[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6389483,"mediaKeyId","2113303-f2485d924eb87b9c42abe4f62da9b293","parentId",2113303,"title","Residents urge Flint council to prioritize city business; repeated public comments press for appointments, ordinances and ARPA spending","audioSeconds",302,"startMs",408000,"endMs",710000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2113303-f2485d924eb87b9c42abe4f62da9b293&start=408&end=710","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2113303-f2485d924eb87b9c42abe4f62da9b293/thumbnail_408000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6389483/Flint-City/Genesee-County/Michigan/Residents-urge-Flint-council-to-prioritize-city-business-repeated-public-comments-press-for-appointments-ordinances-and-ARPA-spending","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6389483-ea68abd15cf979fe645e66e5cb5ad693/orig.mp4?Expires=1771123522&Signature=hkqxKdIQEOwpTl43CTtJ5E00I6FzaeMv-tmYtnscAK0jZoV7WGTloD9dGlctrs5amK00Pf-KsFFP5KEfkY5LgFVSy1HSojEj3Sue-Cf0X5vSI4hMzvW465hsFR4SaQ~vSQ7VEMwUenGe6L5nqv1GxWypjXJHlMEvu0QyCf0C8PH9xnuyUx8dcYQMQM2VLM~sdojPShZm-oKYCw~lRLjegdsDnvDGjNy9ULyjy-n8ieruxG9I0WtOqwdVhR~KuKBkCOSM~egOHld2Br89Dbtqi2znjPJS-mk8QE6X1QbBslcSaht36C4g5o-0011~Aj37bO87OBnj2Uzijrd2t5KbNQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Flint City Council Meetings","date","2025-01-08T00:00:00Z","article","At the special council session on Jan. 8, multiple residents and neighborhood leaders urged the Flint City Council to “set aside interpersonal issues” and focus on passing resolutions, ordinances and board appointments, several speakers said during the evening’s public comment periods.

Karma Lewis, president of the coalition Flint Neighborhoods United, told the council the group “is a collection of community organizations, neighborhood groups, and individuals deeply concerned about the lack of progress in passing critical city business.” Lewis asked council members to consider putting questions about council leadership and appointments later in meetings so that resolutions, ordinances and board appointments with broad community support could be processed first.

Lisa Passburg, a resident who said she represents part of the city’s wards, echoed that request and urged the council to move items that have consensus so “we can get the business of the city done.” Several other speakers — including neighborhood pastors, social-service providers and longtime residents — repeatedly asked the council to prioritize funding for transportation, parks, home repairs and emergency relief programs.

Council members responded to public commenters by noting the council’s workload and the constraints of city procedures. Councilwoman Priestley thanked speakers for their input and said she had reviewed materials on specific items — including an ARPA-funded medical-debt relief proposal — and intended to support measures she judged to benefit residents. Council members also described a range of ongoing efforts in the wards: a land bank effort to remove blighted houses, smoke-detector and carbon-monoxide detector installations, and ongoing water-settlement and infrastructure work.

Several speakers also raised longstanding local concerns including the city’s water settlement, orthophosphate levels, and restorative steps for neighborhoods that suffered long-term disinvestment. City council members and staff acknowledged some of the specific operational questions — such as the status of a water settlement or the timeline for major infrastructure projects — and promised to return with more detailed updates.

Why it matters: Public comments at city council meetings are an avenue for resident oversight and priorities-setting. The callers on Jan. 8 pressed council members to follow a practical sequence: move broadly supported measures first, then address internal governance questions. Council members accepted the message in part, but some also said legal, procedural and scheduling constraints limit what the council can accomplish immediately.

What’s next: Several items the speakers asked to prioritize were either on the evening’s agenda or in committee: council members directed staff to follow up on water settlement reporting, ARPA-funded proposals and neighborhood projects. Residents seeking specific follow-up were invited to contact the indicated council offices and staff for timelines and status updates.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","010825-Flint City Council Special Meetings","oneSentenceSummary","More than a dozen residents used the public comment periods to press the Flint City Council to prioritize passing resolutions, finish appointments and move infrastructure and community funding forward rather than allowing internal governance conflicts to stall business.","taxTitle","Flint City, Genesee County, Michigan","taxId",5770,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6389489,"Flint council sets special primary for March and general in August for 3rd Ward seat",113,6592000,6705000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2113303-f2485d924eb87b9c42abe4f62da9b293&start=6592&end=6705","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2113303-f2485d924eb87b9c42abe4f62da9b293/thumbnail_6592000.jpg","/articles/6389489/Flint-City/Genesee-County/Michigan/Flint-council-sets-special-primary-for-March-and-general-in-August-for-3rd-Ward-seat","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6389489-7dc7d7671a3321ebf3ea7388e21dd4d7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771123522&Signature=Fh8E52fZX~cajqZiO2TgPZjQiQuBKPsB4RXR035VszD7UbX4mJnHv0upSM3iSyKqh0z15tBSXNQ-k2HqtNE1BrO03MnRILVxR6XX7zuzYEMceFc7if0Reg0FeXF1fMmRo2lkKA38NN~ATcPMZJ-980WcUYglFxc5SxIpo068TFuks9LSapJ5-vVi4GEdO7apGnUDusscDSU82ykhbnQAEJcGaIo67CDf4vds3-8RyEzez-JpkoOTugHJ4uDyluf3unTS8qvZd9WXWbMABYidJJgmn0N-MZ1W04k1xtMjUlkeJBcodfiDm7sF2vnl862vR3ehl8zJMPqxUUq3qFSHdg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Flint City Council voted to schedule special elections to fill the vacant 3rd Ward seat, setting a primary for Tuesday, March 6, 2025, and a general election for Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025.

Council members approved the schedule after a lengthy discussion about the timing and the city clerk’s guidance on Michigan election law. The council also set a filing deadline for nominating petitions: petitions must be turned in by close of business on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. The clerk advised that petition rules require 75 valid signatures for candidates seeking the council seat and noted the deadlines correspond to state statutory dates for regular municipal election scheduling.

The vote followed public concern and disagreement among councilmembers over whether to appoint an interim councilmember or to proceed directly to an election. Council members who supported the vote said it followed charter guidance and the clerk’s legal guidance. One council member noted that state law sets the earliest available election dates in May, August and November and that, under the rules the clerk cited, May was the earliest feasible regular election slot for a vacancy. The council chose the March primary and August general dates to conform with Michigan’s schedule for regular elections that service municipal vacancies in this instance.

The clerk told the council that nominating packets would be available the day after the vote and that the election will use the 2021 ward boundaries for petition signatures because the election fills the seat elected in 2021. The clerk added that petition forms and guidance would be posted and that staff would provide maps indicating who is eligible to sign or run under the older ward boundaries.

Councilmembers cast a roll-call vote to adopt the scheduling resolution; the roll-call showed seven “yes” votes and no “no” votes. The motion passed and the clerk indicated candidate packets and instructions would be available immediately.

What’s next: Candidates wishing to run for the 3rd Ward seat must gather 75 valid petition signatures from registered voters in the 2021 Third Ward boundaries and file the petition with the clerk’s office by 4 p.m. Jan. 21, 2025. The council’s scheduling clears the way for ballots and administrative planning ahead of the March primary and August general election.","After debate and public comment, the Flint City Council voted to schedule a special primary election for March 6, 2025, and a special general election for Aug. 5, 2025, to fill the 3rd Ward seat; nominations must be filed by Jan. 21, 2025.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6389494,"Flint council approves $50,000 ARPA allocation to erase medical debt with Undue Medical",4058,2867000,6925000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2113303-f2485d924eb87b9c42abe4f62da9b293&start=2867&end=6925","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2113303-f2485d924eb87b9c42abe4f62da9b293/thumbnail_2867000.jpg","/articles/6389494/Flint-City/Genesee-County/Michigan/Flint-council-approves-50000-ARPA-allocation-to-erase-medical-debt-with-Undue-Medical","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6389494-dccc41fc68238c6b4724def4a39ed53b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771123522&Signature=Zw3lKEdwDK1T9sqM2FR9xN4E5u7uvyu3tUSwNHhbc4kOibsVbvo7sUL6ydvKfV2jFmK-8TrWM6pFe6PUIb1XqEOdpQS5wzj3wglz4YmxgHiImL9R1zZGDvMJwrcYwT8ebL0zHT1KDmpeKaQaUdArVXcMRjcUeRGjl5XOxOiFMZU9mDkIhKm6EBMV6y~p1~RQ97~WVMXHJjInDrFfPF2C5L4x6rHoJn9s24UdkQB~0sU1Bof-fvA-2VnOu3oaoYNk2~O5ZWlqtZ5xnosjiaDfJonHdUOctAfVnSyoHF-bPOu6usV8t73-j7vxc2mgM6K5ukhp96csUeVON2JYGnGhpQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Flint City Council voted 8-0 on Jan. 8 to reallocate $50,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funding to a partnership with the nonprofit Undue Medical to purchase and eliminate medical debt for eligible Flint residents.

Supporters said the city allocation will be matched by state funds and leveraged by Undue Medical to cancel a far larger portfolio of debt. Monica Villarreal, who presented the program to the council on behalf of Undue Medical and coalition partners, said the local allocation would “leverage state money that’s already available” and that the organization estimates $50,000 could help unlock roughly $32 million in medical debt elimination across qualified accounts tied to Flint residents.

The resolution’s backers, including Councilwoman Priestley, said the proposal targeted a clear, frequently documented barrier to economic stability. Councilwoman Priestley said she had reviewed the materials and “can’t imagine any program leveraging more funds and doing more.” Councilwoman Michelle, who spoke in favor during council debate, said the program would “allow those people to have access to better housing, better jobs” and argued that eliminating debt would encourage residents to seek health care earlier, rather than waiting until conditions worsen.

Undue Medical’s model, as described at the meeting, focuses first on hospital-held portfolios because hospitals typically hold the largest blocks of purchasable medical debt. Villarreal told the council Undue Medical has worked with large counties and hospital systems elsewhere and that the nonprofit will invoice the city for reimbursable work done under a contract. Undue also said it expects to use philanthropic dollars if needed to close any gaps for nonresidents appearing in purchased portfolios.

Council discussion touched on a federal rule issued earlier the same day limiting the appearance of medical debt on credit reports. Council members and Undue Medical representatives said that federal changes do not eliminate the risk of garnishment or collections and that debt purchase-and-elimination remains useful to prevent wage garnishments and other collection actions that affect household finances.

The formal motion approved by council directed staff to execute an agreement allocating $50,000 in ARPA funds to the program and to pursue any available state allocations that would supplement the city’s contribution. A roll-call vote recorded “yes” from Councilmembers Lewis, Priestley, Winfrey Carter, Burns, Mishaff, Pfeiffer, Jarrett and O’Alamein.

The vote followed months of presentations and public comment from clergy and neighborhood groups urging the council to free debt as a pathway to improved credit, housing access and economic participation.

What’s next: The council-directed contract will allow Undue Medical to begin outreach to hospitals and providers to identify portfolios that can be purchased and cancelled on behalf of Flint residents. The city clerk’s office confirmed a contract-and-invoice process will be used for reimbursements to Undue Medical under the approved agreement.","The Flint City Council voted unanimously to reallocate $50,000 in ARPA funds to partner with the nonprofit Undue Medical to buy and cancel medical debt for eligible Flint residents, a move council members said could leverage state funds and philanthropic dollars to reach many more people.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Residents urge Flint council to prioritize city business; repeated public comments press for appointments, ordinances and ARPA spending

Flint council sets special primary for March and general in August for 3rd Ward seat

Flint council approves $50,000 ARPA allocation to erase medical debt with Undue Medical