Importance: High
Update ill.
I have “brightened” the closing paragraph.
Eric Cline ( Unit Operations Specialist - Office of Fiscal Responsibility
State of Michigan | Michigan Department of Treasury
430 W. Allegan Street, 3rd Floor | Lansing, MI 48922
(517) 335-2078 |
[email protected]
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail, and any attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain information that Is
confidential and protected from disclosure under the law. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure, or distribution is prohibited. if you are not the
intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail, and delete/destroy all copies of the original message and attachments Thank you.
xxxEND_PAGE:treasury01_b05_0504_0560_11
72 (Rev 11-13)
STATE OF MICHIGAN
RICK SNYDER DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY R. KEVIN CLINTON
GOVERNOR LANSING STATE TREASURER
Bullet Points — City of Flint
Recent developments within the City of Flint have been reviewed. A number of positive changes
continue or are planned to be occurring in the City. These accomplishments are identified as:
>» Darnell Early has become Flint’s new Emergency Manager, taking over for Mike Brown in
early October.
> Four new members were elected to the Flint City Council in November.
> On Saturday, December 14, 2013, the Michigan Municipal League will be conducting a
training session for all Flint City Council members. This training is to help facilitate and
prepare City officials for a transition back to local control.
> A 21-member Blue Ribbon Commission, consisting of stakeholders, residents, and business
and civic leaders, has been appointed to study the City’s governance methods and make
recommendations to improvements once local control is restored.
> The City has adopted its first new Master Plan since 1960. This plan will help address the
City’s urban blight, the allocation of resources to raze derelict properties and help improve
residents’ overall quality of life.
> James Tolbert has been appointed the new City Police Chief.
>» Violent crime has been reduced by 30% from one year ago.
>» Construction has begun on the Karegnondi Water Authority pipeline, which will provide
new, reliable drinking water to City residents at a lower cost.
> The Emergency Manager has ordered an outside party to review the City’s water rates for the
first time in over ten years.
> The City is partnering with the State of Michigan, the Michigan State Housing Development
Authority (MSHDA), the U.S. Department of Treasury, the Genesee County Land Bank and
neighborhood leaders to implement a $20.1 million initiative to help demolish more than
1,600 vacant and foreclosed residential properties. This is the largest residential blight
removal project in the City’s history.
>» The Genesee Towers, the tallest building in the City, is scheduled for demolition on
December 22, 2013 after being vacant since 2001 and condemned in 2004.
430 WEST ALLEGAN STREET « LANSING, MICHIGAN 48922
www michigan govitreasury e (517) 373-3200
xxxEND_PAGE:treasury01_b05_0504_0560_12
Page 2
> The City’s GM Assembly Plant is moving forward with an 850,000 square foot paint shop
expansion, which will add or retain 150 jobs.
> The financial planning company Oliver LaGore VanValin Investment Group will be
relocating into the City, moving into the historic Durant Building.
> The City’s abandoned Buick City facility will sce its first new activity in over ten years when
American Cast Iron Pipe launches a new production operation at the facility, which will
create at least 50 jobs.
> The City has received its first application for the development of a commercial district
in over a decade. The Universal Group plans on relocating Universal EMS and a home
health care company to Flint and expanding its operations as the headquarters for five
additional Universal companies.
Unfortunately, the City of Flint remains burdened by a significant accumulated deficit, which
city officials are working to eliminate, very high retiree legacy costs, reduced grant revenues,
and hundreds of millions of dollars in unmet capital infrastructure needs. Despite this, the City
continues to make progress on multiple fronts. The City’s accumulated deficit has been reduced