FLINT (WJRT) -
(02/12/12) - It's back to business for the Flint City Council. On Monday, the council will have its first meeting since Emergency Manager Mike Brown took over late last year.
Brown has been leading the city of Flint since November.
"I believe we're on the right track," said Chester Claxton, a city resident.
But not everyone is so sure. Some say it's too soon to pass judgement. "It's a possibility. I can't say right now, it's a possibility," said Victor Phifer, a Flint resident.
Monday, city councilors and city residents will get a progress report from the Emergency Manager, who submitted his 45 day plan to the state in January.
"He's done a lot of evaluating, which is the right thing to do," said City Council President Scott Kincaid.
Brown's initial evaluation shows Flint is $11.3 million in the red. As a result, Kincaid says expect some tough decisions in the coming months. "I haven't seen any changes in any of the union contracts. I haven't heard any definite plans for the golf courses for this year, which run in a deficit. I haven't heard about waste collection, which runs in a deficit. Of course we're concerned about police."
Some Flint church-goers believe quality of life issues, like more police officers and more jobs, go hand in hand with the city's economic recovery.
"We got a lot of talent in Flint, you know and if we can just put some more jobs in here, and clean up the city a little bit, you know this would be a nice place to live," Phifer said.
Claxton looks forward to hearing more from Brown, who he believes has the right attitude. "Not about politics, not about what happened in the past, not about what mayor did what. But come in with a pure heart for our residents, so that our residents can have a voice."
Monday night's meeting starts at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall.
