Flint City Council passes budget past deadline, members react

FLINT, Mich. (WNEM) - Flint City Councilmembers passed a budget for the next fiscal year during a special meeting Thursday night.

It comes after the council missed the Monday deadline, according to the city charter. The decision didn’t come without some hard feelings, too. About four hours were spent at the meeting going through each part of the city’s 2024 budget.

”I’ve been on the council for 10 years. I’ve never seen a budget adopted this way,” Councilman Eric Mays told TV5.

Some council members had concerns about American Rescue Plan Act funds, public safety, and pension liability. Though the council ultimately voted to pass the budget, some council members said they are still left with many questions.

”We had an extra $30 to $40 million dollars to put in that, as far as cameras, lighting, personnel,” Mays said. “That was one of my biggest concerns. It did not get done,” he added.

“We know that Saginaw and other municipalities are doing great things for their residents like putting on roofs and furnaces. We haven’t had that,” Councilwoman Tonya Burns said. “I’m not going to approve a budget when the residents haven’t been taken care of,” she added.

An unexpected announcement during the special meeting.

Flint City Council President Allie Herkenroder said she will step down from her post at the end of the month due to health concerns.

“I will be stepping down effective July 1. There has been a number of consequences happening in my personal life regarding my health that had made me come to this decision. This has been months in the making,” she said.

Herkenroder said she hopes to share her story in the future.

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