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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Today's Flint Journal headline story is about how the man who sexually molested his six monthold baby never fit in because his father was a rapist and attempted murderer. This story has dominated the media for days andI really don't care about his childhood and I have no sympathy for Hall. Then they focus about 3/4 of a page further back in the Journal to this story. I have seen enough of this story and turn off the channel when it comes on. Too much and too late. I found very little in todays paper that was of interest to me.
Meanwhile, the Seventh Ward is furious that their story about their meeting with Brown never made the print media. I guess it wasn't titilating enough. The Seventh Ward has, in my opinion, some legitimate concerns about the lack of transparency in the Brown administration. Several have told me they are following the Detroit stories about the lack of transparency in the review process and the success of a local activist in the court room regarding transparency. They want the same lawsuits here.
On Tuesday, February 7th, Kristin Longley put an on-line version of the 7th Ward meeting with Emergency Manager Mike Brown entitled "Crime, City Finances, transparency dominate Flint emergency manager public meeting."
A small number of papers were delivered to the Brennan Center where anger reigned when their story did not appear. It is not in today's paper either. I also heard from angry residents who went out to buy the paper and were disgusted when the story was not there. i made copies of the on-line version for some seniors. |
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Fri Feb 10, 2012 8:14 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Citizens were also outraged that Brown said there was no money for more police when the $1.2 million COP's grant from the department of Justice has gone unimplemented.
from Kristin Longley's on-line story:
Flint resident Eric mays and several other audience members voiced their concerns about a lack of transparency as Brown makes decisions about the future of the city. Mays called on Brown to make his committee meeetings public.
"If all of this work is being done in committees, and you gonna be transparent and allow input..will you publish the committees and will you give access to those committees so we can work within those committees?" Mays said.
Another resident asked what avenue Flint citizens have to challenge Brown's decisions. Under state law, locally elected officials lose their authority when an emergency manager is appointed by the governor.
Brown said several times during the meeting that he intends to seek public input on major decisions." |
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Fri Feb 10, 2012 8:24 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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In the meantime Brown brags about his 50 community members that sit on committees and refuses to name them. He reluctantly named the five committee chairs.
The community lacks the ability to determine if these community members truly represent them or if they only represent special interests such as the Uptown Reinvestment and other local investors. I am told that several are members of Brown's own non-profit he formed when he left as interim Mayor.
This issue will not go away and will get louder as the courts in Detroit are rulng in favor of more transparency in the review process and a lawsuit is pending over the council meeting in secret with the review team.
In my opinion Flint needed an Emergency Manager, but I agree with a number of residents that Brown is the wrong man. |
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Fri Feb 10, 2012 8:30 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Huffington Post-Detroit
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UPDATE: Feb. 6 -- The Detroit News reported Ingham County Circuit Judge denied issuing an opinion on Feb. 2 ordering Detroit's Emergency Manager Review Board to hold open meetings.
According to the Detroit News, a meeting between two attorneys and the judge was accidentally reported as a ruling.
Ingham County Circuit Court Chief Judge William Collete ruled Thursday that Michigan's emergency manager financial review boards must open their meetings to the public
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The ruling is a response to a legal challenge filed by Highland Park School board member and AFSCME Council 25 representative Robert Davis against Treasurer Andy Dillon and Gov. Rick Snyder over the closed-door process of the state-appointed financial review team that is currently examining Detroit's finances.
The suit claims the review board has violated Michigan's Open Meetings Act of 1976, which requires public bodies to conduct nearly all business at open meetings.
Davis also filed suit this week against the appointment of Highland Park Schools Emergency Manager Jack Martin, the Detroit Free Press reports.
Dillon has argued the closed meetings are legal.
"Under Public Act 4 the meetings that we hold are confidential and we're not subject to the Open Meetings Act," he said Jan. 10, during the public introduction Detroit's review board.
Those who oppose the emergency manager legislation have been vocal critics of the closed-door meetings.
Brandon Jessup, chairman and CEO of Michigan Forward, a group sponsoring a petition to freeze the emergency manager law, criticized the lack of transparency allowed under Public Act 4 in a recent press statement.
"The exclusion of community members severely discredits the 'early warning' theory often used by Michigan's Chief Executive [Snyder]," Jessup said. "Public Act 4 provides a blank check to special interests focused on selling public assets, eliminating public contracts and dissolving Democracy."
Judge Collete will make a final decision on the case early next week, Channel 7 reports.
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Fri Feb 10, 2012 8:51 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Crain's Detroit
STAFF BLOGS
Nancy Kaffer
Small Biz, Big City
Originally Published: January 10, 2012 11:34 AM Modified: January 12, 2012 10:56 AM
Transparency: I do not think it means what you think it means.
In an effort to be transparent, Detroit Mayor Dave Bing announced in November that he's been taking a salary. Since July.
In pursuit of transparency, Bing told reporters last week, he decided to release an Ernst & Young cash-flow statement that showed the city would run out of money in April.
Bing did eventually post the report on the city's website... after the report had been leaked to so many people outside of city hall that an official release was all but moot. Initially Bing refused to release it.
In another boldly transparent move, Bing's office announced that Communications Director Stephen Serkaian was resigning after just three months on the job.
Of course, that statement was issued at 5:51 p.m. on Friday evening — a virtual news dead zone — less than two hours after a last-minute, Serkaian-led press conference, at which, attendees tell me, no mention was made that Serkaian's departure was imminent.
Lake Superior State University publishes an annual list of words that are so overused they should be banned for the next year. I feel like "transparency" should be on it.
Transparency has been a focal point of Gov. Rick Snyder's revamping of state government. Cities, counties and school districts now all have "dashboards" showing a snapshot of the unit of government's finances. Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano hopes that a new era of transparency, pledged by his new executive team, will wipe away the stain that's developed around his administration. Dave Bing told reporters last week that he wants "total transparency."
There are a few problems with this.
A pledge to increase transparency seems to mean that the government entity in question plans to answer reporters' questions promptly.
But in general, no matter what elected leaders say about transparency, business seems to continue as usual. For most politicians, that means sharing information when it's in their best interest, and clamming up when it's not.
It's arguable that one reason Detroit is in its current situation — roughly $200 million deficit, billions in debt, state takeover imminent — is because the city's leaders weren't transparent, or for that matter honest, about Detroit's financial situation, relying on short-term borrowing to avoid making the deep structural changes necessary to bring the city's expenses in line with revenues.
But transparency, with regard to basic financial information, doesn't have much value, absent context. Data don't provide citizens answers to their most basic questions: Is government serving my needs? Am I getting a good return on my tax dollar? Is this a good place to live?
In terms of helping citizens answer those questions, providing basic, accurate information in a timely fashion -- to residents or reporters -- is just the first step. But it'd be a good place to start.
(For a much longer, thinkier take on the value transparency in government than I am able to provide, check out this excellent piece from 2009 in The New Republic by Lawrence Lessig.) |
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Fri Feb 10, 2012 8:57 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Judge: State financial reviews must obey open meetings law
February 7, 2012 |
By Dawson Bell
Detroit Free Press Lansing Bureau
MASON -- The emergency review team examining Detroit's finances, as a possible prelude to appointment of an emergency manager by Gov. Rick Snyder, must hold meetings in public, an Ingham County judge ruled Monday.
Ingham County Circuit Judge William Collette said the review team has considerable authority and fits the definition of a public body subject to Michigan's Open Meetings Act.
Highland Park school board member Robert Davis, who filed the challenge, called Collette's ruling "a monumental decision," and predicted it could have far-reaching impact.
Davis said he and his attorney will ask Collette at a hearing next week to invalidate all of the actions taken by review teams for the City of Detroit and Highland Park schools.
A spokesman for the Snyder administration said Collette's ruling could have "a possible chilling effect."
The Department of Treasury's "position, for more than 20 years, has been that a review team is not a public body," spokesman Terry Stanton said.
But Collette's order, he said, "does not stop the review process. It simply means that review team meetings must be open, unless or until the court rules otherwise."
Stanton said the decision is under review.
It was not immediately clear how the decision would affect the Detroit team, or whether the 10-member group has held formal meetings since an organizational session early last month in Lansing. But Davis' attorney Andrew Paterson said team members have met in small groups with members of the Detroit City Council and other city officials, and that those sessions also would be subject now to the open meetings law.
Robin Herrmann, attorney for the Michigan Press Association, said the law is designed to give the public access to government "deliberation and decision-making." It is usually applied to legislative and administrative agencies but can apply to bodies that "exercise authority or perform a government function," she said.
Under the emergency manager law, the team must assess the condition of the local government and recommend to the governor whether an emergency manager is needed. The governor is not bound by the recommendation.
In a statement, Detroit Mayor Dave Bing said: "We have always been open and transparent about the finances of the City of Detroit. From our perspective, we do not anticipate any change as to our participation in the financial review process."
Contact Dawson Bell: 517-372-8661 or dbell@freepress.com |
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Fri Feb 10, 2012 9:06 am |
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JCARPENTER
F L I N T O I D
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| Like most (not all) politicians Mike Brown lacks the intellegence,the methodology and the experience to preform the job to which they have been elected or in this case granted. When your use to making back room deals with the Mott Foundation,the Genesee Chamber and the Uptown group its hard, make that impossible, to be transparent with us tax payers. Let me share with all of you just four examples of what I mean.#1 Brown gave the army reserve property a($500,000 value) to Mott for $1.00. #2 Brown transfered Chevy in the whole property from Flints own DDA to Genesee land bank #3 Brown gave Prima Civitas $100,000 to tell him what to do when he was crowned mayor and now he runs Prima Civitas#4 brown endorses the Uptown groups moving of the Flint Journal into one of their own buildings (Rowe Bldg) with $2.8 million Mott grant and put MSU medical school in the journal bldg with Bill Whites son as the developer. I think the school should go in Genesee Towers or are we going to let it decay until we can justify giving it to Mott. What do you think Flint???????????? |
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Fri Feb 10, 2012 10:03 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Terry Bankert on FACEBOOK
We watched the FLINT EMERGENCY MANAGER sales pitch at Hurley Hospital 5TH WARD MEETING last night.Mr. Brown the foil takes the heat as a diversion.He PITCHED the Genesee Regional Chamber of Commerce as the solution to our jobs problem...nuts to that..Brown will tell us nothing until the deal us done.He is there to listen but yet no notes are taken no action followwed through..Do not be angry at him.Be angry at Dayne Walling Flint Mayor and Flint City Council that brought him here.Walling is obviously being protected by the economic interest, Genesee Regional Chamber of Commerce, Uptown investment, Phil Shaltz and Bill White now running the city/county.The real power in the room last night was Phil Schaltz.We are being plundered.Lets change the deal after Brown leaves with charter revision and challenge him with the few tools we have,foia,open meetings, our presence,written word and voice.Join the resistance Sat.10am meeting on charter revision and manager accountability.1000 Beach St.at Bankert Law Office.Its time to act. Spread the word and bring a friend. |
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Sun Feb 12, 2012 5:22 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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| Terry is right-There was a better candidate for the position. He was probably axed because the downtown group and MOTT wanted Brown. |
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Sun Feb 12, 2012 5:24 am |
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Adam
F L I N T O I D
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Sun Feb 12, 2012 4:33 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Caught part of the Hurley meeting on Comcast 17 Public Access. Thank you Ms Tune!
No wonder Brown doesn't want media coverage of these meetings. He was challenged on all fronts, especially on his lack of transparency and no plans for more police.
Issues:
The City tells us they need citizen involvement to deal with crime, but when we call there is no police to send. Just what kind of citizen involvement do you want? Another resident from Metawauneenee Hills called her area a battlefield and wants more police help.
No real response except to communicate with COPs officers and wait to see what help the governor offers.
Where is the transparency, especially with these community groups you keep touting? How were these people picked and who are they?
Response: contact dawn Jones if you want to be on a committee.
Why was the least experienced council person, Delrico Loyd, selected for your advisory group and what about our better educated and more experienced council represenatives?
Response: There are three subcommittees and each have the mayor
and three council members.
Most questions were answered with the same response. We have a $21 million dollar deficit. The state has a mechanism for when communities like Flint get to where they can't pay their bills. The Emergency manager needs to get the job done fast.
The Genesee Regional Chamber of Commerce is instrumental in brinhging in economic development and jobs. (response to former councilman Matt Taylor)
Brown gave the impression he is waiting on the governor to improve Flint safety.
Tracy Atkinson claimed she was waiting for a response from HUD re Homes in the University corridor as a response to Tim Monahan. last time I looked this ws a high poverty area.
Also Atkinson got caught in a lie last time she used that story in the investigative hearings.
Is it any wonder people are mistrustful of this State administrator.
The Flint Journal is dependent upon the downtown groups to buy their two building and they are renting downtown.
WHY BUY THE JOURNAL AS THEY SEEM TO BE ONLY REPORTING IN THEMED ISSUES AND NOT LOCAL NEWS? WE HAD THE SEX PREDATOR THEME AND TODAY WE HAVE THE TEXTING WHILE DRIVING ISSUE. EVERYONE I TALK TO SAYS WHY BOTHER BUYING THE PAPER WHEN WE CAN'T GET ANY LOCAL NEWS.
EVEN THE MEDIA HAS QUIT COVERING LOCAL FLINT NEWS. I ONLY WATCH THE FIRST 10 MINUTES AND IF THE LEAD STORY IS SOMETHING STUPID OR THEY ONLY PROMO STORIES NORTH OF HERE I SWITCH TO MSNBC OR CNN.
iS IT TOO MUCH TO ASK FOR SOMEONE TO GIVE US THE LOCAL NEWS? |
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Sun Feb 12, 2012 4:57 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Rep. Stanley to Host Coffee Hours on Monday, Feb. 20
State Representative Woodrow Stanley (D-Flint) invites community members to his regular coffee hours, which give residents the opportunity to present questions, concerns and ideas to Rep. Stanley in an informal setting. This event gives residents the opportunity to hear about new and relevant topics affecting the district. Important business must be addressed by the Legislature in the coming months, so it is crucial that Rep. Stanley stays in touch with those he represents. Rep. Stanley recently has argued for using the state’s budget surplus for improving job training and K-12 education. This event is free and open to the public.
WHO: State Representative Woodrow Stanley (D-Flint)
WHERE: Golden Gate Restaurant
G3105 Flushing Road
Flint
WHEN: Monday, Feb. 20, from 9-11 a.m.
Sincerely, |
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Wed Feb 15, 2012 8:37 am |
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westflint
F L I N T O I D
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Amen, on the news not reporting what is really going on in Flint. I quit getting the paper for this reason. I feel not reporting the truth about what is going on here, is minimizing the proplems here. Moreover, It minimizes the horrible crimes that are happening here. I learn more about what's happening in this city by talking to my neighbors and by going to the neighborhood watch. Another elderly neighbor of mine was robbed at gunpoint in her home. A old man that walked his dogs past my house was attacked while walking his dogs. His leg was broke and he had to crawl home while dragging his dogs. Why is there no outrage?? So many of the victims of crime have lived all there lives in Flint, and, thus, put money in this town and help build it. So many of the "oldtimers" are moving out of this city, not because they want to, but because they fear for there safty.  |
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Wed Feb 15, 2012 9:18 am |
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Dave Starr
F L I N T O I D
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I heard on the news at noon that Dawn Jones is now the Public Information Officer. If we can afford a PIO, maybe things aren't as bad as reported.
There IS transparency - we can see right through them.  |
_________________
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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Wed Feb 15, 2012 12:56 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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residents complained about conflicts of interest with the Brown administration so voila-The supplemental Conflict of Interest police disappears from Brown's list of resolutions. It was his second resolution.
I and others believe this supplemental conflict of interest policy was to cover the City in the Department of Energy grant and probabbly dealt with the concerns of Eason in the grant.
That is not going to fly in Brown's latest actions. It only proves he knows that Federal law supercedes state law and he can't run amok with these federal funds. Why he choses to gnore these federal rules is beyond me as he ran this department, albeit in the 80's, so he should know better.
Brown was transparent when he told Herb Cleaves at Haskell that he gave the Genesee regional Chamber of Commerce $45,000 and that was $5,000 short of the $50,000 limit imposed upon him by the state . But he flat ignored Cleaves, who coorectly asked him if he had obtained a conflict of interest waiver from HUD. Brown sidestepped the issue when Cleaves brought up the relationships between Brown and the Chamber and with Duane Miller. |
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Sat Feb 18, 2012 8:17 am |
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