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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Posted on Aug. 22, 2011 by Crusader News Service
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$9.9 Million "Add-On"
Flint City Council Approves $9.9 Million
for Smith Village Project as "Add-on" to
Agenda for 8-0 Approval Without Discussion
BY MIKE KILLBREATH
Crusader News Service Publisher & Executive Editor
It wasn't on the agenda but Flint City Council members approved writing a $9.9 million check Monday night for the Smith Village project. The item was approved by an 8-0 vote. City Councilman Sheldon Neeley walked out of the meeting instead of voting. This story by AM ADVANTAGE is so far the only local media report about the late add-on item to the council's agenda.
The $9.9 million check was approved as part of a master resolution and without discussion at the council meeting, except for comments from citizen Craig Smith. He's a landlord who owns 12 properties in the city and manages many more.
Smith spoke during the public comment section of the meeting, saying, "It makes no sense to build a bunch of new houses when there's no public safety. The thieves are gonna go in and strip these houses." Smith says he had one rental house that he had to twice replace all the wiring after recent break-ins, leading him to spend $2,000 for bars on all the windows and doors.
Smith also questioned how city officials expect to sell new homes for $50,000 to $57,000 when record foreclosure numbers have dropped the average sale price of homes to $15,000 or less.
That's the sale price projected as part of $4.7 million in return on a project that has a price tag of $16 million.
This story on AM ADVANTAGE is so far the only media report about Monday night's "add-on" to the Flint City Council's agenda for the $9.9 million check to further finance the Smith Village project. A source had told Crusader News Service on Saturday that it would happen without discussion and the same source is one of several who say there was a surprise visit by state officials last week for an audit of the city's books. "The gig is up for Mayor Dayne Walling's administration and they're passing out as much money as they can, as fast as they can, because they know a federal grand jury would not be here unless people are going to jail," said the source who would not reveal how he obtained his information.
Funding from a federal agency known as HUD is expected for the Smith Village project. It's proposed at $16 million with a $4.7 million return from the sale of homes at the $50,000 to $57,000 range. A requirement includes building 42 houses before the end of the year or the city may have to repay other grants previously obtained without projects ever being completed.
Call (810) 406-1673
ADvantage Media Group LLC
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Wed Aug 24, 2011 6:22 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Eason blames HUD and HUD's Steve Spencer for Flint's current problems, although he admits all of the staff in his reorganization are new and in training to learn HUD ru;les, policies and procedures. He also did not seem to know that MSHDA has had an embedded staff helping for over a year and claimed the only outside person was one of the two Office of Inspector General audit staff that has been in City Hall for well over a year.
When HUD stated in the May 20th monitoring report that the city did not work with them for over a year in solving some serious issues, Eason had the audacity to proclaim HUD had not gotten back to him. He claimed he begged and pleaded HUD for HUD to give tthem help and thank God there is a new regional director.
Good luch with the transparency issue. Some departments are already approaching a budget deficit as the conditions Walling and Eason promised the council would be met have not occurred. The unions have not met the concessions Walling wants. There appears not to be any movement or meetings as citizens complained to Flint risk manager investigate why Union REp Franklin Greene was never at work and always at home, when they were told that investigations of union officials were ignored by the administration.
Repost From Gov wants transparency-doesn't happen in Flint:
Council objects about the add ons because they are not reflected in the public record. Unless someone attends the Special Affairs meeting, there is no discussion or other action taken. Thanks Sheldon Neeley for having the courage to stand up for what is right. The city no longer prints the minutes and this action will not be reflected on any agenda. Council and Eason hoped it would slide by un-noticed and they were right. Not even the Flint Journal has commented on this story.
Did council buy into Eason's weak theory that HUD was to blame for all of Flint's woes? Where was Nolden, Freeman and Kincaid, the 3 who most understand the process, in this wwhole debacle. Is it true that they say just give walling what he wants and are they abdicating their responsibilities.
Why isn't any agency investigating Eason and his relationship with Charles Young, who was placed into an administrative capacity with the Detroit investor that Eason selected to replace Metro Housing? Are there kickbacks and other fraudulent transactions involved in Smith Village and how far do they go? |
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Wed Aug 24, 2011 6:36 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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HIGHLIGHTS - Office of the Inspector General (OIG)
3 Jun 2011 ... We audited the State of Michigan's (State) Neighborhood Stabilization ...... The HUD OIG Audit Report finds that MSHDA lacked procedures and ...
http://www.hudoig.gov/pdf/AuditReports/MI/ig1151008.pdf - - Cached - Similar pages |
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Wed Aug 24, 2011 6:51 am |
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00SL2
F L I N T O I D
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"The $9.9 million check was approved as part of a master resolution and without discussion at the council meeting, except for comments from citizen Craig Smith. He's a landlord who owns 12 properties in the city and manages many more. "
Perhaps it was in a committee meeting before the actual council meeting, but Josh Freeman is on tape adamantly complaining about last-minute add-ons to the agenda. Additionally, the full agenda and previous minutes should be posted online prior to public meetings. |
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Wed Aug 24, 2011 7:02 pm |
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DA Bruce
F L I N T O I D
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A ludicrous City, State, and Federal taxpayer subsidized expenditure for new housing in a geographical area of wholesale mortgage foreclosures, extremely over abundant pre-owned housing availability, few good jobs, and nearly zero public safety. Another poorly thought-out program totally designed to line the pockets of a few at the expense of the masses! It sounds like another Genesee Towers fiasco for Flint. Recall all in favor of the motion! Sheldon,…… good job.
And yes....where the Flint Urinal story? |
_________________
The true measure of an individuals worth isn't contained within an inventory of what one had accumulated throughout a lifetime.....however, it is truely measured within the lifetime accumulation of an individuals good deeds that are left behind. BAR2011 |
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Wed Aug 24, 2011 9:32 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Council talks a good game and every week they pretend they are no longer going to accept these add ons. Remember they refused under Williamson. And yet they seem to fall for the okie-dokie every time.
An add on of this magnitude needs to be in the public eye every minute. By not being on the agenda the public did not have an opportunity to voice their opinion. Coming to Special Affairs as an add on is een worse than in committee. At least the add on would show as an agenda item for Council.
No Walling and Eason are simply lying about their transparency! This was
a deliberate attempt to hide facts from the public and council bought it. Freeman and Kincaid know the rules almost better than the administration! |
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Thu Aug 25, 2011 6:38 am |
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