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East Village Magazine February 2019 Photograph by VERN’S COLLISION INC. Free Loaners • Unibody • Frame • Paint Specialists • Glass • State-certified Mechanics More than 40 years at the same location. (810) 232-6751 2409 Davison Rd. FREE Home Warranty Flint’s Resident Located inside the Flint Farmers’ Market Realtor — The Name Trusted in More BATTISTE’S Neighborhoods Ryan Eashoo (810) 234-1234 TEMPLE DINING ROOM PUBLIC WELCOME Serving Downtown Flint since 1947 Support community journalism! Donations to East Village Magazine are tax deductible. Luncheon Monday-Friday 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Go to eastvillagemagazine.org for easy giving. All Occasion Catering 235-7760 ~wine~ craft beer & more... at the Flint Farmers’ Market Healthy Home Cooking! 810-235-1968 Flint Farmers’ Market 2 Commentary Politics 2019 — more civility? Maybe, but don’t count on it East Village By Paul Rozycki Magazine “It’s tough to make predictions, her military flights to Afghanistan. Vol. LVII No. 2 February 2019 especially about the future.” The recent agreement to open the gov- Founder Gary P. Custer -Yogi Berra ernment for three weeks offers an opportunity to end the shutdown for Editor Jan Worth-Nelson With a newly elected Congress in good and may give both parties a Managing Editor Meghan Christian Washington, a new administration in chance to work together. How that Editor-at-Large Ted Nelson Lansing, and a mayoral election in plays out and how long it lasts, Danielle Ward Copy Editor Flint, this year will be anything but remains to be seen, but 2019 looks Reporters Darlene Carey tranquil politically. As has been the like it may be a year of investigations, Jeffery L. Carey Harold C. Ford case for the last few years, predictions charges and countercharges and, per- Luther Houle are easy to make, but often wrong. haps, a move to impeach the president Patsy Isenberg Like so many things attributed to from the U.S. House. Columnists Jan Worth-Nelson Yogi Berra, I don’t know if he actual- The background for much of this is Teddy Robertson ly said, “It’s tough to make predic- the fact that the 2020 campaign is Paul Rozycki tions, especially about the future,” already underway. At least eight Business Manager Casey Custer Photographer Edwin D. Custer but it’s obviously true. In any case, at Democrats have declared they are the risk of proving Yogi correct, here running for president, with more to Distribution Staff are a few things to look for in politics come. And Trump’s campaign has Director: Edwin D. Custer. Staff: Sue Bailey, Kim Bargy, Jane Bingham, Jacob Blumner, Connor this year. been in place since his inauguration Coyne & Ruby Coyne, Casey Custer, Marabeth two years ago. Foreman, Charlie & Linda & Patrick & Terrance & On the national level Christan & Jillianne Goldsberry, Ingrid Halling & Bob Thomas, Christine & Patrick Figgins, Robert On the state level Jewell, Carol Larzelere Kellermann, Stephen As we begin the year, some expect For the first time in many decades, Kellermann, Jo Larzelere, Mary LeRoy, James & Lillian & Livia Londrigan, Alan & Julie Lynch, Ron 2019 to be “the worst year of Donald Michigan Democrats have flipped the & Mary Meeker, Robert & Nancy Meszko, Mary & Trump’s life.” That may or may not governor’s, attorney general’s, and Jeff Mintline, Ted Nelson, Edith & John Pendell, be true, but, for the first time, secretary of state’s offices from one Dave & Becky Pettengill, Lucia Rodriques, Julian Rodriquez, Mike Spleet, and Karen Wilkinson. President Trump is facing a party to another. Yet even with that Board of Trustees Democratic House, with the power victory, Republicans remain in control •Jane M. Bingham • FaLessia Booker and the intent to investigate his busi- of the state House and the state Senate, •Edwin D. Custer • Jack D. Minore ness dealings and potential ties to as they have for a number of years. • Paul Rozycki • Robert R. Thomas Russia. The nation also awaits the Will that mean that Michigan faces the • Jan Worth-Nelson, ex officio Mueller report on any possible same gridlock we have seen in 720 E. Second St. Russian collusion, and at least six Washington? Maybe, but there are at Flint, Mich. 48503 (810) 233-7459 individuals with ties to the Trump least a few signs that both parties campaign have been indicted so far. might work together better than they Website: eastvillagemagazine.org E-mail: [email protected] The FBI also has launched investiga- have in the past. Layout by Ted Nelson. Printing by Riegle Press tions over Trump’s possible ties to Unlike the past two governors, Inc., 1282 N. Gale Rd., Davison, Mich. 48423. Russia. Gretchen Whitmer brings legislative East Village Magazine is a program of the Village During the record-breaking 35-day experience to the job. She served in the Information Center Inc., a nonprofit corpo ration. We welcome material from readers, but all submissions government shutdown, Trump took Michigan House for six years, was elect- become the property of the publication and if published most of the blame for the layoff of ed to the state Senate in 2006, and was will be edited to conform to the editorial style and poli- cies of the publication. All inquiries about the publica- 800,000 federal employees and the chosen as minority leader of the Michigan tion should be mailed to East Village Magazine, Village turmoil that followed. The shutdown state Senate in 2010, serving until 2014. Information Cen ter, 720 E. Second St., Flint, Mich. had the image of a bad reality TV That experience, which both Gov. Snyder 48503. Distribution is the first Thursday of each month. Display advertising rates are $34 a column-inch plus show as Trump and Speaker of the and Gov. Granholm lacked, led Whitmer any other costs. Unclassified ads are $2.50 a printed House Nancy Pelosi traded dueling to meet with “The Quadrant,” the leaders line or part of a printed line. Rates subject to change without notice. The deadline for advertising is 10 days cancellations, as she blocked his State of both parties in the Michigan House and before each pub li cation date. of the Union message, and he denied (Continued on Page 13.) Cover: Ice-coated cattails, Michigan winter © 2019 East Village Magazine 3 Photograph by Photo of the Month: That one day with the dogs, Byram Lake Flint City Council wrestles with civility, removes Mays from finance committee chair By Meghan Christian As 2018 ended, some members of Third Ward Councilperson Santino both outlined in Robert’s Rules of Flint City Council (FCC) expressed hope Guerra, Fields, Sixth Ward Councilperson Order—the parliamentary procedure that the new year would bring a new atti- and FCC President Herb Winfrey, manual used by FCC and many other tude to the council and that they would be Galloway, Eighth Ward Councilperson organizations throughout the United able to leave many of their divisive issues Allan Griggs, and Worthing. Opposed States. behind. But it became clear at the con- was Second Ward Councilperson Maurice “You are abusing your rights as a clusion of the first month of 2019 that Davis. Absent at the time of the vote were council person,” Winfrey said to Mays. this would be a difficult goal. Fifth Ward Councilperson Jerri Winfrey- “Your problem is you want people to lis- Carter and Mays himself. ten to you and to respect you, but you Mays removed Mays wasn’t there for the vote don’t listen to everybody.” he added, Perhaps the most dramatic action of because he had been removed from the before Mays cut him off. the council in January was the removal meeting by Flint Police Officer William Fellow members of the FCC were not of First Ward Councilperson Eric Mays Metcalf 20 minutes earlier, after the only ones under fire from Mays; from his position as finance chair, by a Galloway, the chair of the meeting, council staff support were targets of his vote of six to one, during the Jan. 23 declared him out of order. outbursts as well. During the regular finance committee meeting. FCC meeting Jan. 14, Mays recounted The removal, based on a motion by Continued fighting between part of the Jan. 9 finance committee meet- Council President Winfrey, was the culmi- members of FCC, staff ing where, according to Mays, the coun- nation of months of discord between The Mays controversy seemed to come cil’s staff informed them they could not Mays and, in particular, three female to a head with explosive debate in the reg- make a motion on a pending resolution council members: Fourth Ward ular council meeting of Jan. 14, when dis- regarding AECOM, the city’s water pipe Councilperson Kate Fields, Seventh Ward cussion of a special order added an extra replacement management company. Councilperson Monica Galloway, and hour to the meeting time because of argu- “When our staff starts telling us when Ninth Ward Councilperson Eva Worthing, ing among council members and what we can make motions and can’t and then as well as FCC’s support staff. some believed were abuses of “Point of I research it – and I want this council to Those in favor of his removal were Order” and “Point of Information” — (Continued on Page 5.) 4 ‘Councilman Mays, with the skills that to grant a second change order to the ... Council you have, if you would just change those city’s contract with the LA-based global (Continued from Page 4.) attitudes, you could serve as finance engineering firm, AECOM, that would know – our staff was wrong,” Mays said. chair. I would like to have you serve as give them an additional $4,802,482, “Do what we ask and stay out of our finance chair, but you have to apply according to the resolution listed in the debates if you don’t know what you’re those rules across the board,’” Winfrey Jan.