Good Morning Flint 01/31/08

GOOD MORNING FLINT!

01/31/08 BY Terry Bankert http://attorneybankert.com/

Posted first to Flinttalk.com, for the full article. http://flinttalk.com/viewtopic.php?p=23836#23836 [posted also to Craigs list, Face Book, My Space, Flint Citizen, Blogg Good Morning Flint. on occasion You tube. Please circulate.]

FLINT JOURNAL DOMINATING THE LOCAL INTERNET MOVEMENT.IS THIS A GOOD THING?

I sent the following to Matt Bach today at Nice look on mlive, you are winning the internet positioning battle with TV12.

I saw the Dearing article, and his invitation to link community blogs.

I will continue to be satirical critical of the Flint Journal but will discontinue...other things.. Submitted for your review and request for inclusion is my principal blog. http://goodmorningflint.blogspot.com/

I would suggest that the Flint Journal archives be indexed by category, i.e. " City of Flint", " Comcast", etc so the casual reader can absorb the history of an issue quickly.

I would also suggest that your invite the community producers kicked off of comcast to post to your web page their video, what ever they are called, Your Tube, Google video etc.... An internet for dummies help page would also help.

I do not know what an RS feed is, what it does or how to use it... for example...

This has been a one year experiment with me. I have impacted 3 elections and am on Face Book, My Space, Craigs List, FlintTalk.com, my own Flint Citizen, kicked off of MLIVE, my daughter is quite impressed with this and glad she left town so her friends won't know.

Additionally I vlogg on occasion my radio show on WFLT 1420 am 9 am every Sat, and have a column in the CPSA courier.

One theory of management is ready ,shoot, aim. I am at the aim stage now.

I am shifting my practice to domestic relations and community mediation and thus will shift my tone of public opinion expression. All of the above will continue but with a different tone and objective.

Success on the internet usually is found where the principals of organization are free, inclusive, only moderated or controlled to keep out criminal actions, personal slander [moral turpitude]....commercialization..[yes I said that]..and keep a focus on the declared purpose of the site. Best wishes . Terry Bankert

- CITY OF FLINT FINANCES

Wednesday night members of Flint City Council received a mid-year review of the city budget, and the numbers do not look good. [WJRT013008]

This should be posted on line.[trb]

This comes amid recent layoffs and already mounting concern about city finances. [WJRT013008] The lay offs appear to be a responsible reaction to the revenue decline.[trb]

We were told by several council members that more pink slips were issued to city workers Wednesday.[WJRT013008]

The administration would have told you the same thing I believe.[trb]

And the auditor said these recent layoffs are a likely indication that budget issues do exist.[WJRT013008] Who is the auditor? Is the report a public document?[trb]

The finding of a mid-year projection on the city of Flint's budget is that the city is $4.2 million short.[WJRT013008]

What is the annual budget? My recollection is that it is 60 million, this would then be over 5%.[trb] During a meeting with an auditor, council members were briefed on the figures and given the lowdown on what the future may hold.[WJRT013008]

"If you add all the numbers up, we do end up in a deficit as of June 30, 2008," said Brian Ross.[WJRT013008] Who is Ross with?[trb]

The issue, some believe, is that city spending is outpacing revenue coming in.[WJRT013008]

Another way to state this that is Some believe the national depression the Bush administration has led us into is strangling business and increasing the number of unemployed Flint Citizens causing the loss in City of Flint Tax Revenue.[trb]

Councilman Jim Ananich says $9 million in emergency spending under Flint Mayor Don Williamson's administration is partly to blame.[WJRT013008]

Partly to blame may be the 7th Ward Council person who was fiancé chairperson, in the hot seat of responsibility, and he jumped ship to avoid the heat. Any critical comments from him would seem to lack sincerity.[trb]

"Then you wonder about some of the departments that have overspent in a six-month period," said Council President Carolyn Simms.[WJRT013008]

The review of these issues is why we have a city council. They should dig in and let the community know what is happening to our City.[trb]

Simms says overspending in departments such as Building Code Enforcement -- where, just this week around a dozen pink slips were issued -- also shares the burden.[WJRT013008]

Another way to state this is that the Mayor has stepped in and stopped the overspending of a City Department.[trb]

"These layoffs are just a Band-Aid, and you're hurting families and you're not going to the root of the problem," Ananich said.[WJRT013008]

Mr. Ananich will now position himself as our critical eye on the budget from a safe distance. He could have been our leader on financial issues, a role he has abandoned.[trb]

There's also an issue of whether the administration violated the state's uniform budgeting act by spending money that has not been allocated.[WJRT013008]

The plan now is to get the state treasurer involved.[WJRT013008]

"Again, these are projections, but they're pretty sound," said Councilman Scott Kincaid. "The next area that will probably be affected will be police and fire, which this community cannot withstand cuts in police and fire."[WJRT013008]

There was also talk of putting a deficit-eliminating plan in place.[WJRT013008]

Although City Administrator Darryl Buchanan was not at the meeting, earlier this week he mentioned that the mayor has been working on a strategic reorganization plan.[WJRT013008]

Stay tuned I think this will get ugly. The last thing we need is State involvement in the affairs of the City of Flint.[trb] —end–

Posted Here by Terry Bankert http://attorneybankert.com/

—where did this stuff come from---

[WJRT013008] By Bisi Onile-Ere FLINT (WJRT) -- (01/30/08

[TRB] Comments of Terry Bankert http://attorneybankert.com/
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