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Topic: Let's get real on Flint Police Activities League?
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

HomeCommunityFate of a north Flint youth center unknown after organizers asked to leave by March

Wed, Feb 22, 2017
Fate of a north Flint youth center unknown after organizers asked to leave by March
February 19, 2017
Flint Beat
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FLINT, MI – A youth center on the city’s north side may have to close doors after receiving notice from the city of Flint to be out by next month.

The board at Haskell Community Center received a letter from Flint saying the city is parting ways from the Flint Police Activities League (PAL) Corp., Inc., the non-profit that runs the community center, asking them to be out of the building by March 1.

Board President Trachelle Young says the program is much needed in that area and the eviction was unexpected.

“Most people think of PAL as a sports kind of league,” said Young. “That’s really what it used to be…but we have expanded it to so much more and not it’s primarily an after school program.”

Young said the center, located at 2201 Forest Hill Avenue, serves about 55 children per day Monday through Friday.

PAL initially provided mostly sports programs including basketball and football. Over the years other programs have been added including tutoring, mentoring and praise dance.

Click here to view the letter from the city of Flint to PAL Corp. Inc. 2

“We have all kinds of activities that go on in that building for the kids in the Civic Park area,” Young said. “I went to Civic Park. I grew up on McClellan Street. That’s my neighborhood. That’s my neck of the woods. I have literally watched that neighborhood deteriorate over the years. It’s almost nothing left over their but Haskell. Sometimes coming to the center is the only time these kids get to actually be kids.”

Young, addressed the issue in a Feb. 17 press release saying the center has had to deal with a number of issues since Flint Mayor Karen Weaver’s appointed her a new administration.

“A letter was served on the Chief and sent to the Mayor’s office that included a complaint against the Chief for bullying and harassing PAL Corp. Inc. on December 19, 2016,” wrote Young in the press release. “There was no response to this complaint. Since the appointment of Flint Police Chief Timothy Johnson, Flint PAL Corp. Inc. has been forced to deal with a plethora of issues, including but not limited to the Chief and the liaison officer completely disregarding the bylaws and policies provided and explained to them on multiple occasions.”

City officials say they are working to revamp PAL and they are asking the board to discontinue using Flint Police for their organization. Officials also said they are set to make an announcement about the future of the program and what they are doing later this week saying that the city will not allow the program to end.


Last edited by untanglingwebs on Wed Mar 08, 2017 7:07 am; edited 1 time in total
Post Fri Feb 24, 2017 2:15 pm 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

CITY OF FLINT, MICHIGAN
Department of Law

Dr. Karen W. Weaver, Mayor
February 6, 2017

Trachelle C. Young,
Attorney at Law
2501 N. Saginaw Street
Flint, MI 48505
RE: City of Flint and Flint Police Department discontinuance of relationship
with PAL Corp., Inc.

Dear Attorney Young:
The City of Flint no longer desires to partner with PAL Corp., Inc. (“PAL”).
Since as early as August 2016, the relationship between the City of Flint
Police Department and PAL has drastically deteriorated.Activities have been
held at the Haskell Center, a City of Flint property that were contrary to the
goals of the City of Flint Police Department and PAL. On August 28, 2016,
PAL employee Mattie Thomas contacted Officer Willingham to come to
Haskell to get a party authorized by PAL under control. Ms. Thomas witnessed the consumption of beer, alcohol and marijuana on the premises
and marijuana possibly being sold at the facility and the adjacent parking
lot. Six-hundred dollars was collected for the party.

This type of activity by PAL Corp, Inc. is not sanctioned by the Flint Police
Department and the City of Flint and is not in accordance with the goals of PAL to benefit the youth. Although Officer Willingham is the designated
Juvenile Intervention Police Officer to serve as a primary liaison, officer
and director of the PAL programming, he was ostracized by PAL staff. Pal Staff denied Officer Willingham access to Haskell when a key was requested
for access to the facility after the doors and locks on the building were changed through the City of Flint maintenance department. Officer Willingham’s office is located in Haskell. This undermines his role and the collaborative relationship that is intended to exist between the Flint Police
Department and PAL. Chief Timothy Johnson is the Chief Law Enforcement
Officer for the City of Flint. Therefore Chief Johnson decides where to
deploy City of Flint Police Officers and assigned Officer Willingham to be
the designated officer for PAL. As a result of this lockout by PAL, PAL has
interfered with the Chief’s assignment of Officer Willingham, the Memorandum of Understanding, and the goals and mission of the program,
which is Police partnering with the community to help kids and families succeed.


Last edited by untanglingwebs on Fri Feb 24, 2017 3:42 pm; edited 1 time in total
Post Fri Feb 24, 2017 3:15 pm 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

Therefore effective immediately, Monday, February 6, 2017, the City of
Flint is discontinuing its relationship with PAL and will no longer serve as
it’s fiduciary. Therefore the City would ask that PAL do the following:
1. Submit its final payment request from activities conducted prior to
February 3, 2017, no later than March 1,2017.
2. Assume the debts incurred solely in the name PAL Corp, Inc.:
a. Food Bank of Eastern Michigan $5,600.00
b. Vision computer programming services $1,350.00
c. Cintas Corporation $1,168.00
d. Credit Card $1,005.00
3.Cease to use the word Police, Flint Police or any similar variation in its
name that would appears to provide the organization with any
endorsement from the Flint Police Department or the City of Flint.
4. Finally, the City will be making a demand for possession of the
premises and the return of any and all property belonging to the City
of Flint and Flint Police Athletic League.
Sincerely,

Angela Wheeler
Interim Chief Legal Officer
Post Fri Feb 24, 2017 3:41 pm 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

The Flint Beat | Facebook
www.facebook.com/The-Flint-Beat-1789006121265...

The Flint Beat. 34 likes. The Flint Beat is an online news hub for Flint, MI. Participants can express ideas, concerns and solutions to help a once...
Post Fri Feb 24, 2017 3:49 pm 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

Inside Genesee February 19, 2017, 3:35 pm
Reply

This is not the truth at all.pal money should only be for the kids not for salaries of over bloated city of Flint political scabs. Fake news fake news fake news fake news

Flint Beat February 19, 2017, 11:51 pm
Reply

It’s not fake news. An official press release was sent from Trachelle Young to the team at Flintbeat.com. We have talked to the city and they say they are working to revamp the PAL program. We should hear something from them later this week. As it stands, we do not know what the future of this particular community center is.
Post Fri Feb 24, 2017 3:58 pm 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

Flint Mayor Weaver supporters allege this story by Flint Beat is Fake news, however this new community media source reported both sides. Often community news sources are more in touch with local stories and develop a real bond and trusting relationship with the community. The traditional media has not even touched on this story. I sincerely hope the community would support Flint Beat.com.

Former city councilman, Matt Taylor is willing to help work on a solution to ensure the children of flint do not lose a valuable resource. Taylor has a long history of working with the community. He also worked with the Sugar Law Guild in fighting for "environmental justice" and opposed the reuse of toxic soil from the University Park housing project.
Post Fri Feb 24, 2017 4:13 pm 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

I can't believe the assertion that nonprofits don't hire staff. Having worked for nonprofits, volunteers are not qualified to perform all tasks. The key is how are these staff members hired.

The current PAL does stands for Police Activities league and was founded as a 501(C)3 by Flint Police Officer Jesse Carpenter.Carpenter was well known for securing grants and working to fix up the Haskill center'

The Flint ournl (Dominick Adams) reported on June 20, 2014 how the PAL program partnered with Crim fitness and received a $171,600 3 year grant from the Ruth Mott Foundation to work to work with children.
Post Fri Feb 24, 2017 4:29 pm 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

The PAL program sponsors two age groups in football teams. Two years in a row te 12& 13 year old team won the Football Championship Series (FCS) Last December the program raised $15,000 to transport 22 members of the team to Dallas. Texas where they received their Championship belt and individual rings. They were hoping to return a third time this year. The team raised money with a raffle and received funding from the United way of flint, Pastor Martez Warren of the Church Without walls and the New Orleans Saints running back and former Flint native Mark Ingram.

Officer Carpenter was replaced by Officer Brian Willingham as Director in April 11, 2016.
Post Fri Feb 24, 2017 4:46 pm 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

Battle brews over youth center on Flint's north side

Dominic Adams | dadams5@mlive.com
Print Email
Jiquanda Johnson | jjohns16@mlive.com By Jiquanda Johnson | jjohns16@mlive.com

on March 01, 2017 at 10:34 PM, updated March 01, 2017 at 10:36 PM


FLINT, MI -- The fate of a youth center on Flint's north side is still unknown as officials take their battle to court.

The Flint Police Activities League has been asked to leave Haskell Community Center on Forest Hill after the city and the program's board could not agree on how the program should be run.

Both say a program in that area is needed, but the center's future leadership may be left up to the legal system.


"There's a parting of the ways from the Police Activity League and the (Flint) Police Department for numerous reasons," said Flint Police Chief Tim Johnson. "The juvenile corrections officer was denied access to that building ... who is actually executive director of the Police Activities League. When that came to my attention, my first reaction was to send a locksmith over there and continue business."

Instead, Johnson said he consulted the city's legal department who advised him to let the courts handle the battle over the center.

The City of Flint is asking the board at Haskell Community Center to vacate the building and discontinue using the word "police" in their organization's name. They also allege the board has rented out the center without permission and are misusing funds.

"The city wants us shut down, period," said board President Trachelle Young. "They sent us a notice to quit. They wanted us out today. The board has made a decision that we will stand here and fight for these youth if nobody else will. We don't understand why the city is willing to abandon these kids. These are the kids who need this the most. The board has made a decision that we're not going to go without a fight because the kids deserve it."

Young said they have tried to use volunteers in the past but it didn't work. She said a budget for salaries was set under former Police Chief James Tolbert in the tune of $60,000 annually, which is currently spread among seven employees at the center. The highest salary is $500 per week.

"As you know, Flint Police Activities League is police and kids," said Johnson. "Every dollar that comes to that program is to pay for kids activities. The money wasn't being use for that. It was used to pay salaries and other things over there. I cannot have that."

The ongoing dispute started shortly after Johnson took his seat as head of Flint's Police Department in February 2016. Both Johnson and Young say it has been a contentious relationship.

The board received a letter from Flint's Interim Chief Legal Office, Angela Wheeler, dated Feb. 14 saying the city is ending its partnership and asking the board to be out of the building by March. 1.

"I attempted to discuss and work through these concerns by providing PAL Corp, Inc, with the schedule of activities as requested by PAL Corp, Incorporated's Executive Director," said the letter. "However, after you received the requested information, PAL Corp, Inc. still refused to provide access to Haskell, a City-owned building, unless the City agreed to sign a release of liability to PAL Corp., Inc. for the activities of Officer Willingham. Again changing the terms."

Wheeler went on to say she made a request for the key and was turned down by Young.

Young sent out a Feb. 17 press release addressing her concerns with the city's decision to sever ties with the PAL program, saying Johnson was bullying the board.

"A letter was served on the Chief and sent to the Mayor's office that included a complaint against the Chief for bullying and harassing PAL Corp. Inc. on December 19, 2016," wrote Young in the press release. "There was no response to this complaint. Since the appointment of Flint Police Chief Timothy Johnson, Flint PAL Corp. Inc. has been forced to deal with a plethora of issues, including but not limited to the Chief and the liaison officer completely disregarding the bylaws and policies provided and explained to them on multiple occasions."

The program is funded with Community Block Grant Funds through the Flint Police Department and serves an estimated 55 children per day. Board members say during the summer that number increases to 100 to 200 children per day for their summer programs. The program not only provides organized sports activities, but it has other program including mentoring, tutoring and food giveaways for needy families.

The program has been run out of the building at 2201 Forest Hill Avenue since 2009.

Despite the ongoing battle with PAL, Johnson said he has no intentions on shutting down the community center. He said he is looking to have his department take over the program at Haskell. Johnson has launched another PAL program in Flint in the old Hurley Fitness building on South Saginaw.

"We're not going anywhere," said Johnson. "I plan to have a state of the art PAL facility in this city. That is my goal. We are not going to abandon these kids."

Board member Mike Townsend said he understands that the program once ran only on volunteerism and police officers but he says things have changed.

"When he was a liaison officer, he came over but he had about six officers assigned from the department," said Townsend of Johnson's time assigned to PAL prior to his return to Flint as chief. "Also during that time, the officers had to live in the city of Flint. So, officers were more likely on their way home to stop by and do some volunteer time. That's no longer the rules now. Most of the officers are working 12-hour shifts now versus eight hours before. So you work a 12-hour shift and it's not on the way home so to come over here and give two hours of volunteer service, that's not happening. We understand that that's how it operated back then but this is 2017."

Townsend also serves as a member of the state appointed Receivership Transition Advisory Board, which must sign off on many of the decisions made by the city's elected leaders. He was appointed to that position in 2016 by Gov. Rick Snyder.

No matter what is decided in the end, some Flint parents say it would be a disservice to the community if the program leaves her neighborhood.

"They are very involved," said Laquisha Rankin of her two children who participate in the PAL program at Haskell. "I would be heartbroken (if the center closes). They would be heartbroken. They want to come every day, every single day. They help them out a lot in the summer too because (without the center) they don't have nowhere to go, nowhere."
Post Thu Mar 02, 2017 7:22 am 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

Who is paying the rent and cost of using the huge former Hurley Fitness building? Flint has the McKinley Center allegedly under construction that is vacant. It once housed homeless programs and has been vacant for some time.

Flint is the fiduciary of the Ruth Mott Foundation grant so is the City trying to assume control of the remainder of the grant?

Will the City of Flint attempt an illegal eviction by cutting off the utilities? Volunteers were once police officers according to Townsend. Before Jesse Carpenter incorporated, Mayor Williamson had youth programs and senior services in the building. City employees ran the programs.
Post Thu Mar 02, 2017 7:32 am 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

This issue has been going on for a month What took the Journal so long. Weaver supporters claim the program should have no paid employees. But these are the same people claiming volunteer Aonie Gilcreast should get get $120,000 a year. Another question should be is Gilcreast indemnified to act on behalf of the city?

Some are suggesting this is a political ploy by Weaver. She was losing the election until the north end precincts came in. Is she now willing to sacrifice some north end votes to build up her base in the south side if Walling runs again ? Is Berston, run by former councilman and now county commissioner Bryant (BB) Nolden, receiving city funding? Nolden, said to be related to Larry Noal White, was allegedly the person who met police officers at Piece of the Rock with the court order from Judge Farah to keep the venue open for a party sponsored by his group. This was after a 14 year old girl was stabbed at the facility during a previous function.

Or is Weaver attempting to discredit council members in those wards being affected? Too many actions that do not appear to be communicated with Council.

Weaver and her cohorts appear to be targeting any city asset, such as the Haskill Center and the two remaining senior centers, that employs Federal Block Grant dollars. Is there some plan not being disclosed that requires these federal funds?
Post Thu Mar 02, 2017 7:53 am 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

Local Police Activities League receives eviction notice
Posted: Mar 01, 2017 4:43 PM CST
Updated: Mar 02, 2017 6:25 PM CST
Posted By Brianna Owczarzak, Digital producer

By Rachel McCrary
Connect
By Samaia Hernandez


At-risk youth caught in middle of legal fight
02:01
Local Police Activities League receives eviction notice



FLINT, MI (WNEM) -

Police Activities Leagues bring officers and kids together through sports and school to build character, strengthen relations and keep kids out of trouble.

A local PAL is now being told their services are no longer needed.

The Flint PAL was given an eviction notice by the city to vacate the Haskell Community Center by March 1.

"Flint Police Activity League is police and kids period. That's what the program is all about," Flint Police Chief Timothy Johnson said.

PAL board member and attorney Traschelle Young recently sent out a press release accusing Johnson of bullying and harassing PAL Corp. Inc.

Johnson had a different version of why the center is closed.

"Every dollar that comes through that building for the program come to fund kids' activities. OK, or pay for the kids. And a lot of its donations and stuff like that. Well, the money wasn't being used for that. OK, it was going to pay for salaries and some other things over that that I could not allow to happen," Johnson said.

Since there is some litigation going on between PAL board members and the police department the Haskell Community Center will remain closed.

The Flint Police Department said they have not skipped a beat and will continue to run PAL.

Johnson said the league will be operating out of other buildings in the meantime.

"There is so many things that is not what PAL was set up to do. The foundation of what PAL is and that was to actually provide things for the youth in this community," Johnson said.

The police department opened up a new activities league on the south side of town, but they said they are not abandoning the one on the north side.

"It's fine that you want to open up other youth centers around the city, but there's no reason to close this one," said Trachelle Young, board president of the PAL organization.

The Haskell Community Center hosts about 55 kids a day for after school programs like music, gym and mentoring.

Young said the organization received $93,000 last year and used about $25,000 for supplies. The rest was used for salaries. She said a non-profit organization cannot run properly without some paid staff.

"We had a process during two years where we went with volunteers and it just did not work out well because they were not as dependable as we needed them to be when we're required to provide supervision for these youth," Young said.

Police said they intend to take back the program, but the board said it has plans to stay until at least 2021 as previously agreed upon with the city.

"PAL organization itself is still strong. It's going to stay strong. The programs are still being ran and we're running them out of different locations around the city. It didn't stop a beat and it's going to continue to operate," Johnson said.

Flint PAL has sought a temporary restraining order to prevent the city and Johnson from withholding funds designated for the organization's staff.

The matter will be discussed at a hearing on Friday.
Post Fri Mar 03, 2017 11:23 am 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

OPEN CASE REGISTER OF ACTIONS 03/03/17 PAGE 1
17-108675-AW JUDGE FARAH FILE 03/01/17
GENESEE COUNTY

P 001 FLINT PAL CORP INC,, VS D 001 CITY OF FLINT,,
1101 N SAGINAW ST
FLINT MI 48502
ATY:WHEELER,ANGELA
P-64079 810-766-7146

Actions, Judgments, Case Notes
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Num Date Judge Chg/Pty Event Description/Comments
---- -------- ---------- ------- ---------------------------------------------
1 03/01/17 FULLERTON SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT FILED
RECEIPT# 00445231 AMT $175.00
3 EMERGENCY EX PARTE MOTION
FOR TEMPORARY RESTRAINING
ORDER FILED
4 ORDER REASSIGING CASE
(LOA 2013-05) FILED
2 03/02/17 D 001 FROM: PRO-PER
TO: WHEELER,ANGELA N.,
5 FARAH CASE REASSIGNMENT
FROM: FULLERTON,JUDITH ANNE,
TO: FARAH,JOSEPH J.,
6 SET NEXT DATE FOR: 03/03/17 1:00 PM
MOTION HEARING
EXPEDITED HEARING ON TRO
(DC#4)
7 ORDER GRANTING PLTF'S EX PARTE
MOTION FOR A TEMPORARY
RESTRAINING ORDER & ORDER TO
SHOW CAUSE FILED
............................... END OF SUMMARY ..............................
Post Fri Mar 03, 2017 11:32 am 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

T

Dispute between City of Flint, PAL now resolved
http://www.abc12.com/content/news/Controversy-among-leaders-of-Police-Athletics-League-in-Flint--415153073.html
Dispute between City of Flint, PAL now resolved
Controversy among leaders of the Police Athletics League
By ABC12 News Team |
Posted: Wed 6:43 PM, Mar 01, 2017 |
Updated: Fri 12:31 PM, Mar 03, 2017

FLINT (WJRT) - UPDATE: (03/03/17) - A showdown between the City of Flint and a program to help at-risk children has been resolved.

The Haskell Community Center is where the Flint Police Athletic League held many of its activities for children.

The PAL had planned to take the city and the police chief to court Friday afternoon, but Friday morning, the city agreed to settle their differences.

Every year, dozens of kids rely on PAL for get-togethers and sports. The kids also can sit down with mentors and get advice for problems they are facing.

On Wednesday, Flint Police Chief Tim Johnson accused the PAL board of directors of mismanagement of funds.

Johnson says that when he was involved in PAL, all of the money designated for PAL went directly to the program and was used to buy equipment and T-shirts and to create programs for the kids, but he says he found out that some on the PAL staff are getting paid.

Trachelle Young, the PAL board president, says that is true. Board members don't get paid, but some staff do because it was found that volunteers don't show up as reliably as those who are paid.

The city gets money for the program through a federal grant administered by the city, but because the city was in disagreement with how the money was being spent, it withheld the funds.

That's when the PAL board decided to take the city to court and request a temporary restraining order, but around 11 a.m. Friday, Flint City Hall gave PAL the money it was seeking.

--

(03/01/17) - Flint's police chief and a well-known attorney are at odds over a police-led activities league for at-risk youth.

The Haskell Center on the north side of Flint is one of the only places for kids in the neighborhood to spend time. The Police Athletics League, better known as PAL, runs their activities out of there - until recently.

Police chief Tim Johnson says there's been a mismanagement of funds by the board of directors.

"I'm being called a bully. If I'm going to be bullying, it will be that I'm not going to take money from the kids to pay salaries. I'm not going to do it. I believe in the program and we need that program," Johnson said.

While Johnson was already looking into the spending, he says the officer who runs the program was literally locked out of the building, which is a city-owned building.

He's blaming board president, Trachelle Young. He says they're not supposed to use the money for salaries.

The city gets the money for the program through a federal grant than allocates it to the PAL board. He says the city is now pulling the funding from the PAL board.

On the other side, Young says that no board member was ever getting paid. She says they all volunteer their time.

She's says if the city pulls funding that it will shut down the Haskell center.

Young says according to a formal letter from the city, she and anyone else associated with the board have to be out Wednesday.

"They wanted us out today. The board has made a decision that we will stand here and fight for the youth. We don't know why the city is willing to abandon these kids and these are the kids that need this the most," Young said.

Johnson says right now, they're using a gym and facility further south, closer to downtown Flint. It's owned by a private company who has offered use of the gym. The company has also offered to donate money to the group.

It's unclear at this point what will happen to the Haskell Center.
Post Fri Mar 03, 2017 5:02 pm 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

Is it over or is Chief Johnson and the Board going to still be at odds? When Johnson was a liason officer with the program, there was up to 6 officers assigned to help with the program. Larger cities use their funding for salaries.

Flint Pal is on Facebook.
Post Fri Mar 03, 2017 5:05 pm 
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