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Flint mayor urges council to approve deal to stay with GLWA

steve carmody
/
Michigan Radio
Flint Mayor Karen Weaver (left) and City Attorney Angela Wheeler respond to the city council's concern about a lack of information about GLWA deal

Flint’s mayor is the latest to call on the city council to sign-off on a plan to keep Flint’s tap water flowing from Detroit.

Back in April, Flint Mayor Karen Weaver announced she wanted her city to continue to get its tap water from the Great Lakes Water Authority. The agreement has support from various stakeholders, but so far not the Flint city council.

Earlier this month, the council put off a decision on the agreement.

Council members cited several reasons why they are concernedabout committing to a 30-year contract with GLWA, including that they have not received all the information about what the deal would entail.  

Mayor Weaver says the council has received all the information about the agreement there is.

Flint’s current contract with the authority expires this month, and the pressure on the council is building.   

Mayor Weaver points to the state threatening expensive legal action if the council doesn’t act.

“They are stepping in at this point because it looks like we’re being irresponsible,” says Weaver.

Weaver says tens of millions of dollars from the federal government earmarked for replacing lead and galvanized service lines could be affected if the council doesn’t agree to stay with GLWA. 

The Flint city council is expected to reconsider the water contract next Monday.

Steve Carmody has been a reporter for Michigan Public since 2005. Steve previously worked at public radio and television stations in Florida, Oklahoma and Kentucky, and also has extensive experience in commercial broadcasting.
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