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00SL2
F L I N T O I D
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Flint mayor, council trade blows again
Mayor says council lost thousands of dollars, highly respected administration member
By Cathy Shafran
FLINT (WJRT) - (11/26/07)--At Flint City Hall, Monday brought more charges and counter charges between the mayor and City Council, even as both sides appeal for a new working relationship.
The latest charges came as the mayor accused council of losing hundreds of thousands of dollars and a highly respected administration member because of what he called the council's "obstructionist" behavior.
Mayor Don Williamson called the media together Monday afternoon to blame the council for the loss of $700,000 federal dollars for sidewalk repair, and the loss of Bill Ayre as the city's transportation director.
The mayor contends that because council will not approve expenditures, he's been forced to make nearly $10 million in emergency purchases to keep the city running.
He also read from a resignation letter of Transportation Director Bill Ayre that suggests the council is partially responsible for Ayre's resignation.
In the letter, Ayre says, quote: "The ever-present frustration of dealing with the obstinate and childish behavior of the majority of City Council is a major factor in my health problems and decision to retire."
Ayre's letter points to two examples of what he called the council's "ridiculous behavior" in the rejection of a $1.6 million grant for traffic signals making two-way traffic downtown, and for the rejection of a $1.5 million grant for construction on West Pierson Road.
Council members continue to maintain that there have been no projects or dollars lost because of their refusal to approve expenditures on what they consider an illegal budget.
They say they continue to hold out hopes of negotiations with the mayor.
Copyright 2007 ABC12 and ABC
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The video on the 6 o-clock newscast showed City Council President Carolyn Sims stating Williamson refused to allow her into his press conference today; however, that portion is not included in the taped segment online (transcribed below) as of 8:30 p.m. this evening.
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT:
Bisi Onile-Ere: At Flint City Hall it's more charges and counter-charges between the mayor and city council even as both sides appeal for a new working relationship. The latest charges came this afternoon as the mayor accused council of losing hundreds of thousands of dollars and a highly respected administration member because of what he called the council's obstructionist behavior. ABC 12's Cathy Shafran is live in the newsroom with that story. Hi Cathy.
Cathy Shafran: Hi Bisi. The mayor actually called the media together to blame the city council for what he called the loss of $700,000 in federal dollars for sidewalk repair and also for the loss of Transportation Director Bill Ayre. Now the mayor contends that because council will not approve expenditures he's been forced to make nearly 10 million dollars in emergency purchases to keep the city running. He also read from a resignation letter of Transportation Director Bill Ayre that suggested council is partially responsible for Ayre's resignation. In the letter Ayre says, quote: "The ever present frustration of dealing with the obstinate and childish behavior of the majority of city council is a major factor in my health problems and decision to retire," unquote. Ayre's letter points to two examples of what he called the council's ridiculous behavior, its objection of a grant for two-way traffic for downtown and another grant for construction on West Pierson Road.
Video of Ayre: I believe that is ridiculous behavior on the rejection of a 1.6 million dollar grant as opposed to $70,000. I think that's extremely ill advised from a public servant and you know--it's basically free money and you're gonna turn down a project badly needed by people in the whole city. Yeah--I'm frustrated over that.
Cathy Shafran: For their part council continues to maintain that they have done nothing to lose any dollars or any projects for the city by not spending and approving expenditures of what they consider an illegal budget. They say they continue to hope to forge some kind of working relationship in the future with the mayor.
Reporting live in the newsroom, Cathy Shafran ABC 12 News.
Source: http://abclocal.go.com/wjrt/story?section=local&id=5785495
Accessed: November 26, 2007 |
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Mon Nov 26, 2007 9:07 pm |
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last time here
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my god.....well............whats up mr.ananich????
your in my ward and trust me, after the block clubs
get wind of THIS...................................  |
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Tue Nov 27, 2007 12:11 am |
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00SL2
F L I N T O I D
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Flint's departing transportation chief says frustration with City Council led to decision to leave
Posted by Marjory Raymer | The Flint Journal November 26, 2007 17:23PM
FLINT -- The city's retiring transportation director said today that his decision to leave is based on months of frustration.
"I've never worked anywhere where I've had more money and a harder time spending it," Bill Ayre said.
Road projects headed by Ayre often were caught in the crosshairs of budget agreements between Mayor Don Williamson and City Council. Two recent grants that would have converted one-way streets into two-way streets downtown and reconstruct W. Pierson Road were rejected by the council.
However, it appears the council tonight will approve those projects.
Ayre said the road project approvals would have no effect on his retirement. His last day is Wednesday.
In his retirement letter to Williamson, Ayre lashed out at the council.
"The continuing and ever-present frustration of dealing with the obstinate and childish behavior of the majority of the City Council is a major factor in my health problems and decision to retire," Ayre wrote in the Nov. 14 letter.
Williamson released the letter as part of a news conference today in which he also criticized the council for failing to pass other budget items and defended his use of emergency purchases to make expenditures without council approval.
The city has approved $9.7 million in emergency purchases since the new fiscal year started July 1. Such purchases are requested by department heads.
Source:
http://blog.mlive.com/flintjournal/newsnow/2007/11/flints_departing_transportatio.html
Accessed: November 27, 2007 1:35 a.m. |
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Tue Nov 27, 2007 1:39 am |
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rapunzel11
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The City administration and the City Council need to resolve the original budget issue. Instead of placing blame of lost grants on each other.
Both factions want to be the winner of the fight, while citiizens lose, lose.
Bill Ayre wanted to retire long ago and spends winters in FLA. I still have leaves in my street for the last month. Yes, he knows much about running a County but it takes a COMPROMISE to run this city.
Peace,
RAP |
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The ignorance of one voter in a democracy impairs the security of all.
John F. Kennedy, speech at Vanderbilt University, May 18, 1963 |
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Tue Nov 27, 2007 1:43 am |
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Dave Starr
F L I N T O I D
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| Council meetings, the best free entertainment in town. It would be funny if it wasn't so sad. |
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I used to care, but I take a pill for that now.
Pushing buttons sure can be fun.
When a lion wants to go somewhere, he doesn’t worry about how many hyenas are in the way.
Paddle faster, I hear banjos. |
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Tue Nov 27, 2007 9:14 am |
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last time here
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i wonder if they realize kincaid's obstinance is making them look like
idiots publicly??      |
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Tue Nov 27, 2007 7:43 pm |
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00SL2
F L I N T O I D
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quote:
last time here schreef:
i wonder if they realize kincaid's obstinance is making them look like idiots publicly??
He's just the Pied Piper. I doubt very much any of them have ever watched themselves on the recorded videos but it might be good if they did. Reminds me of playing a drunk's recorded behavior back to him when he's sober. |
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Tue Nov 27, 2007 8:35 pm |
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