East Village Magazine October 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 Magazineare 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 Election 2019: Weaver, Neeley, and the public library. How it’s different. Why it’s important. Vol. LVII No. 10 October 2019 By Paul Rozycki Founder Gary P. Custer The campaign signs are popping up. campaign and it hasn’t prevented negative The campaign flyers are in the mail. TV campaigning. Editor Jan Worth-Nelson and social media ads are sure to be seen The primary election was close. Editor-at-Large Ted Nelson Copy Editor Danielle Ward soon. The Flint mayoral campaign is Weaver won 42 percent of the vote. Reporters Darlene Carey under way. Neeley got 39 percent. Pfeiffer won 13 Jeffery L. Carey In less than a month Flint voters will percent and Eason got five percent. Harold C. Ford elect their next mayor — the first gener- Where will those who voted for Greg Madeleine Graham Luther Houle al election under the new charter. But Eason and Don Pfeiffer go? Patsy Isenberg the big questions is — How much do With less than a month to go, the out- Melodee Mabbitt Flint voters care? In the August primary come of the election is up in the air, and Tom Travis only 12 percent of the voters turned out good case can be made for either a Columnists Jan Worth-Nelson to give Mayor Karen Weaver and Rep. Weaver or Neeley victory. Teddy Robertson Sheldon Neeley the right to move on to Paul Rozycki Business Manager Casey Custer the Nov. 5 election. [Interviews with Why Weaver could win Photographer Edwin D. Custer both candidates begin on p. 6-7] On Mayor Karen Weaver’s side there How many more voters will show up are a number of good reasons why she Distribution Staff Director: Edwin D. Custer. Staff: Sue Bailey, Kim next month? Genesee County Clerk could win another term. Bargy, Jane Bingham, Jacob Blumner, Connor Coyne John Gleason, a close observer of local As the incumbent, she has built up & Ruby Coyne, Casey Custer, Caroline Fechik, Christine & Patrick Figgins, Marabeth Foreman, elections, suggests that turnout might be strong name recognition and community Charlie & Linda & Patrick & Terrance & Christan & as low as 20 percent for the general elec- visibility. Jillianne Goldsberry, Ingrid Halling & Bob Thomas, tion — perhaps 15,000 to 17,000 votes During her first term, the state Robert Jewell, Carol Larzelere Kellermann, Stephen Kellermann, Jo Larzelere, Mary LeRoy, James & total. That’s a typical turnout for a pri- takeover of Flint ended. Lillian & Livia Londrigan, Alan & Julie Lynch, Ron & mary, but a dismal showing for a gener- She has raised substantial campaign Mary Meeker, Robert & Nancy Meszko, Mary & Jeff Mintline, Ted Nelson, Walt & Edythe Peake, Dave & al election. funds — over a quarter of a million dol- Becky Pettengill, Dick Ramsdell, Julian Rodriquez, Though Flint has had a history of low lars early in the year. Mike Spleet, Kim & Ronan & Jude Streby, and Karen turnout elections in recent years, this one is She has brought national attention to the Wilkinson. different in several ways. Because it’s the Flint water crisis with numerous celebrity Board of Trustees • Jane M. Bingham • FaLessia Booker first one under the new charter, the mayor visits, and national media stories. Offers of • Edwin D. Custer • Jack D. Minore will serve only three years, until 2022, financial help often followed. • Paul Rozycki • Robert R. Thomas rather than the usual four-year term. After While there has been controversy • Jan Worth-Nelson, ex officio 2022, the mayor will be elected every four over the pipe replacement in Flint, the 720 E. Second St. years, in the same year as the governor. process is moving along, and by one Flint, Mich. 48503 The hope is that turnout will improve by estimate, may be done by the end of the (810) 233-7459 Website: holding the mayor’s contest at the same year. eastvillagemagazine.org time as the election for governor and state Her supporters include some of the E-mail: lawmakers. major players in Flint politics, who [email protected] Layout by Ted Nelson. Printing by Riegle Press Inc., But this election is different in one other know the system well. 1282 N. Gale Rd., Davison, Mich. 48423. way as well. It’s the first time that two She has proven herself to be a com- East Village Magazine is a program of the Village Information Center Inc., a nonprofit corpo ration. We African American candidates have faced petitive campaigner — winning her first welcome material from readers, but all submissions off for Flint’s top job. Over the last 40 years election over Dayne Walling in 2015, become the property of the publication and if published will be edited to conform to the editorial style and poli- it has been common to have one white can- and then turning back a recall attempt in cies of the publication. All inquiries about the publica- didate and one African American candidate 2017, with a majority of the vote. tion should be mailed to East Village Magazine, Village Information Cen ter, 720 E. Second St., Flint, Mich. running for mayor. And voters often divid- 48503. Distribution is the first Thursday of each month. ed along racial lines. However, having two Why Neeley could win Display advertising rates are $34 a column-inch plus any other costs. Unclassified ads are $2.50 a printed African American candidates hasn’t On the other side, Rep. Sheldon line or part of a printed line. Rates subject to change (Continued on Page 14.) without notice. The deadline for advertising is 10 days stopped race from being a factor in this before each pub li cation date. Cover: Mural tribute to Anthony Bourdain by artist Krystal Cooke © 2019 East Village Magazine 3 Photograph by Photo of the Month: Pumpkins Education Beat Stream of departed educators becomes a torrent; FCS loses 60 educators, 833 years of experience in 2019 By Harold C. Ford What had been a steady stream of edu- board meeting, which, in part, assessed that,” said Lester. “Statistically … pay cators departing Flint Community the reason for the extraordinary number is typically not one of the top three rea- Schools (FCS) in the first seven months of departures to be low pay: sons people leave a job … I’d be very of 2019, became a torrent in August and “For too long the teacher shortage across curious to see what our top three reasons September. According to FCS records the state of Michigan was exacerbated in for people leaving the district are versus posted at its website, the district lost 60 Flint because we did not have a collective what we believe they are.” educators with 833 years of experience bargaining agreement in place and we had New contract ends five-year pay from January to September. the lowest starting rate in Genesee County freeze: FCS “Personnel Recommendations” … In partnership with the United Teachers In August, Flint’s 250 teachers ratified, revealed the following number of educa- of Flint and the Michigan Education by a 96 percent majority, a new contract tor resignations and retirements and col- Association we have completely rewritten that raised pay. The new pact ended a five- lective years of experience: the collective bargaining agreement to cre- year pay freeze for Flint teachers. ate real incentives for teachers to work in “We eliminated the two lowest pay the Flint Community Schools.” steps of the former contract, raised the Lopez said Southwestern Academy starting salary for entry level employees and Flint Junior High were hardest hit. by roughly $3,000 per year,” said Lopez Casey Lester, the Flint board’s secre- in his prepared statement, “and included tary/treasurer, asked Lopez about exit inter- an on-average two percent raise for views with departed employees. Lopez every teacher in the district.” indicated that Cassandra Washington, The agreement also extends longevity executive director of human resources, had benefits to begin at five years for those FCS superintendent implicates pay already begun to collect data from those who remain in FCS service as follows: Derrick Lopez, FCS Superintendent, who’d left the district. $500/year starting at the end of the fifth read from a long statement at the Sept. 18 “I would love to look at some of year; $750/year starting at the end of the (Continued on Page 13.) 4 City Council considers protests, pipelines, pot By Luther Houle Well past sunset, the second monthly directly to Wagoner, “I heard you say you Facing a 100 percent price increase, the City Council meeting for September don’t trust them (Communities First). I do.” city must go through council to cover came to order at 8:15 p.m. Monday, After mentioning Communities First’s the deficit. Branch said the $75,000 Sept. 23 after a three-hour Special Coolidge Project at the former Coolidge amendment to the budget will have to Affairs Committee meeting. Elementary School just opened at a ribbon- come from the city’s general fund.