flint firefighters

Flint ties record for murders in the city

Steve Carmody — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 20:28:53 +0000

66 people were murdered in Flint in 2012. That ties a record homicide rate set two years ago.

Flint’s political, religious and civic leaders have been trying to do something about the city’s high violent crime rate. But gun violence has claimed more than 60 lives for the second time in three years.

Flint Mayor Dayne Walling issued a statement, saying “it is clear that the problem of illegal and military-style guns is widespread and is a major contributing factor to” the city’s homicide rate.

Flint protestors gather to oppose emergency manager

Mark Brush — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 18:03:25 +0000

Protesters gathered in Flint to voice their opposition to the emergency manager in their city.

Since last December, Michael Brown, Flint's emergency manager, has been making decisions normally reserved for city council and the mayor. He's expected to present his budget plan for the city during a public meeting with Flint City Council tonight.

Kristin Longley of the Flint Journal reports the protestors gathered outside Flint City Hall before moving inside.

The group of more than 25 Flint residents and community members braved the rain to protest what they consider "taxation without representation" under the emergency manager in Flint.

Brown adopted a budget plan last week that includes fee increases for Flint residents as well as a possible reduction of 19 police officers and 31 firefighters through layoffs and attrition. Overall, city personnel would be reduced by about 150 positions.

Longley reports lifelong Flint resident Ralph Arellano would be willing to pay more taxes for better public safety in Flint - Arello said the emergency manager system "is undemocratic and undermines voters."

"It's all about public safety. There's not one person who lives in Flint who doesn't have some story about public safety," said Arellano, who said his home has been broken into twice. "The decisions they're making are short-term and they're short-sighted."

Protestors put up garage sale signs with the names of some of Flint's assets (ex. Brennan Park and Hurley Hospital) that could be sold off by Michael Brown should he decide to do so.

Flint's firefighters union and emergency manager reach agreement

Mark Brush — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 15:06:59 +0000

Flint's emergency manager, Michael Brown, and the city's firefighters union have worked out an agreement over concessions, Kristin Longley of the Flint Journal reports:

Brown said today that, as of this morning, it's the only signed agreement reached so far. The city has been talking with each of the six employee bargaining units, Brown has said.

He declined to comment on the details of the proposal, saying that the fire union members are expected to review the agreement and vote on it in about 10 days.

Brown hopes to have plan for the city's other unions in place by Friday. He's working to wipe out a budget deficit in Flint of around $11 million.

Firefighters reject contract concessions, police sent layoff notices

Wed, 01 Dec 2010 16:17:35 +0000

A contract dispute between Flint's mayor and the city's public safety unions escalated Tuesday.

Tuesday, the city of Flint sent layoff notices to 20 police officers. The city and the police unions have not been able to agree on major contract concessions to help reduce a projected budget deficit.

Also on Tuesday, Flint firefighters rejected a proposal to slash their current contract by nearly 10 percent. Union president Raul Garcia says Flint firefighters were upset that agreeing the concessions would not protect them from future layoffs.

Flint firefighters voting on new contract, chances of passage "50-50"

Mon, 29 Nov 2010 17:55:41 +0000

Flint firefighters are voting on a new contract and the outcome is far from certain.