union
6 (Continued on Page 8.)7
... Schools
elementary students to be back in schools, “Michiganders have done a really
but not for high school students. good job bringing down our seven-day
(Continued from Page 6.) One staff member, Tyeisha average … by wearing masks, avoiding
Uniserve Director. “Ms. Steward, and enclosed gatherings and maintaining
Mr. Jones, and the entire administra- social distance,” Whitmer said.
tion team, as well as the leadership of Data provided at Whitmer’s Feb.
the UTF (United Teachers of Flint) 17 pandemic press briefing seemed
have been working very collabora- favorable:
tively, very hand-in-hand in trying to • COVID case rates continue to
get the district ready for in-person decline in Michigan at 113 cases per
learning with kids coming back. million, which is down 85 percent from
We’re really moving in the right the mid-Nov. 2020 peak.
direction.” • 3.9 percent of test in the state
“We’re so woefully ill-pre- are coming back positive, a decline over
the previous five weeks.
• 5.2 percent of hospital beds are
being used to treat COVID patients,
Newly elected Flint Community down 779 percent from the state’s late
School Board member fall peak.
Laura MacIntyre
(Photo provided by Laura MacIntyre)
Uncertainty elsewhere:
The uncertainty about reopening
Cox, a mathematics teacher, submit- schools is nationwide:
ted a public comment asking when • Chicago: A standoff between
teachers will receive personal protec- Mayor Lori Lightfoot and the Chicago
tive equipment. Teachers Union (CTU) about reopen-
“When will teachers receive hand ing schools ended when more than
sanitizers, disinfecting wipes and addi- two-thirds of CTU members backed a
tional masks for their classrooms?” Cox tentative agreement to reopen schools.
Vera Perry, FCS Board wrote. Neither the administration nor Elementary students will return
vice president
(Photo source FCS website) the board responded. March 1.
• California: Gov. Gavin
pared,” countered Laura MacIntyre, Biden nod to reopen schools Newsom announced Feb. 19 that 10
board treasurer. “We’re not ready to go percent of COVID vaccinations would
back to school.” Her comments were in U.S. President Joseph Biden be set aside for educators in an effort to
response to others made by Vera Perry, voiced his support for schools reopen- kick-start the reopening of public school
board vice president, and Diana Wright, ing — especially kindergartners through campuses.
trustee. eighth graders — at a nationally-broad- Nonetheless, political leadership
At this point, tensions boiled cast town hall Feb. 20 from Milwaukee. at the national and state levels are encour-
over. A key question, however, is: What aging a return to school buildings.
“You better stop that heifer,” power does the White House have over
Perry declared. local school districts’ decisions to ******
“I’ve never been on a board before reopen schools?
like this,” MacIntyre responded. “I’d The president could work with Message from the office of FCS
rather have my kids home doing virtual Congress to tie funding to school Superintendent Anita Steward posted at
learning rather than sick or dead.” reopening schedules. Included in the district’s website on Feb. 19, three
During sharp exchanges between Biden’s proposed $1.9 trillion coron- days prior to the previously announced
MacIntyre and Joyce Ellis-McNeal, avirus relief legislation is $130 billion reopening of schools on Feb. 22:
board assistant secretary-treasurer, to help schools implement safety
McIntosh shouted, as she did many measures. FLINT COMMUNITY SCHOOLS PAUSE
times during the meeting, “Order, order, RETURN TO IN-PERSON
order, order! Hey, hey, hey, hey!” Whitmer nod to reopen schools February 19, 2021
“We are definitely caught Dear Families –
between a rock and a hard place,” Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer At Flint Community Schools,
McIntosh observed. announced on Dec. 19, 2020, that we are highly confident in the return
Walker noted that the administration Michigan high schools could reopen for to school plan we have in place.
of U.S. President Joe Biden was pushing for face-to-face instruction starting Dec. 21. Unfortunately, there were concerns
(Continued on Page 11.)
8City Council considers waiving fee for brownfield
assessment; James P. Cole public hearing set
By Tom Travis
City Council considered an ordi- nated and abandoned
nance at the Monday, Feb 22 council properties to produc-
meeting that would waive an assess- tive use,” according to
ment fee for property owners with lots the website.
adjacent to a Land Bank brownfield
property. Public hearing set for
City of Flint Assessor Stacey James P. Cole brownfield
Kaake (pronounced cake) was on the March 8, at 5:30 p.m.
line and explained that property owners
can contact the Assessor’s office at 810- The fee waiver
766-7255 to obtain the waiver form by discussion was fol-
May 1, 2021, once the council approves lowed by two more
the resolution. brownfield-related
Genesee County Land Bank issues on Monday’s
Executive Director Michael Freeman, agenda. The first was James P. Cole redevelopment site
also calling in online, explained that a to set a public hearing (Photo source: Associated Environmental
concerning a brown- Services, LLC)
field property at a
James P. Cole project and a second and Planning & Development
was a special order to discuss the Departments, and is therefore sub-
issue of combining lots where a prop- ject to change as part of the approval
erty owner may own a lot adjacent to processes.
a landbank designated brownfield
property. Combining lots with a brownfield
The public hearing on the
James P. Cole project is scheduled for The second matter to be
5:30 p.m. at the March 8 council addressed by the council will be to con-
Front entrance to the Land Bank of
Genesee County at 452 S. Saginaw meeting. According to a project sider the issue of combining lots, that is
in downtown Flint description document obtained by a lot already owned by a property owner
(Photo by Tom Travis) that is adjacent to a landbank brownfield
EVM that was prepared by Associated
Land Bank property designated Environmental Services, LLC designated property. If a property is
brownfield is “a property that becomes (Project No. 2019041501.01R) the sold within a brownfield plan the pur-
functionally obsolete through environ- James P. Cole project is described as: chaser is notified and the limitations are
mental conditions or other conditions provided to the purchaser. That practice
that render Land Bank properties A proposed Project comprised
obsolete.” of a multi-tenant multi-building
The Genesee County Land Bank industrial park. The site includes
website further explains that the Land approximately 110,578 square feet of
Bank and the Genesee County existing building which will undergo
Brownfield Redevelopment Authority renovations. A portion of the property
(GCBRA), together “have secured will be demolished to make room for
millions of dollars in Brownfield an additional 190,700 square feet of
funds to eliminate blight and improve proposed new construction buildings.
abandoned and tax-foreclosed proper- The proposed project sits on 17.99
ties in Genesee County. acres of improved commercial and
“Demolishing blighted struc- industrial land.
tures and cleaning up brownfield
sites helps to restore value to urban “The project is undergoing site City Council President Kate Fields
land and speed up the process of plan and zoning review by the City (Ward 4) in a 2019 meeting
returning tax-foreclosed, contami- of Flint Engineering Department (Photo by Tom Travis)
(Continued on Page 15.)
9Removal of more than 330 dead and dangerous city
trees to begin soon, funded by Mott Foundation
By Melodee Mabbitt
More than 330 dead and dan- have removed more than 3,500 street Warren said. “I would love for people
gerous city-owned trees are set to be trees and trimmed nearly 1,600 in Flint, to love and appreciate trees and we all
removed later this winter in a process Warren said. can work on this together.”
coordinated by the Genesee Warren explained that as funds Neighbors in the East Village
Conservation District (GCD) thanks become available, the GCD addresses neighborhood challenged the process
to a $208,579 grant from the Charles the next set of priority trees by sending of street tree removal in 2017 after
Stewart Mott Foundation. out a team to reassess and make recom- Mike Keeler, president of the
Through the Mott Foundation’s mendations on trimming or removing College Cultural Neighborhood
Focus on Flint initiative, residents trees — with the preference being to Association, noticed a marked
ranked dead and dangerous “street trim the tree. increase in the number of stumps in
trees” — those in medians, traffic Trees marked for removal this his neighborhood — some belonging
islands, and the spaces between the winter were assessed in the last two to formerly elderly but not unhealthy
sidewalk and street — as “very high” months and found to be dead or declin- trees — and organized to improve the
as a concern for improving neighbor- ing in health and pose a danger to near- process of identifying trees for
hoods. by people or properties. removal and to plant replacement
“Throughout many Mott trees.
Foundation community conver- After it became clear
sations and our Focus on Flint that the city did not have
initiative, residents expressed money to buy and plant
their frustrations over dead and replacement trees, residents
fallen trees throughout their of the CCNA raised $4,000
neighborhoods,” said Jennifer and offered to do it them-
Acree, program officer at the selves.
Mott Foundation. “We hope In an interview with EVM,
this grant can help alleviate Keeler said that the GCD
some of the blight and damage seems to have improved their
caused by these trees through- process of identifying trees
out the city.” for removal and notifying
Flint residents who live neighbors after neighborhood
at a location where a street tree efforts led to the election of
will be removed will receive a two supportive GCD board
letter from the GCD this members and staffing changes
month explaining the process, at the GCD.
Acree said. “Things started slowing
GCD administrator down after that and when trees
Angela Warren explained in an come down now, there is a
interview with East Village Linwood Avenue silver maples legitimate reason that they are
Magazine (EVM) that the trees (Photo by Jan Worth-Nelson) coming down,” Keeler said.
were originally assessed in “Mott is going to fund another
early 2015 in an inventory produced by Warren encourages residents round of tree removal, which is a good
Knowles Municipal Forestry. That to report trees suspected of being thing, but we would really like to see
report ranked 6,200 trees for mainte- dead or dangerous, or to request that where they are going to start putting
nance or removal based on viability a tree be inspected, pruned or have trees back in. In our neighborhood,
and safety concerns. As a result, a soft- its canopy raised, by contacting the some streets have only one tree on the
ware program documents every tree City of Flint Street Maintenance whole street.”
maintenance, removal, planting or Department at 810-766-7343. Before the COVID-19 pan-
pruning, which can be accessed at the When it is time to plant more demic began, Keeler and his team
City of Flint Planning Department trees, residents will be invited to pro- of volunteers were raising money
website. vide input, Warren said. and planting 30 to 60 trees a year.
Since 2015, GCD and the City of “I want trees planted every- He said the effort was interrupted
Flint Street Maintenance Department where. I love tree-lined streets,” by the pandemic because social
(Continued on Page 11.)
10...Trees
(Continued from Page 10.)
distancing is not possible while
planting trees.
Keeler intends to take up the
effort again once the pandemic passes,
but said to see real impact in the num-
ber of trees being replaced across the
city, additional grant funding would
be required.
“I’ve planted 350 trees in the
neighborhood and 70 percent are still
there and some are getting big and
make me grin when I drive by,”
Keeler said. “This would be an excel-
lent opportunity for an entrepreneur
to come work on replacing these
trees.”
EVM reporter Melodee Mabbitt can be Late-winter hawthorn at Pierce Park
(Photo by Jan Worth-Nelson)
reached at melodee.mabbitt@gmail.com.
...Trailblazers
than victims — we are victors,” wall of the gymnasium while socially
Neeley said. “This group that has been distanced groups of two and four
(Continued from Page 5.) selected today has a special DNA and chairs were spaced on the gym floor
construction classes and glass blowing we need to resurrect that group of vic- for the presentation. The mayor and
classes that were funded by the Mott tors. It’s going to take all of us to honorees spoke from a podium that
Foundation and how these opportunities fight.” stood between two tables with black
“helped my family,” said Davis. The event, at the Flint tablecloths where the awards were dis-
Referring to a phrase he has used Development Center on Martin Luther played. The 13th, 14th and 15th
in recent months, Neeley said Flint is at King Boulevard, was closed except to the Amendments to the U.S. Constitution
“an intersection of crisis” with a water honorees, city officials and the media, but were printed on large poster boards
crisis, social upheaval for social justice can be viewed at the City of Flint’s displayed near the podium as well.
and the worldwide pandemic. Facebook page.
“It’s easy to look at Flint and About 25 city officials and visi- EVM Managing Editor Tom Travis can
see a city of victims, but we are more tors sat in the bleachers on the back be reached at tomntravis@gmail.com.
...Schools
safety of our scholars and teachers demic, social and emotional growth of
is our number one concern. We will our scholars while maintaining, first
(Continued from Page 8.) keep the community updated and and foremost, our commitment to safe-
regarding the sneeze guards — an announce a new date for the return ty and well-being.
additional safety measure that, as soon as possible. We hope to continue to resume
while not a requirement for in-per- In the meantime, all scholars some sense of normalcy soon and are
son learning, is something our should plan to continue with distance eager for our scholars’ return. Thank
Board members, families and staff learning on Monday, February 22. you for allowing us to serve your fam-
have expressed a strong desire to When we do resume hybrid ily, for your continued commitment to
have in place. For that reason, we learning, we will be adhering to all of Flint Community Schools, and for
are delaying the return to in-person the health and safety guidelines out- remaining Flint Focused.
learning until the issues regarding lined in our Safe Return and Recovery
the sneeze guards have been Plan, which was developed with the Your Partner in Education,
resolved. input of administrators, teachers, staff, Mrs. Anita J. Steward
We apologize for any incon- community partners, Board of Superintendent
venience this causes. We appreciate Education members, union representa-
the patience and understanding of tives and parents. It is our belief that EVM staff writer Harold C. Ford can be
our families and staff members. The this plan will guide the continued aca- reached at hcford1185@gmail.com.
11... History
work but it shouldn’t be a means to tie up friends. The council’s job is to work
the council in endless wrangling about the together for the whole city, as well as each
(Continued from Page 3.) rules or points of order. No book of rules member’s own ward. It’s not always
can create policies that will lead to a better will work if there isn’t personal respect going to be easy, but it’s critical to chang-
Flint, and work with others. Members of among the council members. A council ing the image of Flint and the council.
the council should be a voice for the city with respect for each other can make More than anything else, whatever differ-
and not just themselves. It won’t be easy, almost any rule book work well, and a ences that exist between council members,
but Flint will need them to do it. council without respect for each other can there needs to be personal respect.
make even the best rule book fail. At the recent workshop, EVM
Develop solid policies Members of the council should do Managing Editor Tom Travis quoted
their homework and be informed before Councilperson Jerri Winfrey-Carter
Second, let’s hope the council the meetings begin. Information should where she said, “We need to get to the root
will develop policies that will lead to a be made available to council members of the problem. It’s not about council
renewal of Flint. And some of those well before the meetings so they can come rules, it’s not about Robert’s Rules, it’s
policies may be difficult and painful prepared. about respect and treating others like you
for council members and their con- Meaningful time limits should be set would want to be treated.”
stituents. We face many of the same for debate and discussion. No one is likely So let’s hope that the workshops,
problems that cities up and down the I- to be alert, civil, and cooperative after sitting Winfrey-Carter’s words, and a recent
75 corridor face, loss of jobs, loss of through a seven- or eight-hour meeting. committee meeting are a sign of things to
tax base, declining state aid, aging The council should learn to rely come, and that “civility and decorum”
infrastructure, rising crime rates and on outside resources such as the will return to Flint’s council.
large legacy costs. When we have Michigan Municipal League for future But if you are watching, you still
gone from a city of nearly 200,000 to a guidance. They have been a voice for might want to keep the Jack Daniel’s handy
city of less than half that today, and effective local government in Michigan — Just in case things don’t work out.
when we have gone from having near- for many years.
ly 80,000 well-paid auto industry jobs, EVM political columnist Paul Rozycki
to barely one tenth of that, we are lucky Restore personal respect can be reached at paul.rozycki@mcc.edu
that things aren’t worse. No city could
face those losses, without enormous And finally, let’s hope that the
consequences. There is no single, sim- council will conduct itself in a civil way
ple policy that will “fix Flint,” It took that can work towards real solutions.
us three or four decades to get to where Flint has a reputation … a reputation as a
we are today and things won’t change “tough town.” We’ve had a long history
overnight. The council’s job is to work of labor-management conflicts, racial
together to bring use to their foresight, conflicts and city-county conflicts,
wisdom and creativity to create poli- among others. That is a major part of
cies that will lead us to a better Flint Flint history. And all too often that
city government. “tough town” approach is reflected in our
politics. This “tough town” aspect might
Make meetings more productive be entertaining, exciting, and might gen-
erate news stories, but it’s not productive.
Third, there are a number of things It’s time to turn the page. There are
that could be done to make the lengthy going to be many issues that will be divi-
and conflict-ridden council meetings sive, and many issues where council
more productive. members will disagree. But they need to
The council should use its commit- be resolved.
tees to do the primary work on policy Particularly in an age of polarized
and legislation. Those committees politics, when so little seems to be accom-
should work out the details of any policy plished on the national or the state level, Volunteer Distributors Wanted
and present it to the full council for I’m reminded of the stories of Democratic The East Village Magazine is looking for
approval. The full council should not Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill and volunteer distributors in some of the res-
idential blocks bounded by E. Court,
spend time redoing the work of the com- Republican Presideent Ronald Reagan.
Franklin, Tuscola and Meade streets.
mittees. A recent committee meeting They differed on most issues, and fought Less than one hour of exercise a month
shows some sign of hope. the good fight in Congress and beyond. ensures your neighbors get the maga-
Robert’s Rules of Order, and the But when the day was done, they could sit zine. Contact ecuster@sbcglobal.net or
council rules, should be a working frame- down, have a drink and treat each other as write to 720 E. Second St. Flint, MI
12Flint on track to eliminate lead by 2022,
Flint Lead Free 2021 report shows
By Melodee Mabbitt
The multitudes of efforts to in referring people to use programs The 2021 report builds on
eliminate lead in Flint before children like Flint Lead Safe Home Program Flint Lead Free’s initial 2018 study
are exposed are working, according to and the Flint Lead-Based Paint that created a baseline for the work
a new report issued by Flint Lead Hazard Program comes from using and shows positive trends across
Free. trusted community voices and indicators.
Flint Lead Free is a group of organizations. In addition to the positive benefit
community partners created by the “Broad outreach and education of lead elimination for health and devel-
Flint Registry in 2017 that includes on lead exposure is critical to build opment, the Flint Lead Free report notes
Flint residents, nonprofits, land- knowledge and awareness to help the economic benefits. Preliminary eco-
lords, governmental agencies and identify potential risk of exposure,” nomic analysis of Flint’s lead elimina-
more. Organized in response to the Starrs said. “Our Flint Lead Free tion efforts estimates that lead preven-
Flint water crisis, their goal is to members provide consistent mes- tion activities will generate $53.3
eliminate lead in Flint’s environ- sages and information to families to million in future economic benefits for
ment by 2022. children when considering the number
Their new report suggests that of pipes replaced and homes abated
Flint is uniquely positioned to eliminate from 2016-2019.
lead exposure because of programs like The Flint Registry contributes to
lead service line removal, lead fixture lead elimination efforts by convening
replacement, finding and removing lead Flint Lead Free partners, enrolling
in family homes, water testing, and individuals exposed to the lead-conta-
community-wide efforts to increase lead minated Flint water, screening for
awareness. ongoing environmental lead exposure
“From pipe replacements to via a survey of environmental risks
home abatements, Flint is leading and connecting individuals to lead-
the nation in efforts to remove lead eliminating services like the Lead
from homes before kids are poi- Safe Home Program. The Lead Safe
soned. We have more work to do to Lydia Starrs, co-chair of Flint Home Program is a free program that
eliminate this systemic inequity, but Lead Free workgroup finds and removes lead in a child’s
we are definitely moving in the right (Photo source CFGF) home.
direction,” said Dr. Mona Hanna- improve awareness of all potential
Attisha, associate professor of pedi- sources of lead exposure, not just
atrics at Michigan State University water, and help them connect to pro-
College of Human Medicine and grams to reduce exposure.
director of MSU-Hurley Children’s Expanding education and outreach
Hospital Pediatric Public Health will help us reach more residents and
Initiative. families.”
The Flint Lead Free report According to Starrs, the work in
shares lead-related trends up to the end Flint can be used to inform other com-
of 2019, emphasizing primary preven- munities as they shape their own
tion efforts currently underway in the strategies to eliminate lead. “The
city of Flint. Despite challenges such Michigan Department of Health and
as a time lag for obtaining data, the Human Services Lead Safe Home
trends year over year show significant Program expansion, through the use of
decreases in lead risks. Medicaid funding, has been a signifi-
Lydia Starrs, co-chair of the cant boost in resources for mitigation
Flint Lead Free workgroup and pro- and abatement efforts in Flint homes. Nayyirah Shariff, executive
gram officer at the Community Other states have used our expansion director of Flint Rising
Foundation of Greater Flint, said in as a model to increase funding (Photo source Nayyirah Shariff)
an email interview with East Village resources for primary prevention in Nayyirah Shariff, Executive
Magazine (EVM) that their success their communities,” she said. Director of Flint Rising, a community
(Continued on Page 14.)
13... Lead that the levels are going down
because we can remove lead from the ... Staszewski
(Continued from Page 13.) environment. It is hard. We can’t (Continued from Page 16.)
activist group deeply involved in the remove all of it. There is naturally qualified to turn around media’s popular
water crisis responses and citizen advo- occurring lead. But we can get back perception of Flint as an undesirable
cacy, told EVM she believes the Lead to where we were 100 years ago,” place to live. “I’m building a brand
Safe Home Program and efforts to Sadler said. around “Flint 360” that will allow the
address lead in the home are the most “A lot of cities have these people here in Flint to upload their own
important interventions on which to issues. What happened in Flint was videos,” he said. “So, think of a Netflix
focus. tragic and the attention paid has real- for the town of Flint.”
“The majority of Flint’s housing ly given us the opportunity to exceed
stock was built before laws were and excel and erase lead as one of our Drawn to Flint by diversity,
passed against the use of lead paint primary concerns,” Sadler said. “We opportunity and people
and lead in fixtures like faucets,” might still be concerned about vacant
Shariff said. “Any time you can work housing and the educational system Staszewski’s life journey landed
with people in their home where they and crime, but maybe we’re not him in nearby Davison, building an
feel empowered and safe, you can going to be as concerned about lead audiovisual studio for the local Louhelen
have better outcomes. I would like to because we have been so closely Baha’i Center of Learning. His wife,
see more programs that reach people focused on it for the last five or seven Maria, serves Louhelen as its executive
in their homes rather than expecting years.” assistant. “I thought my wife would be
everyone to go to the services to COVID-19 has also created perfect here because she likes to serve
access them.” additional challenges as more kids our faith and she likes to be of service,”
“I always look at these reports have been inside homes with poten- Staszewski said.
admiringly because I know that we tial lead exposure, blood lead screen- “I started to come into Flint and I
do the due diligence and use the best ing rates have decreased, and pauses started to see this is where the diversity
data we have,” said Dr. Richard have occurred in lead abatement is,” Staszewski recalled. “So, why
Sadler, director of methodology c work. wouldn’t I come here? I wanted my
“Our local organizations are kids to learn about diversity.” Six-year-
amazing at keeping things moving old Zophia and Zachary, 12, now attend
and are skilled at adapting quickly,” Flint Cultural Center Academy.
said Starrs. “The pandemic has defi-
nitely impacted lead testing rates and
the timeline for environmental inves-
tigations and remediation, but our
local partners continue to reach fami-
lies providing referral and navigation
to health care services, help with
applications for available programs,
and support families as needs change.
Flint Lead Free continues to meet and
Dr. Richard Sadler, director of discuss how we can work better
methodology for Flint Center together to leverage the resources and Staszewski and kids
for Health Equity Solutions fill gaps.” (Photo by Boyd Staszewski)
(Photo source HFRCC) To learn more or to enroll in the Staszewski became a Flintstone
for the Flint Center for Health Flint Registry, visit flintregistry.org, for other reasons as well. He wanted to
Equity Solutions in an interview email flintregistry@hc.msu.edu, or impact a community. “I hadn’t had the
with EVM. “With someone like call (833) GO-FLINT. After success- impact on a small (community) scale
Mona at the helm, it is encouraging ful completion of enrollment, partici- where I could say, ‘Who’s going to
because she has boundless drive and pants are connected to services like come to my funeral?’”
energy.” Lead Safe Home Program and mailed Further, Staszewski was drawn
Sadler supports Flint Lead Free a $50 ppreciation check. by Flint’s possibilities and its people. “I
by geographically mapping health data met awesome people here,” he said. “I
so that interventions are able to be tar- EVM reporter Melodee Mabbitt can be see a Flint that has a lot of opportunity.”
geted in neighborhoods that are most reached at melodee.mabbitt@gmail.com.
impacted. EVM reporter Harold C. Ford can be
“I am happy to see year to year reached at hcford1185@gmail.com.
14... Brownfield Lead/galvanized tainted pipes
(Continued from Page 9.) replaced so far in Flint:
9,912
began in 2005 moving forward, Totals as of Feb. 13 were 9,922 lead
Freeman explained. There are no prop- or galvanized pipes replaced,
erties sold without the purchaser being 26,781 pipes excavated, according
made aware that the property is in a to reports from the City of Flint.
brownfield plan.
A total of 16,838 pipes have been dis-
Council breaks down into a covered to be copper service lines.
brouhaha again and removes
President Kate Fields
In Mondays council meeting Unclassified ads
there were periods, some beyond 30
and 45 minutes, of breakdown in • Tools Needed: We are mentor-
Michael Freeman, new director of ing a student enrolled in auto class at
decorum while heated discussions, the Land Bank of Genesee County.
(Photo by Michael Freeman) Mott. We are in need of tools. Please
check grandpa’s, dad’s, or mom’s
place that he said he believes Fields toolbox for donation or sale of
ignored. wrenches, pliers, screwdriver sockets
After Fields chose to remove compression gauges, etc; Thank you!
IT TAKES A VILLAGE and there’s
herself from the meeting, Mays none better than East Village. Call
attempted to have the council con- Jerry at 714-342-7531.
sider having Fields reenter the meet- • One-bedroom Apartment for
ing. Mays put a motion forward for Rent: Clean, partially furnished,
the council to have Fields allowed upstairs. Walking distance to UM-
Flint and Mott College. Call 810-
back into the meeting. However, 625-3924 for appointment. Please
none of the remaining six council leave a message.
members seconded the motion to
return Fields to the meeting, so the
Councilperson Eric Mays motion died.
(Ward 1) in a 2020 Council meeting Fields remained out of the meet-
(Photo by Tom Travis)
ing for the rest of it. Councilperson Eva
arguments and interruptions ensued. Worthing (9th Ward) was absent from
During one back and forth, the coun- the meeting.
cil voted to remove Council President
Kate Fields (4th Ward) because some Council takes a moment of silence
believed she ignored Eric Mays’ (1st for 500,000 Americans that had died Support community journalism!
Ward) point of order. from COVID-19 Donations to East Village Magazine
According to council rules, the are tax deductible. For easy giving,
chair of a meeting can be removed go to: eastvillagemagazine.org
In a more somber and touching
from a meeting if the chair ignores a moment, Freeman explained he is
point of order from a council mem- recovering from COVID-19 and
ber. Mays accused Fields of ignoring spoke of a meeting he had attended
Happy
his point of order in a discussion earlier in the evening which
between Mays and Mayor Sheldon observed a moment of silence to
Saint Patrick s
Neeley. Neeley had suddenly honor the 500,000 deaths in the
appeared on the call and voiced his country from COVID-19 that had
presence. been announced that day. Mays sug-
Mays has called for the mayor
to be present at numerous council
gested that the council take a Day
moment of silence to honor the
meetings to question him on a num-
ber of topics. Mays seized the
500,000 as well. (March 17)
moment to question the mayor and EVM Managing Editor Tom Travis, can
that is when his point of order took be reached at tomntravis@gmail.com.
15Village Life
From Athabasca to Flint, Boyd Staszewski
a cheerleader for his new home
By Harold C. Ford
Propelled by the nearly inexplica- Athabasca, Alberta, Canada. Athabasca “That’s where all this started
ble energy exuding from his protoplasm (Cree for “grass or reeds here and there”), because that was my sanctuary,”
and spirit, Boyd Staszewski typically with a 2016 population of less than 3,000, Staszewski said. “It was also my place of
arises each morning at 5 a.m. without is situated 91 miles north of Edmonton, meditation.” So music jump-started an
the aid of an alarm to creatively ponder just over 2,000 miles from Flint. “inner journey” that led to globe trekking.
the yet untapped potential of Flint and Culturally, it might as well have been a “I recognized that I had to leave
his place in it. million miles from the Vehicle City. my environment and explore the
At his downtown home on East There were just two minority stu- world,” he recalled.
Court Street, Staszewski is stoked by his dents in his very Anglo high school: an
lifelong love affair with sound and video Afro-Canadian and a Native American. Searching for truth
production, the tenets of his Baha’i faith The lively arts — theater, art, and music
tradition, the principles espoused in the — kickstarted Staszewski’s imagina- “All of us are responsible for find-
36-page book Detox, Declutter, tion. ing the truth for ourselves,” Staszewski
Dominate by author Perry Marshall and “It was a natural progression to declared.
unabashed enthusiasm for his adopted start exploring the world … going over- Thus, in his early 20s, Staszewski
hometown of Flint. seas, getting on a plane and seeing … the left Athabasca headed for Toronto,
Hardly a 9-to-5 kind of guy, rest of the world,” Staszewski recollect- Ontario. The journey took him to
Staszewski walks the walk as evidenced ed. “I couldn’t wait to get out of the Detroit and a jaw-dropping experience
by a thus-far $50,000 investment in small town I was in and see the world.” there. A stop at a McDonald’s restaurant
audiovisual studio and control rooms It was music, more than anything, put him in the midst of an African
where he envisions for-profit and non- that fired his desire to see more of the American crowd of people — a first for
profit ventures in Flint and the world— world. “It really gave me the back- the Alberta native. “You don’t know
“the area we serve” — according to his ground when my friends didn’t work how to act,” he remembered.
website. out,” Staszewski said. Besides Detroit and Toronto,
Staszewski was drawn to Flint, in “The first memory I ever had on Staszewski’s globetrotting took him to
part, by what he sees as its yet-to-be- Illinois, Maryland, Virginia, and
realized potential in a post-industrial Florida. During a hitchhike through
era. “There was no shortage of people Europe, he discovered and adopted
with great ideas in Flint,” he said. the Baha’i faith. “That literally
“We don’t tell a good story about changed my life,” he said.
what’s going on here … We need to Staszewski also journeyed to China
do a better job of that going forward.” and Brazil, where he met his wife. “I
Staszewski, 55, intends to trum- was immediately smitten by her,” he
pet Flint’s story with his Court Street fondly remembered. “We knew (but)
business, Changing Productions, that ten words of the same language.”
offers diverse “cutting-edge video
marketing”: videography; live video Informed by faith
mainstreaming; multicamera video
production; video ads; social media Boyd Staszewski in Uncomfortable with the Roman
video advertising; You Tube channel his workshop Catholicism of his youth, Staszewski
management; Facebook live video (Photo by Harold C. Ford) has embraced the Baha’i faith. “Each
production, webinar creation and pro- of us has a purpose, I believe, that
duction, and more. TV was Elvis Presley,” Staszewski God has given us and it’s our job to fig-
recalled. Then came the Beatles, KISS, ure out what it is. Each of us has some-
A million miles from Flint the Eagles, and others. He picked up the thing unique to give to the world.”
guitar and started strumming heavy Staszewski’s personal history,
Staszewski’s state-of-the-art Flint chords that drove his parents to repur- embrace of technology and the Baha’i
studios are a far cry from the more primi- pose a tiny cabin on the family’s 1,000- faith tradition, have made him uniquely
tive studio he built as a youngster in acre farm as a sound studio. (Continued on Page 14.)
LIX: 3 (695 issues, 7,200 pages)
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