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00SL2
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Deal results in chance for state, federal grants
FLINT
THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
By Marjory Raymer
FLINT - The City Council and administration negotiated. Successfully.
The dueling sides made a small, but significant, compromise that will allow the city to apply for $14 million in grants to pave streets and raze abandoned homes.
The application for the state and federal funding had been held in limbo - and at risk of being lost entirely, administrators said - because of the ongoing dispute over the 2007-08 fiscal year budget, which started July 1.
The administration claims there is a budget, while most City Council members argue there is no budget in place because they believe it did not receive proper council approval.
Because of the conflict, the council has refused to approve any items relating to the 2007-08 budget, including all expenditures and the disputed grant applications.
Using a little bit of old-fashioned give-and-take, the council approved the grants Monday in exchange for the city attorney naming an independent attorney to give an opinion on whether or not a budget has been adopted - a request the City Council first made in June.
"We're pleased that Flint is not going to lose the money and that the council did, indeed, make the right decision in doing that," mayoral aide Joe Conroy said. "And we hope to move on in a positive way."
Councilman Jim Ananich, chairman of the Finance Committee, along with Council President Darryl Buchanan and Councilwoman Sandy Hill negotiated the deal with Mayor Don Williamson and other city officials.
"The grants are important to the city," said Councilman Scott Kincaid, who helped usher the budget items through for approval Monday. "It wouldn't have happened if it weren't for Jim (Ananich)."
In all, the City Council approved 10 items, several of which were grant applications. Other items approved included the Downtown Development Authority budget and expenses from the 2006-07 budget.
The fighting isn't over, however. About 50 other items before the City Council were rejected on a 4-4 vote, split clearly along lines of members' support for or opposition to Williamson.
Ananich was on vacation and absent from the meeting.
The city hired attorney Paul F. Novak of the law firm Clark Hill for $110 an hour to render an opinion on the status of the city's budget. The cost is not to exceed $10,000.
Council members unanimously requested such an opinion in June and the money will be charged to last year's budget, Kincaid said.
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Attorney upholds mayor on budget
FLINT
THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Journal Staff Writer
FLINT - An independent attorney hired by the Flint City Council largely sided with Mayor Don Williamson in the city's long-standing budget dispute.
Attorney Paul Novak told City Council members in a special meeting on the issue Wednesday that Williamson did have the ability to issue a partial, or line-item, veto of the 2007-08 budget approved by the council.
A majority of City Council members had disagreed because mayors historically have vetoed the entire budget.
Novak, however, did find some fault with Williamson.
In his opinion Novak said Williamson could accept the council-approved budget or veto it so it returned to his original recommendation. In some instances, however, Williamson vetoed the City Council's recommendation but then tried to adjust the funding to a different amount than he had originally proposed.
Novak also said the funds could revert to zero.
Ultimately, Novak said, the city has a partial budget in place, but items Williamson improperly vetoed need to be renegotiated.
The budget dispute has been a major issue.
A majority of City Council had refused to approve most spending from the budget because of the dispute. The city has operated using emergency purchases approved by the administration to circumvent the need for Council approval.
One major point of contention was over the form of the budget. The council adopted a line-item budget with strict spending limits, but Williamson changed the adopted budget back to a more general budget with spending categories that allowed flexibility in how dollars are spent.
Mayoral aide Joe Conroy said he was pleased the attorney's opinion recognized that there was a budget in place.
"The mayor fought for it and won," he said. "A line-item budget, we just could not have that."
Councilman Jim Ananich, chairman of the Finance Committee, said the opinion offers a compromise between the administration and the council, and he hopes the mayor will "come back to the table" to resolve disputes over the budget.
But Councilman Scott Kincaid maintains the mayor is still spending money illegally since a budget isn't completely in place.
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Thu Nov 01, 2007 7:39 pm |
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last time here
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sounds like the mayor was right.   |
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Thu Nov 01, 2007 7:46 pm |
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bigkfly
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Thu Nov 01, 2007 10:22 pm |
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last time here
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no thanks man..i've made my decision.  |
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Fri Nov 02, 2007 11:31 am |
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Rushmoore
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Williamson lost the city 1.4 million in federal grants ( this year, much more the last two)
Council delayed the acceptance of a grant.
These things are not equal nor even close enough to make an issue, especially in light of the fact that even OWNING 5 of the council seats via direct purchase Williamson still could not work with them. If he owned them all as well as Buchanon and Nelson he might be able to function since they may as well stamp his name on their foreheads. |
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Fri Nov 02, 2007 1:47 pm |
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last time here
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and walling hasn't allowed his forehead to be tattooed with
every party democrat? |
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Fri Nov 02, 2007 7:51 pm |
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BlahBlah48439
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| the Mayor is right, ALWAYS! |
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Fri Nov 02, 2007 8:15 pm |
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