The City of Flint has operated under at least four charters (1855,[1] 1888,[2] 1929, 1974[3]). The City is currently run under its 2017 [4] charter that gives the city a Strong Mayor form of government. It is also instituted the appointed independent office of Ombudsman, while the city clerk is solely appointed by the City Council. The City Council is composed of members elected from the city's nine wards.[3]
The city was under the supervision of a state-appointed Receivership Transition Advisory Board from 2015 to January 2019.[5] The Receivership Transition Advisory Board had to review and rule on all financial matters approved by the city council and mayor.
In June 2018, an Administrative Hearings Bureau, or Blight Hearings Bureau, was started through a grant to handle blight hearings generated from blight citations given by the city's Blight Elimination Division. Attorney T.W. Feaster was appointed the first administrative hearing officer of the bureau.[6] There were a backlog since 2013 of about 7,000 complaints.[7]
Other principal officers
edit- See Also Mayor of the City of Flint, Michigan
| Year | Recorders | Treasurers | Marshals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1855 | Levi Walker | Elihu F. Frary | Cornelius Roosevelt |
| 1856 | Chas. B. Higgins | John C. Griswold | Joshua Vose |
| 1857 | M.L. Higgins | George F. Hood | Nathaniel Dodge |
| 1858 | Charles Hascall | Cyrus H. Golf | |
| 1859 | |||
| 1860 | Lewis G. Bickford | John A. Kline | George Andrews |
| 1861 | L.R. Buckingham | J.A. Owens | |
| 1862 | Julius Brouseau | ||
| 1863 | H. R. Lovell | Anson S. Withee | J.D. Morehouse |
| 1864 | Alvin T. Crossman | L.G. Buckingham | |
| 1865 | J.D. Morehouse | ||
| 1866 | William W. Barnes | ||
| 1867 | George R. Gold | John S. Freeman | |
| 1868 | |||
| 1869 | Anson S. Withee | William A. Miller | |
| 1870 | |||
| 1871 | Chas. E. McAlester | Samuel B. Wicks | |
| 1872 | Francis H. Rankin, Sr. | ||
| 1873 | Solomon V. Hakes | ||
| 1874 | Francis H. Rankin, Sr. | ||
| 1875 | |||
| 1876 | |||
| Year | City Clerk• | Treasurers | Marshals |
| 1877 | Francis H. Rankin, Sr. | Charles C. Beahan | Samuel B. Wicks |
| 1878 | Michael Doran | ||
| 1879 | J.B.F. Curtis | Jared Van Vleet |
•In 1876, the office of City Recorder was abolished and replaced with a city council appointed city clerk.[8]
1929 Charter
editIn 1929, the city adopted a new city charter with a council-manager form of government. In 1935, the city residents approved a charter amendment establishing the Civil Service Commission. The three-member Civil Service Commission had complete control over all personal matters leaving the city manager powerless to hire and fire. The Commission powers were reduced in the 1974 charter.[9]
| Year | City Manager | Deputy City Manager |
Clerk |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1963—1965 | James W. Rutherford | ||
| 12/1971-4/1974 | Brian Rapp[10] |
Emergency manager
edit| Term | Manager | Governor |
|---|---|---|
| Jul 2002 - Jun 2004 | Ed Kurtz | John Engler |
| Dec 2011 - Aug 2012 | Michael Brown | Rick Snyder |
| Aug 2012 - July 2013 | Ed Kurtz | Rick Snyder |
| July 2013 - October 2013 | Michael Brown | Rick Snyder |
| October 2013 - January 2015 | Darnell Earley | Rick Snyder[11] |
| January 2015–April 30, 2015 | Jerry Ambrose | Rick Snyder[12][13] |
Ward officers
edit| Street Commissioners | Assessors | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
| 1855 | William Moon | William Eddy | John C. Griswold | Ashael Fuller | William Hamilton | David Foot [14] | ||
| 1856 | Thomas McElhany | George Andrews | James McAlester | |||||
| 1857 | William Baker | John A. Kline | John W. Palmer | |||||
| 1858 | John S. Ryno | Benjamin Pearson | Chas. H. Cudney | |||||
| 1859 | Elijah Drake | |||||||
| 1860 | Benjamin F. Golf | William Miller | ||||||
| 1861 | L. Bradford | S. C. Smith | William Bloomer | |||||
| 1862 | A.M. Hurd | L. Buckingham | Josiah Pratt | |||||
| 1863 | L. H. Roberts | James D. Haight | ||||||
| 1864 | David Watson | Theo. Simons | L. Buckingham | |||||
| 1865 | ||||||||
| 1866 | William W. Joyner | Leonard Weason | Jacob B. Covert | |||||
| 1867 | Orson B. Gibson | Edmond Curtis | ||||||
| 1868 | William O. Bassett | William Boomer | ||||||
| 1869 | Jno. C. Clement | Josiah Pratt | Josiah Pratt (?) | |||||
| 1870 | Robert W. Dullam | L. H. Robert | Silas Austin | |||||
| 1871 | Robert Patrick, Sr. | Almon Reynolds | George Stanard | |||||
| 1872 | S. B. Wicks | Henry Stanley | ||||||
| 1873 | Edmond Curtis | L. Buckingham | Henry Thayer | |||||
| 1874 | Josiah Pratt | |||||||
| 1875 | John Becker | |||||||
| 1876 | John Andrews | Augustus Root | ||||||
| 1877 | John C. Dayton | D. C. Andrews | ||||||
| 1878 | Thomas Sullivan | M. H. White | ||||||
| 1879 | Alfred Ingalls | William Pidd | ||||||
Council
edit1855 Charter
edit| Alderman | Wards | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Council | Years | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | ||||
| 1st | 1855 | J.W. Armstrong | George W. Dewey | Benjamin Pearson | David Mather | William M. Fenton | Alvin T. Crosman | ||
| 2nd | 1856 | H. W. Wood | ? (George W. Dewey) | Charles Rice | ? (David Mather) | Henry Higgins | ? (Alvin T. Crosman) | ||
| 3rd | 1857 | ? (H. W. Wood) | C.S. Payne | ? (Charles Rice) Lewis Walker† |
Samuel N. Warren | ? (Henry Higgins) | George W. Fish | ||
| 4th | 1858 | Jno. C. Allen | Samuel B. Wicks | G.W. Skidmore | |||||
| 5th | 1859 | J. Skidmore | |||||||
| 6th | 1861 | ? (Jno. C. Allen) | Oscar Adams | ? (Samuel B. Wicks) | William Hamilton | ? (J. Skidmore) | William Patterson | ||
| 7th | 1861 | Alexander McFarland | ? (Oscar Adams) | Edward C. Turner | ? (William Hamilton) | William Clark | ? (William Patterson) | ||
| 8th | 1862 | ? (Alexander McFarland) | David Spencer Fox | ? (Edward C. Turner) | William Hamilton | ? (William Clark) | Paul H. Stewart | ||
| 9th | 1863 | O.F. Forsyth | Edward C. Turner | I. N. Eldridge | David Foote | ||||
| 10th | 1864 | William Stevenson | Hiram Parsell | ||||||
| 11th | 1865 | George H. Durand | |||||||
| 12th | 1865 | L.H. Roberts | |||||||
| 13th | 1866 | John Hawley | I. N. Eldridge | Sumner Howard | |||||
| 14th | 1867 | Abner Randall | William Hamilton | Charles Smith | |||||
| 15th | 1868 | Orson B. Gibson | |||||||
| 16th | 1869 | F.W. Judd | Orson B. Gibson | F.H. Pierce | |||||
| 17th | 1870 | M.S. Elmore | Wilson S. Tousey | W. O'Donoughue | |||||
| 18th | 1871 | Damon Stewart | John Willett | W.Buckingham | J.R. Chambers | Chas. D. Smith | |||
| 19th | 1872 | Samuel C. Randall | William Dullam | J.B.F. Curtis | Edward B. Clapp | Josiah W. Begole | James Williams | ||
| 20th | 1873 | Benj. Cotharin | H.C. Spencer | P. Cleveland, Jr. | |||||
| 21st | 1874 | William R. Morse | |||||||
| 22nd | 1875 | Thomas Page | Williams Fobes | Chris Becker | |||||
| 23rd | 1876 | Chas. A. Mason | Henry Brown | Chas. D. Smith | |||||
| 24th | 1877 | Andrew J. Ward | William A. Atwood | William A. Burr | J. Zimmerman | ||||
| 25th | 1878 | S.N. Androus | Henry C. Walker | Jos. M. Corkey | |||||
| 26th | 1879 | George L. Caldwell | ? (Thomas Page) | ? (S.N. Androus) | ? (William A. Atwood) | ? (Jos. M. Corkey) | A.R. Michaels | ||
† To fill vacancy[8]
1888 Charter
edit1929 Charter
edit1974 Charter
edit| Councilor | Wards | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Council | Years | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th |
| 1974 to 1983 | John W. Northrup (ward unknown) | |||||||||
| 1983 to 1985 | John W. Northrup (ward unknown) | Jack Minore | ||||||||
| 1985-1991 | John W. Northrup (ward unknown) | Jack Minore | Scott Kincaid | |||||||
| 1991-January 1997 | John W. Northrup (ward unknown) | Peggy R. Cook | Jack Minore | Scott Kincaid | ||||||
| January 1997 to 1998 | Peggy R. Cook | Jack Minore | Scott Kincaid | |||||||
| 1998 to 2004 | Peggy R. Cook | Scott Kincaid | ||||||||
| 2004 to 2005 | Joshua Freeman | Scott Kincaid | ||||||||
| 2005–2007 | Darryl Buchanan | Jackie Poplar | Kerry Nelson | Sandy Hill | Carolyn Sims | Sheldon Neeley | Jim Ananich | Ehren Gonzales | Scott Kincaid | |
| 2007–2009 | Delrico Loyd | Jackie Poplar[15] | Kerry Nelson[16] | Sandy Hill[15] | Carolyn Sims[17] | Sheldon Neeley | Jim Ananich | Ehren Gonzales | Scott Kincaid[15] | |
| 2009–2013 | Delrico Loyd | Jacqueline Poplar | Bryant Nolden | Joshua Freeman | Bernard Lawler | Sheldon Neeley | Dale Weighill | Michael Sarginson | Scott Kincaid [15] | |
| 2013-2017[18][19] | Eric Mays | Bryant Nolden (2013-1/2015; VP 2013-2014) Kerry Nelson, President (2015-2016) |
|
Wantwaz Davis, Vice President (2014-2015) | Herbert Winfrey | Monica Galloway | Vicki VanBuren, Vice President (2015-2016) | Scott Kincaid, president (2013-2014) | ||
- President and vice president are selected in November.
Receivership Transition Advisory Board
editThe Receivership Transition Advisory Board was appointed by Governor Snyder after the city exited direct control of the emergency manager in its second Financial emergency in Michigan.
| member | position | start[13] | end |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fred Headen | chair | April 30, 2015 | |
| Brian Larkin [21] | October 28, 2015 | ||
| David McGhee | |||
| Robert McMahan [22] | January 20, 2016 | ||
| Beverly Walker-Griffea | |||
| Mike Finney[22][23] | January 19, 2016 | May 26, 2017 | |
| Michael Townsend[23][24] | January 21, 2016 | ||
| Paul Newman[23] | May 26, 2017 | ||
| William Tarver[23] |
Charter Review Commission
edit| member 1974 | position [25] |
|---|---|
| Carl L Bekofske | chairman |
| leroy Nichols | vice chairman |
| Bob Jackson | |
| John H. West | |
| Joseph Conroy | |
| Charles A. Greene | |
| James P. Hanley | |
| Philip D. Marvin | |
| Banius C. Hedrick |
| member 2015 | position | term[25] |
|---|---|---|
| John D. Cherry | Vice chair | May 18, 2015 - May 18, 2018 |
| Brian Larkin | May 18, 2015 - October 28, 2015[21] | |
| Cleora Magee | chair | May 18, 2015 - May 18, 2018 |
| Victoria McKenze | ||
| Charles Metcalfe | ||
| Heidi Phaneuf | ||
| James Richardson | ||
| Marsha Wesley | ||
| Barry Williams | ||
| Quincy Murphy | December 17, 2015 -[26] May 18, 2018 |
Supervisors
editSupervisors represented the City on the Genesee County, Michigan Board of Supervisors.
| Year | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1855 | Charles N. Beecher | |||
| 1856 | ||||
| 1857 | George S. Hopkins | |||
| 1858 | Francis Baker | William Lyons | George S. Hopkins | |
| 1859 | ||||
| 1860 | W. O'Donoughue | Samuel N. Warren | L.G. Buckingham | |
| 1861 | D.S. Freeman | George S. Hopkins | ||
| 1862 | John C. Clement | |||
| 1863 | ||||
| 1864 | P.H. Stewart | |||
| 1865 | Josiah W. Begole | |||
| 1866 | ||||
| 1867 | Paul H. Stewart | |||
| 1868 | William Paterson | |||
| 1869 | Andrew B. Chapin | Paul H. Stewart | ||
| 1870 | ||||
| 1871 | George E. Newall | George W. Thayer | ||
| 1872 | Cornelius Roosevelt | George L. Walker | ||
| 1873 | ||||
| 1874 | John Algoe | |||
| 1875 | S. Mathewson | Ephraim S. Williams | ||
| 1876 | James Van Vleet | |||
| 1877 | D.S. Freeman | |||
| 1878 | L.C. Witney | Albert Crosby | ||
| 1879 | ||||
Ombudsman
editThe City Ombudsman is a charter independent office of the city appointed by the City Council in a 2/3 votes to a seven-year term. A police ombudsman, Richard Dicks, predated the current charter position and was appointed in 1969.
| Term | Office holder | notes |
|---|---|---|
| 12/26/75-1978 | Joe Dupcza | |
| 05/15/78-07/21/87 | James Ananich | |
| 07/22/87-07/21/94 | Terry Bankert | |
| 08/17/94-04/08/96 | Darryl Buchanan | He was removed from office by the City Council but was returned to office after a lawsuit and finished his term. |
| 01/1999-05/8/2006 | Jessie Binion | |
| 05/8/2006-12/2/2011 | Brenda L. Purifoy | Removed from office by the Emergency Manager Michael Brown.[27] |
References
edit- ^ "The History of Genesee, MI, Chapter 13, Early Years of Flint City". www.usgennet.org. Archived from the original on 2008-10-07. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
- ^ "HON. WILLIAM A. ATWOOD". 1892 Portrait & Biographical Album of Genesee, Lapeer & Tuscola Counties, Chapman Bros. 1892. pp. 801–803. Archived from the original on 2008-12-04. Retrieved 2009-02-06.
- ^ a b City of Flint, Michigan Charter 1974 Archived 2010-03-02 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ Flint City Charte Effective Archived 2022-11-18 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Goodin-Smith, Oona (11 January 2019). "State board OKs giving financial powers back to Flint officials". MLive.com. Archived from the original on 14 January 2020. Retrieved 14 January 2020.
- ^ "Cleaning up Flint: Blight hearings begin, reward offered for used tires". ABC12.com. WJRT. June 6, 2018. Archived from the original on July 31, 2018. Retrieved July 30, 2018.
- ^ Ramey, Elisse (June 6, 2018). "Blight court judge tackles backlog of violations in Flint under new program". ABC12.com. WJRT. Archived from the original on July 29, 2018. Retrieved July 30, 2018.
- ^ a b c d e Ellis, Franklin (1879). History of Genesee county, Michigan. With illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers. Philadelphia, PA.: Everts & Abbott. pp. 177–178. Archived from the original on 2023-11-10. Retrieved 2009-04-20.
- ^ "Proposal 5: Voters can eliminate Flint Civil Service Commission with charter vote". The Flint Journal. Mlive Media Group. October 17, 2014. Archived from the original on October 24, 2014. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
- ^ Flint Journal Unforgettable: When a former Flint city manager left this world, he also left mixed memories Archived 2011-07-20 at the Wayback Machine. BoothNewspapers: Flint Journal. March 5, 1995. retrieved March 08, 2011.
- ^ Adams, Dominic. (September 11, 201) Darnell Earley promises bold steps as Flint emergency manager Archived 2015-02-02 at the Wayback Machine. MLive Media Group: The Flint Journal. Accessed on October 18, 2013.
- ^ "Jerry Ambrose named Flint's fourth emergency manager as Darnell Earley heads to Detroit". The Flint Journal. Mlive Media Group. January 13, 2015. Archived from the original on July 11, 2015. Retrieved January 13, 2015.
- ^ a b Fonger, Ron (April 29, 2015). "'A heavy burden' lifted from Flint as Gov. Rick Snyder declares end of financial emergency". Flint Journal. Mlive Media Group. Archived from the original on July 21, 2015. Retrieved July 18, 2015.
- ^ Chapter XIII: First City Officers. Archived 2012-09-30 at the Wayback Machine The History of Genesee County, MI.
- ^ a b c d Longley, Kristin (November 3, 2009). "Fresh faces make up new majority of Flint City Council". Flint Journal. Flint, Michigan: BoothNewspapers. Archived from the original on 2009-11-07. Retrieved 2009-11-09.
- ^ Longley, Kristin (November 4, 2009). "Flint City Council overhauled as voters usher in five new members". Flint Journal. Flint, Michigan: Booth Newspapers. Archived from the original on 2009-11-10. Retrieved 2009-11-09.
- ^ Banas, Teri (November 3, 2009). "Lawler in Flint's 5th Ward said residents were "ready for a change"". Flint Journal. Flint, Michigan: BoothNewspapers. Archived from the original on 2012-10-05. Retrieved 2009-11-09.
- ^ Acosta, Roberto (November 10, 2014). "Flint City Council elects new president, vice president". Flint Journal. MLive Media Group. Archived from the original on July 21, 2015. Retrieved July 18, 2015.
- ^ Johnson, Jiquanda (November 10, 2015). "Flint City Council elects new president after new mayor sworn in". Flint Journal. MLive Media Group. Archived from the original on November 13, 2015. Retrieved July 18, 2015.
- ^ Emery, Amanda (January 21, 2016). "Flint City Council appoints new member to empty 4th ward seat". Flint Journal. MLive Media Group. Archived from the original on July 31, 2017. Retrieved June 20, 2017.
- ^ a b Fonger, Ron (October 28, 2015). "Chamber of Commerce exec named Flint planning and development director". Flint Journal. Mlive Media Group. Archived from the original on October 29, 2015. Retrieved November 11, 2015.
- ^ a b Emery, Amanda (January 20, 2016). "Gov. Rick Snyder makes appointment to the state's oversight board in Flint". Flint Journal. Mlive Media Group. Archived from the original on January 22, 2016. Retrieved January 20, 2016.
- ^ a b c d Fonger, Ron (May 26, 2017). "Snyder picks Newman, Tarver to fill resignations on Flint oversight board". Flint Journal. MLive Media Group. Archived from the original on November 10, 2023. Retrieved May 26, 2017.
- ^ Ridley, Gary (January 21, 2016). "Former finance director who sued city appointed to Flint oversight board". Flint Journal. MLive Media Group. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved May 26, 2017.
- ^ a b Fonger, Ron (May 6, 2015). "Big job ahead for nine elected to Flint Charter Review Commission". Flint Journal. Mlive Media Group. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved November 11, 2015.
- ^ Fonger, Ron (December 21, 2015). "Flint activist Quincy Murphy appointed to Flint Charter Review Commission". Flint Journal. Mlive Media Group. Archived from the original on January 26, 2016. Retrieved January 20, 2016.
- ^ Longley, Kristin (December 2, 2011). "Shakeup at Flint City Hall as new emergency manager issues layoffs, pay cuts". The Flint Journal. Archived from the original on 7 December 2011. Retrieved 5 December 2011.
- ^ "2006-2007 Ombudsman Report" (PDF). ci.flint.mi.us. City of Flint. Retrieved 2009-05-18. [dead link]