Mayor's Office

City Officials Meet with County, Other Agencies Over State of Emergency

Mayor Karen Weaver hosted the first meeting in the City’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) where City officials met with partners from other agencies to discuss the City’s Water Emergency. In addition to City Officials, the EOC meeting included members of the Genesee County Board of Commissioners, the Michigan State Police’s Emergency Management Division, the United Way, and the Genesee County Health Department. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss next steps for the city as it continues to implement its Support Emergency Operations Plan, construct an Incident Response Plan, and coordinate their efforts with outside agencies and governments.

“It was a productive meeting, where we coordinated with several agencies and levels of government. We are a step closer to bringing permanent solutions to Flint,” said the Mayor, who declared a State of Emergency on Monday December 14 over ongoing problems with lead contamination in the City’s water.

Genesee County Board of Commissioners Chairman Jamie Curtis and Vice-Chair Bryant Nolden pledged to support Flint’s efforts to address water quality issues and public health, which includes assisting in the provision of immediate relief and seeking help to implement long-term solutions.

Immediate relief includes such as water filters, bottled water, and making certain foods available that help treat the effects of lead poisoning. The County is working to share critical health and nutrition information with the City to make this possible.

Long term solutions include several capital improvement projects to upgrade and replace the City’s water distribution infrastructure. The cost of doing this is still being determined by the City. The City is currently working on a comprehensive Incident Response Plan that details all of the actions to be taken and their costs. The Incident Response Plan will be presented to the County Board of Commissioners after the new year. It is intended to demonstrate the City’s need for outside assistance and additional resources to properly address the water emergency beyond what is available at the County Level. The Mayor has continuously called for outside assistance with these efforts because of the serious financial challenges facing the city. Flint continues to remain in State receivership while addressing this Emergency.