Ward 4 and 7 Candidates

GOOD MORNING FLINT
7/22/09
Terry Bankert

Notes From Flint City Council Candidate presentations 4th & 7th Wards Tuesday, July 21st

Moderator: Paul Rozycki, Professor of Political Science, MCC . The event was held at Asbury United Methodist Church- 1653 Davison Rd. 48506

PICTURES
THUMBNAIL
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30366181@N05/sets/72157621775775076/
SLIDESHOW http://www.flickr.com/photos/30366181@N05/sets/72157621775775076/show/

The following was the seating order of the candidates and the ADDRESS AND PHONE information from the Flint City Clerks office.

The questions asked generally were on:

A. Code enforcement

B. What can you do to help small business.

C. Do we want Urban Farming [farm animals?].-All the candidate thought this was a dumb idea, well all except Weighill but that speaks for itself. Mr. Rozycki it was a dumb question for you to ask. You should have asked my question about funding of the Flint Ombudsman’s office.

D.Most of the City budget is on Union employee expenses ,what can we do to lower that cost. All the candidate said they will try hard, Smith said she would back the unions, Minore said when on the council before he saved the City Millions on this issues. Paul you should have asked the Ombudsman question.

E.What action other than hiring more police do you suggest to increase public safety ?

F.What city services can Flint join with other Units of Government to Lower cost. Most of us thought this was Rozicky attempt to promote county executive.

G. What will you do to control the budgets. Everybody said they would do a better job. Weighill talked about transparency. Should have asked the Ombudsman question .

H. Renewable energy what can the city do. What kind of question was that? Most attached this to economic development , Minore talked energy audit, Weighhill talked about making the city green.

I.Master Plan what is your position, Most said it’s the job of the planning commission .

J.What is your position on the water pipeline. Most said we need one.

K. Your position on the Hurley mileage, All said they support it.

L. Should the land bank be help to the same standards as other property owners, yes but only if the city sets an example. Note these properties would be governmentally owned and vacant but for the land bank. Another Rozycki agenda question.

Rozycki made a political decision to not ask my question about candidate commitment to continue the Flint Ombudsman office.

That speaks volumes to me ,a real throwing of the gloves down.

My notes on the candidate comments. If I missed anything blame it on Ted he sat near me and would not stop talking. I did not take notes on the opening and left before the closings.

WARD 4

1.] Joshua Freeman - Knowledgeable
810-744-1349 3727
Maryland Ave. Flint MI 48506

A. Code enforcement should be self sufficient. Deputize garbage truck drivers and meter readers, you know the city people we allow in out homes, yes lets deputize them, talk about a [poorly though out breech of citizen privacy. I will not let them in my house if they have that power.

B.- Work with the resources we have.

E. -Promote and support excellence, work with block clubs, organize community watches, need real parks and rec departments.

F.Send work to the county or other units of government. Purchasing, 911 toilet paper. Help wipe out debt, before the city is flushed?[trb]

2.] Erick Hempel -Clueless
810-736-7016 3746
Richfield Rd. Flint MI 48506

a. No answer

B.- Seek Grants

C.Need more police

f- No answer

3.] Sandy Hill -Knowledgeable
810-736-9710
3023 Maryland Ave.
Flint MI 48506

A.- Needed are staffing in the code enforcement office and a commitment to the process by the Flint City attorney.

B.-grant money, zoning change so small business can move on to property, I presume she ment residential property, oh boy that not well thought out.

E.- Support neighborhood watches

F.- Block purchases without combining the county and the city.City will take a back seat if we do that.

WARD 7

4.] Denise Smith Allen -Knowledgeable
810-235-3799
2046 Whittlesey St. Flint MI 48503

A.- Residents must be proactive in code enforcement

B.-Need reinvestment in Flint

E. make sure police respond. Police must be civilized. Hey Rozicki this would have been a great transition into the Ombudsman question.

F.- Our residents do not want to feel second rate to the county. County Commission Jamie Curtis was in the audience, hope he heard that. But he spent the night talking to John Gleason.

5.] Jack Minore -Knowledgeable
810-235-1490
610 Commonwealth Ave. Flint MI 48503

A.-The City has not met its responsibility to the Citizens on Code enforcement, he used reneged. What no have Public Safety Officers Pso like we used to. Use all city personnel except police to identify code violations. How we look as a city affects peopled decision to move here to live or start a business.

B.Need rapid response for Zoning Planning

E. mini stations by area not ward

F.- Cooperative effort no consolidation. Salt , parks department programming.

6.] Dale K. Weighill -Naive
810-423-1744
2301 Windemere Ave. Flint MI 48503

A.-This is one of the biggest issues facing Flint. We need funding sources. We should deputize citizens to write up their neighborhoods for code violation. I found this laughable and naïve.

B.-There are a number of Business, education centers that can help the small business. We must have a better customer service for small business. We must treat small business better. The process of business interacting with government must be streamlined.

E.- Mini stations, A police chief that knows what he is doing and will reform the department. This was an unnecessary attack on Chief Alvin Lock a cops cops and breath of fresh air.

F. Partnerships and collaboration These are just my rough notes and thought. All of the candidate who attended we winners and their wards have hard decisions to make.

Good Luck to all.

Posted by Terry Bankert
http://www.flintfamilylaw/

FLINT TALK POST
http://flinttalk.com/viewtopic.php?p=46091#46091

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