Community leaders meet to plan Flint's future

The Michigan Partisan

By Page W. H. Brousseau IV

TIMES STAFF WRITER

Civic leaders and concerned citizens met on December 3, at the First Presbyterian Church on Saginaw Street. to discuss Flint's future. "Creating a New Story: Flint's Struggle to Move Forward" is a report prepared for the C.S. Mott Foundation by the Harwood Institute from Bethesda, MD, and was presented before the city during the meeting. The Harwood Institute is an organization that helps communities across the country at assessing what is right and wrong within their communities and what can be done to renew their communities.

Melinda Patrician, Communication Director of the Institute, says they "work for community change, civic engagement, and political construct." They also seek out "pockets of change" that are a focal point for hope. Patrician said there are, "things necessary to create a healthy community," and when the moment presents itself, it must be seized.

The Harwood Institute has a five tier system to define a community. Flint is now moving upward into the "Catalytic," or middle, tier. This is where a community has begun to work together, and individuals and organizations are forming to "spur others to act in new ways that will help the community rejuvenate itself."

One such individual is Donald D. Lada. Lada is co-chair of the Eastside Business Association and director of Brown Funeral Home. The Association is composed of businesses, faith based groups, members of law enforcement and city council, and others. The association has been involved in helping to get the Davison Road pavement project completed, neighborhood cleanups and park restorations. Lada said when they are working members of the community come up and join in. When he sees children using a restored park bench he said he lifts his head up and says, "Thank you."

Richard Harwood, president of the Harwood Institute, said in 1997, Flint was at the "Impasse" tier. This is where a city has hit rock bottom and residents say "enough is enough." After conducting numerous interviews in five years, Harwood says there are many bright points in Flint. One such point is residents in 1997 could name only five community organizations, while now that number is above 40.

According to the report, "Residents of all races feel Flint is neglecting its children." "People see trash on the streets, they see abandoned buildings, they see absent landlords who don't seem to be taking responsibility." Harwood continued, "An ethic has been brought into this community that 'we don't have to take care of it.'" 55% of those surveyed said doing something would have little impact, and many said they would be better off moving away. He said that the biggest change since 1997 is that residents have attained a "posture of ownership," a sense they own this community and it is up to them to change it. Creating a "posture of ownership" is the first step in combating many of Flint's problems.

Racial problems are still here in the city and a growing frustration with civic leaders is a new problem that has emerged. Voter turnout is low and Mayor Rutherford was the only name on the ballot in the last election. According to the report, "people see leadership emerging from other places." These places are block clubs, civic groups, churches, and non-profit groups. With race, "People talk in silos," says one Flint resident, the report elaborates, "People are talking plenty, but mostly to those they know, in their race, their occupation, their neighborhood, their town…and when people are in mixed groups, they only talk politely."

Harwood said the biggest challenge is to move from policies that are "acrimonious and divisive" to highlight, "new pockets where civic dialogue has taken palace." "There is no magic bullet that will cure Flint, but all the ammunition you need is right here in this room."

At the conclusion of the presentation, the audience was asked for its input. Many expressed their opinions, which is the next step in improving Flint. Opinions ranged from anger at the Flint Journal and other local media, to the city's politicians. One woman said, "Whites (that have money) should be forced to give their money to blacks," only then, according to her, "we will be equal." Black and white alike in the room rolled their eyes at that statement. I expressed that a lot of Flint's problems have to do with perception, "Every time something bad happens here Michael Moore is here to show the world, but when something good happens, like the Technology Center at Mott Community College or the new White Building at University of Michigan-Flint, no one hears about it." After I said that, an elderly white gentleman stepped in and said, "Who is Michael Moore? He is nothing but a fat dumb white guy," which brought laughter to the cold church basement. The Harwood Institute has scheduled three of these seminars throughout the city in the hopes to attract a wide variety of attendees.

Where do we go from here? According to the report 79% of people complain about problems but seldom do anything to address them. Tuesday afternoon there was a room full of people who were fed up of talking and were ready to act.

Those interested should visit www.mott.org, www.theharwoodinstitute.org, or www.themichigantimes.com to find complete contact information for various community organizations.