Governor Snyder met behind closed doors with the national president of the NAACP in Flint Tuesday night.
NAACP president Cornell William Brooks said he, Gov. Rick Snyder and Flint Mayor Karen Weaver had a “frank” discussions about Flint’s drinking water crisis.
He called his closed-door meeting with the governor and the mayor a “robust conversation about specific reforms.”
“The need for economic development. The need to ensure that people who have been devastated economically have a stake in the restoration of water in their city,” Brooks reporters after emerging from the city hall meeting.
Neither Governor Snyder nor Mayor Weaver talked to reporters after the meeting at city hall. Two aides to the governor called the meeting “productive."
Brooks says he accepts Snyder’s remorse as genuine when he says his sorry that Flint’s drinking water is contaminated with lead.
“I think the residents and citizens of Flint will take the remorse of government to be genuine when they see quality, pure, safe water coming out of the tap,” added Brooks.
Before the meeting, the NAACP released a 15-point plan to address the Flint crisis. That plan includes repealing Michigan's emergency manager law, and replacing bottled water distribution efforts by National Guard members with local youth who would be paid minimum wage.
Organizers also want free home inspections to determine the extent of damage caused by lead that leached out of aging pipes.
Flint’s drinking water became contaminated with lead after state-appointed emergency managers switched the city’s drinking water source to save money.
The Michigan National Guard has been handing out bottled water, filters and lead testing kits since earlier this month.
