Flint inviting Youths to get involved.

GOOD MORNING FLINT
01/19/2010
By Terry Bankert

NO HAPPY BIRTHDAY JUST GO AWAY!

The affairs of our city are run by the Mayor with policy and funding set by the Flint City Council. We want our citizens involved in the process. In the last 25 years we have had a variety of youth groups involved with the city. Its a good thing.... If these types of groups become formally active in city decision making then there is a minimal amount of Flint City Charter compliance required . That a good thing to. If its needed with what follows then it’s a good thing to ask these questions now.Our Flint City Charter "is the city’s constitution."[4]

This social contract gives our Mayor and City Council authority and responsibility to run our city. This authority is derived from us by adoption of the Flint City Charter. So consider these thoughts as you review the following.

MAYOR TO CREATE MULTIPLE MEMBER BODY TO HELP THE MAYOR MAKE PUBLIC POLICY IN FLINT!

Flint Mayor Dayne Walling is looking to local Flint high school and college students to help shape the city’s future through the creation of the city of Flint Student Cabinet. The Student Cabinet will help the mayor and the departments of the city of Flint decide on how to act on important community issues. [1]

How involved in the decision making process will they be. I ask not intending to limit the enthusiasm for a youth group.

THE FLINT STUDENT CABINET WILL HELP THE MAYOR AND DEPARTMENT HEADS DECIDE PUBLIC POLICY.

The current Flint City Charter opened up government to the citizens by making the elected and appointed official responsible for public decision making. " It set a mechanism to re evaluate the need for the 37 independent boards, commissions and multiple member bodies."[4]

When theses bodies make decisions or even recommendations do Flint Citizens have a right to be involved?To make the actions of these boards more responsive to public wishes, the current charter has increased the size of most boards, shortened the terms of membership in many cases outlined procedures for the conduct of hearings and rule making which gives the public ample time to respond to the actions of these bodies.[4]

If the youth group just meets occasionally with the ,Mayor and shares their opinions no formality is required. But what is the limit?The Mayor has a right to create a multiple member Flint Student Cabinet.

But by helping the city make decisions it appears to be organized close to one that will need to meet special charter requirements. If the Flint Students makes recommendations to city departments heads the mayor tells them to follow must they be formally organized? If the Flint Student Cabinet makes written recommendation to the Mayor must it meet multiple member charter compliance?

If the mayor says I am recommending the following because it was recommended by the Flint Student Cabinet does it , the cabinet, need to be formally organized?

We want the Council and Mayor to reach out for citizen involvement in the affairs of the city. If in fact Flint Downtown is to be a college town it is a good thing .We should get them involved in Flint. The Mayors task is build a sense of community that involves them the college students. The best people to tell us how to do that are the college students. It’s a good thing.

My only point here is to talk about the Flint City Charter. I do not know the answer to the above questions. But now is the time to resolve the issue.

FLINT CITY CHARTER Sec. 6-102 TRANSFER OF GOVERNMENTAL FUNCTIONS.

A. The executive branch of the City, under the general supervision of the Mayor, shall administer all programs, services and activities of the City, unless otherwise provided in this Charter or required by statute.

B. To the extent permitted by law, the City may transfer any program, service or activity from the executive branch to administration by a multiple member body and may transfer any program, service or activity from a multiple member body created under Section 6-101 to the executive branch or to another multiple member body, provided that this procedure is followed:

1. The Mayor must request the transfer in writing.

2. The City Council must adopt, by an affirmative vote of three-fourths of the members elect, an ordinance setting forth the terms and conditions of the transfer.

C. All members of multiple member bodies which receive the transfer of programs, services or activities must be residents of the City of Flint.(Adopted by the electorate, 11-5-74)

[3]Meetings of these bodies must be public and they must adhere to the rules ands hearing procedures.[4]

WALLING SAYS OLDER PEOPLE WILL NO LONGER CALL THE SHOTS

"We’re not just fixing the problems of the past, but we’re actually building a foundation for the future of this community and young people have a very good sense, a lot better sense than people who have been around for a long time, of what that new future may be," Walling said. [1]

WALLING SUPPORTER SAYS THESE OLDER PEOPLE WHO QUESTION THE MAYOR ARE THE ENEMY?

Posted on MLIVE by Shawn ChittleJanuary 17, 2010, 12:21PM

Terry I'm beginning to wonder if somehow, you've lost touch with reality.

Flint will NOT be reborn with the SAME PEOPLE WHO KILLED IT.

Even GM tried that with Rick Wagoner and Obama FIRED HIS ASS. Walling is trying to do the same but everyone keeps deluding themselves into this idiotic "You're doing a great job Brownie!" mentality.Keeping the SAME MORONS in power that RUINED FLINT is like asking an abortionist to deliver your baby. Walling "gets it" and people who keep making his life harder are the ones who are the real enemies of Flint's progress! [5]

I have questioned the Mayor on the DDA appointment. I guess I have made his life harder. I doubt I have any real influence but for the sake of argument here possibly I have.

So I am the enemy? I should not be listened to because I have been involved and I am 58. Well I guess it’s a new day.

I should form an over 50 political activist community promoter responsible citizen support group. If you the reader want to be a member join my face book friends.

For the sake of argument if the Flint Student cabinet meets the legal requirement of a multiple member body what are the rules? The decision on multiple member body is a question for the city attorney. I do not know the answer.

FLINT CITY CHARTER Sec. 6-101 MULTIPLE MEMBER BODIES.
A. Multiple member bodies, including boards and commissions, may be established by the City by ordinance or resolution. Such bodies may exercise those powers and duties granted by the City, provided that they do not conflict with provisions of this Charter or State law.B. Multiple member bodies, including boards and commissions established in this Charter or created after the effective date of this Charter, shall be subject to the following provisions, unless otherwise stated in this Charter:

1. They shall consist of at least seven (7) members, whose terms shall not exceed five (5) years;

2. Initial appointments of persons shall be made to provide for staggered expiration of terms.

3. Appointments shall be made by the Mayor with the approval of the City Council.Removal from office shall be for cause upon recommendation of the Mayor and approval of the City Council.

4. Vacancies which occur prior to the expiration of the term shall be filled for the remainder of the term in the same manner as an expired term.

5. Members shall serve in the interest of all the citizens of the City and, except for compelling reasons stated prior to appointment, shall be residents of the City. In all cases, at least three-fourths (3/4) of the members of all multiple member bodies shall be residents of the City.

6. Each body shall have the power to organize for the conduct of its business including the selection of officers. All rules adopted and used shall comply with the provisions of Section 1-801 of this Charter. The rules shall provide for notice of meetings and shall define the manner in which nonattendance becomes neglect of duties and grounds for removal from office.

7. Each body shall report at least once a year to the Mayor and City Council concerning its activities. The reports shall include an accounting of the receipts and disbursements of all monies which have come into its hands and of any monies which may remain in its hands. A copy of the report shall be filed with the City Clerk and be available for public inspection.[3]

KETTERING STUDENTS HELPING FLINT

Michael Rettler, a sophomore mechanical engineering major at Kettering University is applying for the cabinet. "I think people should apply for the position if they have a desire to help Flint become, once again, a beautiful city," he said. [1]

I think the involvement of Kettering University will benefit all of us beyond the years of this administration. It’s a good thing.

MULTIPLE MEMBER BODY TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO DEPARTMENT HEADS.Student Cabinet members will meet monthly to discuss proposals and develop new recommendations for department heads. The proposals that the Student Cabinet work on will be related to the issues the group thinks are the most important. [1]

NEW MULTIPLE MEMBER BODY TO BE TRAINED BY DEPARTMENT HEADS

Student Cabinet members will be able to increase their knowledge of municipal government operations through mentoring from administration officials. "We want to match students with somebody who can be a good mentor for their own stated career objectives," Walling said. [1]

IT WILL BE A LEARING EXPIERENCE

"In order to make informed decisions, we’ll go over some of the key functions of local government," Walling said. Members will learn about policy analysis, negotiation, financial management, budgeting, and matching resources to needs, which "is something that applies in any kind of public or private enterprise." [1]

EXPANDING THE STANLEY LEGACY

Walling served on former Mayor Woodrow Stanley’s Student Cabinet as a high school senior. "It did not include college students, so this is a new dimension that we’re bringing to it in that we want this to be youth and students, broadly defined." [1]

MAYORS OFFICE TAKING APPLICATIONSThe mayor’s office would like to see an increase in applications from female students. "We don’t want politics to continue to be an old boys club," said Walling. [1]

MULIPLE MEMBER BODY TO INFORM THE CITIZENS WHAT THE WALLING POLICY IS

The Student Cabinet should begin its work by fall semester. "I want the cabinet to help inform the major decisions we’re making about how services are delivered—where we’re putting millions of dollars in investments and services," Walling said. [1]What are the rules for these meetings.

FLINT CITY COUNCIL Sec. 6-104 MEETINGS.

All meetings of multiple member bodies of the City, including boards and commissions, called for the purpose of discussing business within the jurisdiction of the body, and all gatherings of three (3) or more members of the body at which business within the jurisdiction of the body is discussed, shall be public unless otherwise authorized by law. Public notice shall be given in the manner provided by statute for meetings of public bodies.(Adopted by the electorate, 11-5-74)[3]

APPLICATIONS CAN BE FOUND ONLINEApplications and one-page resume or biographical statement are due Jan. 22 and can be found at [1]

Here is what’s on the City of Flint website.City of Flint Student Cabinet: Are you a high school or college student in the City of Flint looking for an exciting opportunity to impact the future of Flint? If so, please consider the City of Flint Student Cabinet. Cabinet members are provided great opportunities to: - Attend ½ day leadership training with the Mayor; - Enhance leadership skills, - Represent the views of their peers; - Learn about municipal government operations; - Participate in volunteer community service projects; - Attend press conferences and special events; -Receive mentoring from administration officials.[2]

ARE OLDER PEOPLE NO LONGER SOUGHT AFTER FOR INVOLVEMENT IN THE CITY OF FLINTS AFFAIRS.

Involving young people in the affairs of Flint is a good thing.Implying that any other group specifically older people should not be involved in the affairs of Flint is a bad thing.

Posted here

by Terry Bankert01/19/20

An old guy! I am 59 on Wed, I guess my feelings were hurt.
see

[1]POSTED TO Google News 9 am 01/19/2010
http://media.www.themichigantimes.com/media/storage/paper620/news/2010/01/18/LocalNews/Mayor.Creating.Student.Cabinet-3854091.shtml

[2]http://www.ci.flint.mi.us/

[3]http://www.amlegal.com/library/mi/flint.shtml

[4]"the new city charter" A 1974 publication of the 1974 Flint Charter Commission

[5]http://blog.mlive.com/flintjournal/aheller/2010/01/call_the_parking_structure_aut.html





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