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Topic: Flint City council and "due diligence"

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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

One of the most important functions of the Flint City Council is to review and adopt the budget for the City of Flint. City Council is vested with legislative powers and all duties as assigned by state law or city charter.

Council is also vested by charter with the authority to make investigations into the affairs of the City and the conduct of any city agency. All records of Council business and copies of law and official documents regulating the conduct of the City business are available, at cost, to the public.
Post Sun Mar 12, 2017 4:26 pm 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

Being elected th the Office of Mayor is not a Coronation. I listened to the three talk shows on WFNT and was appalled that people who have attended council for years, and some who ran for that office, have very little understanding of how municipal government works or they are distorting that knowledge to their own purposes.

Past practices, the charter,ordinances and state law count. Except for when the city was under an Emergency Manager, council has responsibility for all things financial and budgetary. The leadership designates meet with the administration because more council members would violate the "Open Meetings Act." Previous Mayors established regular meetings in order to keep council abreast of what is happening in the city.

There are more considerations to receiving grant funds than Wow we got free money.

Council is required to take a risk based approach to any grant in order to determine if there are any potential problem areas in either the financing or administration of the grant.
Post Sun Mar 12, 2017 4:50 pm 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

I have seen how in the past, prior approval of the council was sought before a grant was even applied for. Then staff from the department administering the grant reported on the specifics of the grant application. Any financial implications were discussed, as well as staffing requirements, and potential compliance issues.

Weaver is hardly the first mayor to suffer having a resolution postponed for lack of discussion. Council must do their due diligence and they are not any mayor's rubber stamp.

Council needs to know the department has the ability to complete the project and that there is a system in place to monitor grant expenditures and to ensure they are consistent with the terms of the grant.
Post Sun Mar 12, 2017 5:06 pm 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

Skillman Foundation Detroit

How We Work

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Partner With Us
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Grantseekers
types of funding
GRANTS

A significant portion of our funding is done through traditional grantmaking. Grant-seeking organizations must have the ability to make meaningful social impact coupled with solid financial and operational practices. Investments will benefit Detroit children directly, improving their educational and economic outcomes.
PRIS

Program-related investments, like grants, are IRS-approved charitable expenditures that foundations can use to achieve their programmatic goals. Unlike grants, PRIs have below-market rates of return and are meant to be repaid. This allows the Foundation to recycle the funds and achieve greater impact over time with those dollars. PRIs must meet the same charitable purpose tests as grants.

To learn more about PRI funding, click here.
what we fund

The Foundation has annual grant budgets of $15-$17 million. Our funding supports quality education and economic opportunities for Detroit children, and equitable civic action that champions our city's youth.

The Foundation generally awards one-year grants that range from $20,000 to $200,000. Multi-year grants are awarded on a case-by-case basis in special situations. Multi-year grants may only be submitted at the invitation of a program officer.
who can apply

Skillman Foundation grant partners must:

Be a nonprofit 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization and provide your tax id (EIN) number or be a government or public agency (city, county, state, public school district).
Be a publicly supported charity as defined in Section 509(a) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Have total revenues of at least $100,000 for your preceding fiscal year and be able to provide a copy of a current financial audit conducted by an independent certified public accountant.
In policy and practice, offer opportunity and service to all, regardless of age, race, creed, gender, religion, disability, sexual orientation and ethnicity.

who cannot apply

The Foundation does not make grants to:

Individuals
For-profit institutions
Endowments, building campaigns, or capital costs, including construction, renovation, or equipment
Political campaigns, to support political activities or to lobby for or against particular pieces of legislation
Award scholarships or provide tuition assistance

when to apply

New grant inquiries should be submitted approximately two months in advance of Trustee meeting dates. The Skillman Foundation Board meets in March, June, September and December.
- See more at: http://www.skillman.org/How-We-Work/Partner-with-Us/Types-of-Funding/Grantseekers#sthash.Dqmj1X4G.dpuf
Post Sun Mar 12, 2017 6:33 pm 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

The current issue arose over the Cit obtaining a grant from the Skillman Foundation, the first grant issued outside of Detroit.

It appears a representative of the Skillman Foundation met with council president and Sylvester Jones sometime in December. However, that does not mean the administration does not have to maintain communication with the council. The mayor's staff could have provided the information early and provided a staff member to answer questions. Council has consistently turned down proposals sprung on them in haste. Mayors of both races have had to regroup to get hastily put together resolutions passed.

For a respected pastor to go on the radio and announce the council is racist because the are doing their due diligence is reprehensible. It is obvious this pastor has an investment in Mayor Weaver because both he and his wife contributed thousands to her campaign.
Post Sun Mar 12, 2017 6:59 pm 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

This pastor cited problems existing every since former Mayor Woodrow stanley was recalled. Must be the "stench of racism" cited by Stanley. Many pastors and one judge openly fought against the recall and failed. '

Since the Stanley recall, there has been one interim Mayor, Darnell Earley, three white mayors and Weaver. There were no recall efforts against Rutherford, but he was mostly under the control of an EM. Recalls were attempted of both Walling and Williamson. That means recalls were not along racial lines.

Comments about council asking if the grant was another backdoor hiring for Gilcreast demonstrates the line of communication between the two branches of municipal government is shaky at best. The pastor then indicated the council needed to approve the hiring of Weaver's advisor because he steered her governance in the right way..
Post Sun Mar 12, 2017 7:24 pm 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

It appears some pastors are no longer pleased to be a form of "shadow government" for the City and are "preaching to the choir" of their base of public opinion. Comments that the Mayor has a tough time with the "Republican Council" and stating council is aiding and abetting the recall against Weaver is not productive,And blaming council for st"standing in the way of progress" and demanding it stop takes away the responsibility of the Mayor to communicate. Both sides need to watch their language and not fan the flames.

Citizens complain to council that the mayor's office does not answer the phones and answering devices are full. I have heard the same complaints and have been told that Steve Branch is the only person in the administration that returns call. On the radio show, there was the comment that City hall did not have enough staff to take calls. Weaver has created at least one new position and that position could have paid for at least 2 support staff. The public isn't buying the explanation that they are unable to reach city hall.
Post Sun Mar 12, 2017 7:45 pm 
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