♪

WELCOME BACK, OUR GUEST THIS

WEEK IS NEWLY ELECTED FLINT

MAYOR SHELDON NEELY OUR LEAD

STORY THE BUDGET MESS CONTINUES

TO BE JUST THAT ON THE OTR PANEL

CHAD LIVENGOOD BETH LEBLANC AND

ZOE CLARK

SIT IN WITH US AS WE GET THE

INSIDE OUT...OFF THE RECORD.

♪

PRODUCTION OF OFF THE RECORD IS

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WITH NEARLY THREE DECADES OF

EXPERIENCE PROVIDING STRATEGIC

COUNSEL TO LEADERS IN THE

PUBLIC, PHILANTHROPIC, AND

PRIVATE SECTORS.

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COMMUNICATIONS, ISSUE

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AND REPRESENTATION MANAGEMENT

SERVICES FOR COMMUNITIES,

ORGANIZATIONS AND LEADERS ACROSS

THE MIDWEST.

INFORMATION AT VANGUARD-PA.COM.

AND NOW THIS EDITION OF OFF THE

RECORD WITH TIM SKUBICK.

♪

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, WELCOME

BACK TO OFF THE RECORD.

THIS BUDGET STORY, WHOA,

GOODNESS GRACIOUS I NEED TO TAKE

A PILL HERE WHAT HAPPENED THIS

WEEK BETH?

>> YESTERDAY THEY LOOKED LIKE

THEY WERE AT THE EDGE OF A

BREAKTHROUGH ON THE BUDGET LOTS

OF PEOPLE WERE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT

IT AND THEN THEY WALKED IT BACK

FROM THE EDGE.

IT SEEMS LIKE THEY HAVE TO

SUPPLEMENTALS READY TO GO.

BUT THE ISSUE THAT SEEMS TO BE

HOLDING THINGS UP IS SENATE

MAJORITY LEADER SHIRKEY WANTS

GOVERNOR WHITMER TO SIGN A LAW

THAT WOULD RESTRAINT HER

AUTHORITY TO USE A STATE

ADMINISTRATIVE BOARD AND

GOVERNOR WHITMER DOESN'T WANT TO

SIGN THAT LAW SO THAT IS KIND OF

THE CRUX OF THE ISSUE RIGHT NOW.

>> CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR.

>> CONTINUING TO BE CLOSE BUT NO

CIGAR ONE STATE SENATOR THIS

WEEK SAID LET'S MAKE THIS HAPPEN

BECAUSE ALL WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IS

THE PARTICIPATION TROPHY, THE

PARTICIPATION BADGE WE HAVE

SHOWED UP AND SORT OF DONE THE

BARE MINIMUM, THE NEGOTIATIONS

THIS WEEK REMINDED ME OF THREE

CHILDREN IN A FAMILY LIKE THE

TWO KIDS ALWAYS AGAINST THE ONE

BUT IT ALWAYS SORT OF DEPENDS ON

WHETHER THE OLDER OR THE MIDDLE

RIGHT NOW WE HAVE LEE CHATFIELD

GRETCHEN WHITMER SEEMING TO HAVE

A PLAN SENATE MAJORITY LEADER

SORT OF SAYING NO, NO, NO, WAIT

UP.

AND NOW THE HOUSE HAS SCHEDULED

ANOTHER DAY NEXT WEEK WAS MEANT

TO GO ON YOU KNOW THE DEER

HUNTING WHATEVER YOU WANT TO

CALL IT BREAK AND NOW WE ARE

GOING TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

WEEK.

>> SO MR. SHIRKEY'S DECISION TO

PUT THIS ON HOLD BECAUSE OF THIS

ISSUE WAS THAT A POLICY

STATEMENT OR A POLITICAL

STATEMENT?

>> WELL, IT'S PRETTY CLEAR THAT

THE SENATE MAJORITY LEADER WOULD

LIKE TO GET A POUND OF FLESH OUT

OF THE GOVERNOR THIS WHOLE

EPISODE WHERE SHE GOES ON A VETO

SPREE OF SOME 900 SOME ODD

DOLLARS AND MAKE A RARE MOVE

HASN'T BEEN DONE SINCE 1991 TO

TRANSFER 600 MILLION DOLLARS

WITHIN REARRANGE HOW THE

LEGISLATURE DEEMED THE MONEY TO

BE SPENT.

HE WANTS HER TO APOLOGIZE FOR

THIS.

BASICALLY.

AND RESCIND THESE CUTS AND AT

THE SAME TIME TRY TO PREVENT IT

FROM HAPPENING AGAIN NEXT YEAR

SO HE WANTS AT LEAST THE VERY

LEAST SOME TYPE OF ENFORCE

BOILERPLATE A NEW TERM IN

LANSING THIS WEEK.

>> BOILERPLATE NOW THE DIALS ARE

CLICKING.

>> BREAK THE LANSING DOWN FOR

PEOPLE AND BASICALLY THEY WANT

TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE MAKE

BOILERPLATE LANGUAGE AND BUDGET

BILLS HAVE THE MEANING OF LAW SO

THEY NEED TO CHANGE A STATUTE

OVER HERE IN ORDER TO DO THAT.

>> THE CRUX OF THIS IS HE WILL

NOT DO A HANDSHAKE WITH THIS

GOVERNOR IS THAT A FAIR

STATEMENT?

>> YES AND WE HAD AMBER MCCANN

COME OUT THIS WEEK BECAUSE THIS

GOVERNOR IS NOT TRUSTWORTHY

THOSE ARE SOME FIGHTING WORDS

RIGHT THERE AT THE PART OF JUST

THE UNWILLINGNESS EVEN IF YOU DO

IT IN PUBLIC AND EVEN IF SHE

MAKES A STATEMENT HAND TO GOD

THAT LIKE THEY ARE STILL NOT

GOING TO AGREE AND THAT THEY

WANT SOMETHING THAT WOULD HOLD

UP IN COURT BASICALLY.

>> AND THE MAJORITY LEADER SAYS

THIS YOU KNOW LITERALLY HOURS

AFTER LEE CHATFIELD THE HOUSE

SPEAKER CUTS A DEAL, CHATFIELD

WANTS TO CUT DEALS IT'S PRETTY

CLEAR IN ALL THIS.

>> HE WENT INTO HER OFFICE ALONE

AND THE TWO OF THEM CAME UP WITH

THIS DEAL.

>> WELL THURSDAY MORNING AGAIN

SHE CAME OUT, SPOKE TO

REPORTERS, SAID YOU KNOW LOOKING

LIKE THERE IS A DEAL UNLESS

SOMETHING YOU KNOW WRONG HAPPENS

AND WELL SOMETHING WRONG

HAPPENED.

>> THE SOMETHING WAS NEVER IN

THE ROOM.

>> WELL EXACTLY.

>> OKAY THE SOMETHING THE

MAJORITY I'M NOT LOOK YOU CAN'T

GET INSIDE THIS GUY'S HEAD BUT

WE ALL KNOW POLITICS HE WASN'T

IN THERE, WAS NOT PARTY TO THE

DEAL SO IS HE GOING TO ROLLOVER

AND NOT MAKE A STATEMENT HERE?

WHAT DO YOU THINK IS GOING ON

HERE?

>> I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE

A LOT OF PROMISES AT THE

BEGINNING OF TERM THAT THIS

WOULDN'T BECOME WASHINGTON EVEN

THOUGH WE HAD DIVIDED GOVERNMENT

AND I MEAN THIS MAX STRONGLY OF

WASHINGTON D.C. AT THIS POINT.

AND I THINK WE ARE RISKING KIND

OF BECOMING LIKE WHITE NOISE FOR

PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO PAY

ATTENTION BUT CAN'T FALLEN

FORCIBLE BOILERPLATE LANGUAGE OR

THIS ODD STATE ADMINISTRATIVE

BOARD TRANSFER.

SO I DON'T KNOW.

I THINK IF THEY ARE TRYING TO

MAKE A POLITICAL STATEMENT IT'S

GETTING A LITTLE LOST IN THE

WEEDS HERE.

>> WHAT IS GETTING LOST IS THE

THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE AT

RISK, THEY ARE NOW PAWNS IN THIS

GAME AND BOTH THE GOVERNOR AND

THE MAJORITY LEADER SOME WOULD

SAY HAVE USED THEM AS PAWNS, THE

GOVERNOR USED THEM AS PAWNS TO

GET THE REPUBLICANS AT THE TABLE

TO BARGAIN NOW MR. SHIRKEY IS

USING THEM AS PAWNS TO GET HER

TO DO WHAT THEY WANT.

>> THEY THINK THATTED THEY

WEATHERED THE STORM AND SIX

WEEKS OF CUTS AND THE WAY THE

STATE DISTRIBUTES MONEY IN THIS

1.5 BILLION IT TAKES A WHILE TO

FEED OUT SOME OF THE PAYMENTS

DON'T HAPPEN UNTIL DECEMBER AND

WHEN COLLEGES STOPPED GETTING

THE PRIVATE COLLEGES STOPPED

GETTING THEIR PAYMENTS FOR THE

TUITION ASSISTANCE FOR MIDDLE

AND LOW INCOME STUDENTS GOING TO

HOPE COLLEGE AND SUCH YOU KNOW

THEN PEOPLE ARE GOING TO START

HEARING ABOUT IT AND NOW THE

LEGISLATORS ARE GOING HOME, THE

HOUSE EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE

TECHNICAL SESSIONS SCHEDULED FOR

NEXT WEEK THEY ARE NOT COMING

BACK.

JUST WATCH AND THIS IS AND

PEOPLE HAVE TRIPS PLANNED,

VACATIONS, THEY AIN'T COMING

BACK UNTIL DECEMBER SO NOW THIS

IS GOING TO GO ON FOR ANOTHER

THREE WEEKS AND SET IN AND THE

PAIN WILL BE FELT MORE.

>> THINK ABOUT YOUR OWN

CHECKBOOK YOU GET YOUR PAYCHECK

YOU DON'T WRITE ALL YOUR BILLS

WHETHER IT'S LIKE TO CABLE OR TO

HEAT OR WHATEVER ALL ON ONE DAY.

AND SO WHAT WE ARE GOING TO

WATCH OVER THESE NEXT FEW WEEKS

EXACTLY AS YOU SAID AND THERE IS

A PLETHORA OF ORGANIZATIONS

WHETHER IT'S FOSTER CARE WHETHER

IT'S AUTISM THAT HAS FOLKS

SUPPORT, RIGHT, IN THE COMMUNITY

THAT IF YOU POLLED RIGHT NOW AND

SAID DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THIS

MONEY SHOULD BE CUT AND HERE IS

I WANT TO PICK UP WHAT BETH WHAT

YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT D.C., THIS

IS A PROBLEM THAT THEY HAVE

BROUGHT ON TO THEMSELVES.

WE ARE NOT IN THE OUT OF 2000

WHERE THE STATE DOES NOT HAVE

MONEY.

THEY ARE NOT DEALING WITH A

NATURAL DISASTER OR GOD FOR BID

AN OIL SPILL OR SOMETHING LIKE

THIS.

THIS IS A PROBLEM AND THIS IS

DRAMA THAT HAS BEEN BROUGHT

TOGETHER BY LAWMAKERS

THEMSELVES.

THIS IS NOT BEING DONE TO THEM.

>> WILL THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE

PLAY THIS CARD AND NOW MAKE

MR. SHIRKEY THE BAD GUY WHO IS

NOW RESPONSIBLE FOR HOLDING UP

THE GIVING BACK OF THIS MONEY?

>> I MEAN, I THINK THEY WILL

PLAY THE CARD WHETHER IT'S

SUCCESSFULLY PLAYED I'M NOT

SURE.

I MEAN, IN TERMS OF YOU KNOW THE

PARENTS WHOSE KID IS GOING TO A

PRIVATE COLLEGE AND GETTING

MICHIGAN TUITION GRANT AND ALL

THE SUDDEN IT DISAPPEARED WHO

THEY HOLD RESPONSIBLE IS WHAT

EVERYBODY SHOULD BE PAYING

ATTENTION TO AND AT THIS POINT I

THINK THEY WILL LOOK AT WHO CUT

THE FUNDING.

>> WELL, THAT IS WHAT THE

REPUBLICANS WILL SAY LOOK AT

GOVERNOR YOU STARTED THIS MESS,

YOU PUT THIS INTO PLAY, OKAY,

I'M JUST STANDING UP FOR WHAT I

BELIEVE IN AND WILL BE

MR. SHIRKEY'S RESPONSE.

>> AT THE END OF THE DAY WHO

KNOWS WHO MR. SHIRKEY IS SENATE

MAJORITY LEADER BUT HIS NAME IS

NOT ON THE MASS HEAD OF THE

STATE BASICALLY.

GOVERNOR GRETCHEN WHITMER IS AND

I WAS TALKING TO PEOPLE

YESTERDAY ABOUT THIS MIKE

BUCHARD THE OAKLAND COUNTY

SHERIFF HE SAID WHITMER IS

HOLDING US HOSTAGE.

HOLDING AND OVER THE LOST

PAYMENTS FOR ROAD PATROL AND FOR

THE JAIL AND I TALKED TO A

PROVIDER WHO RUNS FOSTER CARE

AND SHE SAYS BASICALLY THE SAME

THING I MEAN SHE PUTS THE BLAME

BACK THEN SO THE GOVERNOR'S

OFFICE THINKS THEY WEATHERED THE

STORM, THE STORM HAS NOT PASSED.

AND BUT AT THE SAME TIME SHIRKEY

THIS IS GOING TO COME DOWN TO A

GAME TIME DECISION FOR HIM HE IS

GETTING PRESSURE FROM MEMBERS,

THEY ARE HEARING IT FROM ALL

CORNERS AND THAT WAS PART OF THE

STRATEGY OF THE GOVERNOR'S VETO

IS THEY WERE VERY MUCH TARGETED

AT OUT OF STATE REPUBLICANS.

>> LET'S ALSO THROW INTO THE MIX

THE POSSIBILITY THAT MR. SHIRKEY

IS THINKING ABOUT RUNNING FOR

GOVERNOR.

OKAY HE HAS NOT SAID THAT, HE

WAS ASKED ON THE ISLAND HAVE YOU

BEEN APPROACHED AND HE SAID I

WILL NOT LIE SO HE HAS BEEN

APPROACHED BUT IF YOU THROW THAT

INTO THE MIX TOO HE IS SUBJECT

TO THE CRITICISM RIGHTLY OR

WRONGLY THIS IS A SET UP TO MAKE

THE GOVERNOR LOOK BAD.

>> WHAT WOULD SHIRKEY CALL

HIMSELF THEN MY OWN GOVERNOR, ME

GOVERNOR.

>> CAREFUL YOU WILL GET INTO

TROUBLE ON THAT.

ALL RIGHT LET'S TALK ABOUT THE

ELECTION WHAT WAS THE LEAD STORY

OUT OF THAT?

>> LET ME ANSWER MY OWN QUESTION

ONCE.

THE MARIJUANA VOTES AROUND THE

STATE.

>> WE HAVE OVER HALF DOZEN

COMMUNITIES THAT SAID WE DON'T

WANT THIS IN OUR COMMUNITY.

>> JOINING 1300S WHO SAID THE

SAME THING.

>> YEAH, I MEAN WE HAVE FREED

THE WEED TO QUOTE COLEMAN YOUNG

THE SECOND BUT THERE IS GOING TO

BE RESTRICTIONS TO THIS IN SOME

COMMUNITIES ARE JUST NOT GOING

TO STAND FOR IT AND, YOU KNOW,

THOSE COMMUNITIES MAY LOSE OUT

ON THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY OF

THE JOBS AND THE STORE FRONTS

AND INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS THAT

WILL BE FILLED WITH THESE WITH

THIS NEW INDUSTRY.

>> WHAT ARE THEY AFRAID OF?

>> REMINDS ME A LITTLE OPPOSITE

OF LAWMAKERS LIKE WHEN VOTERS

VOTE FOR THEIR LOCAL CONGRESS

FOLKS BUT EVERYONE ELSE IN D.C.

IS AWFUL, RIGHT, IT REMINDS ME A

LITTLE BIT ABOUT WE WANT FOLKS

TO SMOKE LEGAL MARIJUANA WE JUST

DON'T WANT THEM TO DO IT CLOSE

TO US, RIGHT?

AND WHAT ARE FOLKS SCARED OF THE

SAME POINTS THAT WERE MADE LAST

YEAR WHEN THE BALLOT PROPOSAL

RIGHT CLOSE TO SCHOOLS, KIDS

GETTING INTO IT, IT BREEDS

CRIME, GATE WAY DRUG ALL THE

THINGS WE HAVE HEARD SO I DON'T

THINK IT'S SHOCKING THEY WENT

DOWN BUT LOOK MARIJUANA IS LEGAL

IN MICHIGAN AND IT'S ONE MORE

INDICATION THAT THIS ODD PATCH

WORK SINCE 2008 WHEN YOU KNOW

THE LEGALIZATION OF MEDICAL

MARIJUANA HAPPENED THAT THIS

STATE IS STILL TRYING TO FIGURE

OUT HOW TO MAKE THIS WORK.

>> YEAH AND I THINK THERE IS

THAT IDEA OF NOT IN MY OWN

BACKYARD RIGHT THAT A LOT OF

PEOPLE THEY MAY HAVE VOTED FOR

IT IN NOVEMBER BUT WHEN IT CAME

TO THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITY THEY

DIDN'T WANT IT THERE.

>> EXACTLY.

>> AND I THINK THE QUESTION IS

WILL THERE BE ENOUGH LOCATIONS

WITH COMMERCIAL SALES THAT IT

WILL BE POSSIBLE FOR PEOPLE TO

PARTICIPATE FULLY IN THIS AND I

DON'T THINK THAT IS A CONCERN AT

ALL.

I THINK THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF

PLACES.

>> ALTHOUGH SOMEBODY WHISPERED

IN MY EAR IN PENNSYLVANIA THEY

HAVE NOT SOLD ALL THEIR LICENSES

THERE WILL LICENSES FOR

MARIJUANA AND PEOPLE ARE NOT

GOBBLING THEM UP LIKE THEY

THOUGHT THEY WOULD AND STILL A

BOAT LOAD OF MONEY TO BE MADE

HERE.

>> YES.

>> DISTRIBUTION, GROWTH, SALE,

THE WHOLE NINE YARDS.

>> A BIG STORY OUT OF THE

ELECTION ON TUESDAY WAS THE

SCHOOL BONDS UP AND DOWN THE

BALLOT.

THEY SEEM TO.

>> THIS IS GOING TO COST YOU

LIVENGOOD.

>> WE TALKED ABOUT ANN ARBOR

VOTERS PASSED A BILLION AND IT'S

SIGNIFICANT AND STATEMENT TO

LEGISLATURES IN THIS TOWN WHEN

THEY ARE TRYING TO EVALUATE

WHETHER THEY WANT TO GET IN THE

WEEDS ON EDUCATIONAL REFORM

THERE IS PLENTY OF VOTER SUPPORT

OUT THERE FOR MAKING SCHOOLS

BETTER.

>> DON'T YOU THINK CHAD THIS

GOES EXACTLY BACK TO THE

WILLINGNESS TO VOTE FOR THINGS

THAT ARE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

>> EXACTLY.

>> THIS YOUR COMMUNITY.

>> THERE IS NO TAX FREE OUT

THERE OR IN MICHIGAN.

>> NOT LOCALLY IT WAS 75 OR 80%

OF THESE THAT PASSED BUT THEN

STATEWIDE IT'S LIKE NO MONEY FOR

ROADS BUT ROAD MILLAGES

STATEWIDE YOU KNOW INCREASE IN

EDUCATION BUT LOCALLY IT IS.

AND THE ANN ARBOR, ONE BILLION

DOLLARS IT'S LIKE THE SECOND

LARGEST IN HISTORY ONLY TO

DETROIT WAS INDICATIVE I THINK

OF PEOPLE GOING, OKAY, THE STATE

AIN'T GOING TO MAKE EDUCATION

GREAT WE ARE GOING TO STEP UP IN

OUR COMMUNITIES AND VOTE FOR IT.

>> WHICH IS THEN COUNTER TO THE

WHOLE PHILOSOPHY BEHIND PROPOSAL

A WHICH WAS TO CLOSE THE GAP

BETWEEN THE HAVE AND HAVE NOT

AND THIS GAP JUST GOT BIGGER.

>> IT WILL.

THE IMPROVEMENTS TO ANN ARBOR IS

MADE TO SCHOOLS AND PUT SOLAR

PANELS ON TOP OF EVERY BUILDING

SO THEY CAN OFF SET THE CARBON

FOOT PRINT OF THE AIR

CONDITIONING THEY ARE GOING TO

ADD AND HAVE AIR CONDITIONING IN

EVERY BUILDING, I MEAN YOU

WOULDN'T FIND A QUARTER OF THE

SCHOOL BUILDINGS IN THE STATE

HAVE AIR CONDITIONING AND KIND

OF ADDS TO THE ADDITIONAL

ARGUMENT THAT THERE IS A SYSTEM

OF SEPARATE AND UNEQUAL

EDUCATION IN MICHIGAN.

>> YEAH.

>> LET'S CALL IN THE NEW MAYOR

OF FLINT SHELDON NEELY.

FORMER STATE REPRESENTATIVE

SHELDON NEELY WAS ELECTED MAYOR

OF FLINT AND LEADS THE MICHIGAN

HOUSE IN THE MIDDLE OF HIS FINAL

TERM CHAIR OF THE BLACK CAUCUS

FORMER MEMBER OF THE FLINT CITY

COUNCIL FOR NINE YEARS A UNION

PRESIDENT AND BROADCAST

ENGINEER, HE HOLDS DEGREES FROM

DELTA COLLEGE AND SAGINAW STATE

UNIVERSITY.

MR. MAYOR ELECT CONGRATULATIONS,

SIR.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.

>> YOU HAVING FUN?

>> IT'S BEEN BUSY.

>> HOW MANY HOURS SLEEP HAVE YOU

HAD?

>> FOUR SINCE THE ELECTION.

>> THAT IS AN EXCUSE FOR WHAT IS

ABOUT TO FOLLOW.

WE WILL SEE.

>> SO WE SAID MAYOR ELECT BUT

YOUR OPPONENT THE CURRENT

SITTING MAYOR KAREN WEAVER HAS

NOT ACTUALLY I'M ASSUMING MADE A

CALL TO YOU YET TO SAY THE JOB

IS YOURS, FILL US IN ON WHERE

THINGS STAND WITH WHETHER OR NOT

MAYOR WEAVER WILL CONCEDE AND

WHEN YOU MAY TAKE OVER YOUR JOB.

>> WELL WE TAKE OVER MONDAY,

IT'S GOING TO BE SWEARING IN SO

I RESIGNED MY POSITION AS A

STATE LEGISLATURE 11:59 A.M.

MONDAY MORNING AND SWEAR IN

ABOUT 12:00 NOON PURSUANT TO THE

CHARTER OF THE CITY OF FLINT.

WHETHER OR NOT KAREN WEAVER

ACQUIESCES TO WHAT THE VOTERS

SAID ON NOVEMBER 6TH IS

IRRELEVANT TO ME.

YOU KNOW I WANT TO MOVE FORWARD

YOU KNOW WITH THE SENSE OF UNITY

AND OUR COMMUNITY DESERVES THAT

AND HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER

WHETHER YOU ARE BLACK, WHITE,

RICH OR POOR WE HAVE TO ALL COME

TOGETHER TO CONTINUE THE FIGHT

AND I WAS HOPEFUL AND OPTIMISTIC

SHE WOULD GIVE A PHONE CALL BUT

IF SHE DOESN'T WE ARE STILL

MOVING FORWARD.

>> QUITE A FEW PRESIDENTIAL

CANDIDATES HAVE CALLED YOU, WHAT

DO YOU THINK THAT TELLS YOU

ABOUT THE CITY OF FLINT AND SORT

OF THE WHOLE NARRATIVE

NATIONWIDE THAT A BUNCH OF

DEMOCRATS ARE CALLING YOU

LOOKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT?

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, THE POST OF

THE STATE AND THE POST OF OUR

NATION REALLY SPEAKS TO

COMMUNITIES THAT IS UNDER SERVED

OR UNDER VALUED AND FLINT HAS

REPRESENTED THAT YOU KNOW

UNFORTUNATELY.

WE ARE NOT A COMMUNITY OF

VICTIMS.

I REPRESENTED A COMMUNITY OF

CHAMPIONS AND VICTORS AND SO I

THINK THEY TIED INTO THAT AND

THAT SPIRIT OF HOPE THAT IS

GOING TO BE INSERTED BACK IN THE

BODY OF OUR COMMUNITY AND I

THINK THEY WANT TO TAP IN AND

USE ME AS AN IV FOR WHAT IS

GOING TO BE PURSUANT OR GOING TO

BE COMING FOR THEM IN AN UP

COMING YEAR.

>> ARE YOU SUPPORTING ANYBODY AT

THIS POINT?

>> NO.

I'VE BEEN I WAS SUPPORTING

SHELDON NEELY FOR THE LAST EIGHT

MONTHS SO THAT HAS BEEN A JOB ON

TO ITSELF BUT MY WIFE WILL TELL

ME YOU KNOW SHE SAID I'VE BEEN

YOUR BIGGEST SUPPORTER AND THAT

IS A GREAT THING AND HAS BEEN MY

GREATEST AND BIGGEST SUPPORTER.

>> WHAT DID YOU THINK WHEN THE

ATTORNEY GENERAL CANCELLED THE

CASES OF PEOPLE WITH CHARGES

AGAINST THEM IN THE FLINT WATER

CRISIS?

>> FRUSTRATION, I'M STILL A

RESIDENT MY FAMILY IS THERE.

>> WAS IT A BAD CALL?

>> I WOULD NOT SAY IT'S A BAD

CALL BUT THE ONLY CALL LEFT.

>> WHY DID IT FRUSTRATE YOU?

>> 36 MILLION OR SO WENT TO THE

PROSECUTION WITH TODAY FLOOD

LEADING THE CASE AND BILL

SCHUETTE SUPERVISED THE WHOLE

EFFORT AND CALLED FOR THE

INVESTIGATION AND FRUSTRATION

BECAUSE TAXPAYERS DOLLARS WAS

LOST NOT ONLY THE STATE OF FLINT

BUT MICHIGAN AND WHEN YOU WASTE

RESOURCES AND HAVE TO HAVE

SOMEWHAT OF A RESTART OR A

REFOCUS IT'S A FRUSTRATING

THOUGHT.

>> DO YOU AGREE THAT IT NEEDED A

REFOCUS?

>> WELL, I'M NOT A LAWYER, YOU

AND I WENT TO THE SAME LAW

SCHOOL RIGHT AND SO I CAN'T

SECOND GUESS THEIR LEGAL

OPINIONS ON WHAT NEEDED TO

HAPPEN.

BUT I TRUST ATTORNEY GENERAL

DANA NESSEL TO MOVE THIS CASE

FORWARD AND I'M OPTIMISTIC SHE

WILL BRING THOSE WHOSE

CRIMINALLY CULPABLE TO JUSTICE.

>> WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO SEE

HAPPEN GOING FORWARD WITH THOSE

CHANGES?

AND WHAT INFLUENCE, IF ANY, DO

YOU HAVE AS MAYOR?

>> SUPPORTIVE GOING FORWARD AND

HOLDING THOSE CULPABLE TO WHAT

HAPPENED TO THE RESIDENTS IN

FLINT AND MAKING SURE THIS NEVER

HAPPENS TO ANOTHER COMMUNITY

WHILE WE ARE AROUND AND SO I'M

FORTH THINKING WHEN IT RELATES

TO MAKING SURE THEY HAVE THE

PATHWAYS OF PERMISSIBLE HEALTH

TO GET TO THE PLACE THEY NEED TO

TO MAKE YOU KNOW RESIDENTS OF

THE CITY OF FLINT WHOLE.

>> MAYOR ELECT IF YOU COULD SAY

WELL I GUESS TO YOUR FORMER

COLLEAGUES IN THE LEGISLATURE

RIGHT NOW FLINT NEEDS ONE THING

THAT THE STATE COULD DO FOR THE

CITY, TO HELP IT TO CONTINUE TO

MOVE FORWARD WHAT WOULD THAT ASK

BE IF YOU COULD WAVE A MAGIC

WAND AND GET WHAT YOU WANTED?

>> WHEN YOU GET TO LANSING YOUR

FIRST NAME IS REP AND LAST IS

DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN AND I ASK

THEM TO TURN TO THE UNION SIDE

OF WHAT HAPPENED AND LOOK INTO

YOUR HEARTS IN THIS AND WHAT WE

NEED IN FLINT, WHATEVER THEY

NEED YOU KNOW WE ARE GOING TO BE

WILLING TO LISTEN AND WILLING TO

LOOK FORWARD TO TRY TO HELP AND

ASSIST.

>> IS THAT FUNDING?

>> IT'S FUNDING IN MOST PARTS

BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT LANSING

DOES GIVES FUNDING AND SO WE ARE

GOING TO BE LOOKING AT FUNDING

AND THE GOAL IS THIS WE WANT TO

CUT THE UMBILICAL CORD AND TAKE

FLINT TO A PLACE WHERE IT'S

INDEPENDENT OF ANY SUBSIDIES OR

ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF WHATEVER

COMMUNITIES GET.

FLINT HAS TO BE RESTORED TO THAT

POINT AND WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE

AN ON GOING AND INTO PERPETUITY

HELP BECAUSE OF THIS, WE WANT TO

GET TO AN INDEPENDENT PLACE AND

WHERE I WILL TAKE IT.

>> THAT IS FIVE YEARS DOWN THE

ROAD.

>> IT COULD BE, I'M GETTING ON

THE RIGHT TRACK AND WHETHER IT'S

THREE YEARS OR FIVE YEARS WE

WILL REFOCUS THE MISSION OF WHAT

WE NEED TO DO TO MAKE FLINT A

BETTER PLACE AND BETTER QUALITY

OF LIFE FOR RESIDENTS AND FLINT

IS A VERY DIVERSE COMMUNITY AND

THE MOST SEGREGATED CITY IN THE

STATE OF MICHIGAN BUT WE ARE

GOING TO BE LOOKING AT TRYING TO

UNITE OUR EFFORTS AND THOUGHTS

AROUND THE QUALITY OF LIFE.

AND TALK ABOUT YOU KNOW

RESIDENTIAL RECREATION,

ECONOMICS EDUCATION AND SAFETY I

CALL THEM THE FIVE POINTS OF

LIFE THAT EVERYONE HAS

BIRMINGHAM HAS THE THINGS AND

CITY OF FLINT AND PONTIAC AND

HIGHLAND PARK DESERVES THOSE

THINGS AND LEGISLATIVE BLACK

CAUCUS AND WHEN I SUBMIT TO

RESIGN AND THE URBAN CORE AND

DECONSTRUCTED BY THE EMERGENCY

MANAGER VIRUS SO WE HAVE TO

SOMEWHAT MAKE THOSE COMMUNITIES

WHOLE AGAIN.

>> ON THE FINANCIAL SIDE OF THE

LEDGER WE TALK ABOUT THIS

PREVIOUSLY BUT FLINT'S PENSION

FUND IS 36% FUNDED, IT WAS 50%

JUST FIVE YEARS AGO SO IT HAS

BEEN IN DECLINE AND AT THE SAME

TIME THIS CITY'S FINANCES SHOW

AT LEAST THE MOST RECENT BUDGET

THEY ARE PROJECTING SPEND DOWN

OF THE FUND BALANCE AND DEFICIT

SPENDING IS GOING TO RETURN TO

FLINT HOW ARE YOU GOING TO TURN

AROUND THAT SHIP?

>> YOU SOUNDED LIKE TIM SKUBICK

THERE WHEN YOU GAVE ME THE SCARY

NUMBERS BUT WHAT WE WHERE GOING

TO DO IS TAKE ANALYSIS AND DO A

FINANCIAL AUDIT TO SEE WHERE WE

ARE AND DO AN OPERATIONAL AUDIT

TO SEE WHERE WE ARE BUT MANY

COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE

OF MICHIGAN ARE UNDER FUNDED IN

PENSION SYSTEMS SO THAT IS NOT

UNIQUE TO THE CITY OF FLINT BUT

FIGURE PATHWAYS AROUND THAT

BECAUSE I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE

THAT THE CITY OF FLINT HONORS

ALL COMMITMENTS TO RETIREES AND

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO

THE NECESSARY THINGS TO HAVE A

COURSE CORRECTION TO TRY TO OFF

SET SOME OF THOSE DANGEROUS

NUMBERS THAT YOU JUST SAID.

>> WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH

THE POLICE CHIEF?

>> WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A NEW

DIRECTION THERE.

>> THE CURRENT CHIEF IS OUT.

>> THE CURRENT CHIEF RIGHT NOW

WILL BE OUT, YES.

>> WHEN?

>> MONDAY.

>> WHY?

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, SYSTEMS OF

SAFETY AND COMMUNITY SAFETY IS

VERY SERIOUS AND YOU CANNOT HAVE

ANY OTHER THINGS ECONOMIC

DEVELOPMENT, YOU KNOW, GOOD

QUALITY OF LIFE IF YOU DON'T

FEEL SAFE IN YOUR COMMUNITY.

THE CURRENT CHIEF IS A GOOD

FRIEND.

I CONSIDER HIM A PERSONAL FRIEND

BUT WE NEED A DIFFERENT

DIRECTION AND WE NEED SOMETHING

THAT IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO

UNITE OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT

EFFORTS THROUGH MICHIGAN STATE

POLICE OFFICERS WHICH ARE INSIDE

THE CITY OF FLINT, WE HAVE THE

SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND WE HAVE

OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES

AND NEED A COOPERATIVE LEVEL OF

UNDERSTANDING HOW WE ARE GOING

TO BE POLICING OUR COMMUNITY SO

I THINK WE NEED TO BRING

SOMEBODY IN THAT WILL BE ABLE TO

BE THE COAGULANT IN LAW

ENFORCEMENT.

>> DO YOU HAVE ANYBODY IN MIND?

>> A COUPLE PEOPLE IN MIND AND

DATING A FEW OF THEM BUT.

>> PREDATING THIS WEEK.

>> MY GOODNESS YOU HAVE NO IDEA.

BUT I'VE BEEN TALKING TO A FEW

PEOPLE BUT THE THING ABOUT IT IS

THAT FLINT IS A COMMUNITY IN

CRISIS AND IN TRIAGE SO WHO

WANTS TO LEAVE THAT HAS A SKILL

SET SOMEWHERE THEY CURRENTLY ARE

FOR LESS MONEY AND MORE WORK,

RIGHT.

>> SO DO YOU WANT SOMEBODY TO

COME IN AND BE TOUGHER ON CRIME

AND ARREST EVERYTHING THAT

MOVES?

>> NOT AT ALL, NOT AT ALL, WE

REALLY NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT

EDUCATION AND DIFFERENT PATHWAYS

TO WHERE WE CAN STOP CRIME

GROWING AND HANDLE CRIME WHILE

WE ARE THERE AND HAVE CLEAR

CASES NOT JUST PATROLLING THE

REST BUT WE NEED DETECTIVES TO

GET THE CRIMINALS WHO ARE

HABITUAL CRIMINALS OFF THE

STREETS BECAUSE YOU WILL FIND

YOU HAVE A SMALL NUCLEUS OF

THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE

COMMITTING CRIME ALL AROUND YOUR

COMMUNITIES.

>> MAYOR, I'M SURE THIS HAPPENS

TO YOU AND PROBABLY EVERYONE

AROUND THIS TABLE WHEN YOU

TRAVEL OUTSIDE OF THE STATE AND

YOU SAY THE WORD FLINT THE FIRST

QUESTION ALWAYS IS THE WATER

SAFE TO DRINK AND MICHIGAN RADIO

WE HAVE DONE A LOT OF REPORTING

ON THAT AND ONE OF THE TOP

STORIES IS THE WATER IS SAFE TO

DRINK...BUT IT'S COMPLICATED

WHAT IS YOUR ANSWER WHEN SOMEONE

SAYS TO YOU IS THE WATER IN

FLINT SAFE TO DRINK?

>> YOU KNOW, PERCEPTION ISSUE

RIGHT AND SO FLINT WAS

TRAUMATIZED AND ANY TIME YOU

HAVE TRAUMA WITH ANYTHING YOU

HAVE TO GO THROUGH REMEDIATION

OF THE TRAUMA SO WE HAVE NOT

BEEN EFFECTIVELY GOING AND

TALKING TO EDUCATE PEOPLE ABOUT

WHAT HAPPENED AND THEN THE LEVEL

OF TRAUMA WILL START TO

DISSIPATE.

AND SO THE WATER IS TESTING

BETTER, YES.

BUT PEOPLE'S PERCEPTION OF THAT

WATER IS THAT THEY WON'T DRINK

IT AGAIN SO WE HAVE TO GET TO A

PLACE WHERE WE HAVE TO COME OFF

OF BOTTLED WATER AT SOME

PARTICULAR POINT.

>> ARE YOU DRINKING THE WATER?

>> NO, OUT OF THE TAP DIRECTLY,

NO.

I'M DRINKING FILTERED WATER.

MY WIFE THINKS SHE IS NOT

DRINKING FILTERED WATER BUT

EVERY TIME SHE PUTS HER CUP IN

IF ICE MAKER I SAID YOU KNOW

IT'S COMING FROM THE TAP BUT

COMES THROUGH A FILTER SO IT'S A

LEVEL OF COMFORT TIM AND HOW WE

HAVE TO GET THERE IS GOING TO BE

A COMMUNITY EFFORT AND EDUCATION

PROCESS.

>> MAYOR, THERE HAS BEEN SOME

BACK AND FORTH OVER THE PAST

COUPLE OF YEARS BETWEEN THE

STATE AND MAYOR WEAVER'S

ADMINISTRATION ABOUT THE

REPLACEMENT OF LEAD SERVICE

LINES.

HOW DO YOU HOPE TO REPAIR THAT

RELATIONSHIP WITH THE STATE OR

DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY IF YOU

FEEL THAT'S NEEDED?

>> WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A GREAT

RELATIONSHIP WITH THE STATE.

AND PEOPLE FAIL TO REALIZE WHEN

THE CRISIS HIT WE DID

APPROPRIATIONS AND WE DID BUDGET

AMENDMENTS AND DIFFERENT THINGS,

NOT ONE LEGISLATOR IN THE HOUSE

OR SENATE VOTED NO AGAINST THAT

AND THE STATE PLACE PROBABLY