Genesee County · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Genesee County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Police Chief Retirement
Flint Police Chief Terence Green is stepping down, which means the city has to go find a new top cop. That transition matters because public safety leadership shapes how the department operates and how safe residents actually feel in their neighborhoods.
City Council Election Results
Flint’s City Council is getting a major shake-up after the Nov. 3 election. New members could mean different priorities on the city budget and public safety—stuff that affects daily life and local services.
Flint mayoral election
Flint is getting a new mayor: Tonya Burns won the race, so Michigan’s seventh-largest city will see new leadership and likely new priorities. The source doesn’t detail specific policy or budget changes yet, but a mayoral switch can reshape City Hall’s focus.
Former McDonald Dairy Site sale
Two Flint residents and Commissioner Loyd raised opposition to a recycling center on the former McDonald Dairy site near the cultural center, an elementary school and the Flint River. Loyd asked staff to plan a public forum before the board decides.
Crime victim services funding
Two state grants — $407,096 for crime victim services and $294,378 to renew the STOP Violence Against Women grant — were advanced. They fund services for victims of crime and domestic violence.
GIS data sharing and open data pricing
A resident's questions about how the county's $80/hour GIS processing fee works can't be answered through FOIA because no policy records exist. Commissioners asked that the GIS director still reach out to help.
Hurley Medical Center case management services
The Health Department's contract with Hurley Medical Center for case management and care coordination would get a funding boost of up to $25,000 per year through March 2029.
Accommodations tax review
The committee reviewed the county's accommodations tax — the levy paid on hotel and motel stays. This was a review only; any changes would come back before the body later.
Millage funding and usage priorities
The committee dug into how county millage dollars are being used — a topic that affects what residents pay in property taxes and what services those dollars fund.
Opioid Settlement Funds RFP
A cluster of items committed opioid settlement money to staffing — a specialty courts agreement with the 7th Circuit Court ($148,717), the Sheriff's residential substance abuse treatment program ($92,501.51), and continued funding for a Deputy Director and Grant Coordinator. All moved to the full Board.
Property tax foreclosure outreach and HOPE exemption
Housing is a yellow priority with little progress. Commissioner Shumaker urged rehabbing existing homes instead of demolition; Brown said the land bank is changing leadership and needs a strategy.
Community Services Block Grant funding
Two federal block grants totaling up to roughly $1.9 million would fund community services across the county for 2026–2027.
Crossroads Village security contract
The county was set to consider spending up to $158,000 to keep unarmed security officers at Crossroads Village for another year. It covers January 2027 through January 2028 and is already budgeted.
Large-scale recreational facilities exploration
Committee members discussed whether pursuing big recreational facilities — the kind that could draw tournaments and visitors — should be a county focus area. It's early-stage exploration with no commitment or funding decided.
Community Corrections grant funding
The county was considering a $621,217 Michigan Department of Corrections grant to fund community corrections programs and services for fiscal year 2027. These programs typically support alternatives to jail and reentry services.
Genesee County Legacy Trails design and engineering
Over $1 million in Mott Foundation grants will build Phase One of the Fenton Road non-motorized trail and fund trails staff, a website, and marketing.
Mental health priorities and focus areas
The committee discussed mental health as one of its focus areas. What comes of it could shape how the county directs human services attention and resources.
Jail MAT/MOUD addiction treatment grant
A $338,154 Michigan State Police grant would fund medication-assisted treatment at the Genesee County Jail, with an $88,154 match already budgeted. This affects addiction treatment available to people booked into the county jail.
Personal Recording Device Policy
A new county policy governing personal recording devices was up for approval. It would set rules on when and how employees may use recording devices.
AJFO 2027 Biennial Conference sponsorship
The Sheriff's Office sought $30,000 in accommodations tax funds to be the Presenting Sponsor of the AJFO 2027 Biennial Conference. What the committee decided is not known because no minutes or transcript were provided.
Operation Arrowhead public safety partnership
A $1.59 million Mott Foundation grant funds Operation Arrowhead at the Sheriff's Office. It moved forward to the full board.
School resource deputies in Clio Area Schools
Several deals put sheriff deputies and school resource officers in Atlas Township, Goodrich schools, Fenton Township, Hurley Medical Center, and GISD schools next fiscal year. Most are paid by the townships and districts, not the county's general fund.
Metropolitan Planning Commission Public Participation Plan
A batch of MDOT, MTA, and GLS agreements covers transit planning, rideshare, and air quality awareness — mostly pass-through grant funding.
Michigan Tax Tribunal cases
Pending tax appeal cases were discussed — these can affect how much property tax revenue the county collects.
General Election Results
Genesee County just wrapped its 2026 general election, and the results are in — new faces (and some familiar ones) are taking over local leadership. If you live, work, or pay taxes here, these are the people who'll decide everything from roads to public safety budgets.
Board Appointment Opening
Genesee County has an open seat on the Mass Transportation Authority Board, with a four-year term running through March 31, 2030. If you care about local transit decisions, this is a direct way to get involved—applications are open.
Hiring of third-party labor counsel for alleged wrongdoing inquiry
Commissioners sparred at the end of the meeting over hiring an outside labor attorney to look into an alleged wrongdoing matter, with some members wanting the scope of the investigation defined first. The motion failed, so the county has not retained outside counsel on this issue.
General fund funding for public safety positions
Commissioners discussed the county's priorities and focus areas around public safety under Other Business. With three seats absent and no vote taken, this was a conversation about where the county fits in the public safety picture.
Jail inmate meal contract and funding
The county is adding $35,000 to cover jail canteen food service through fiscal year-end and buying up to $33,000 in inmate bedding and clothing. Together that's nearly $70,000 in jail operating costs moving forward.
Deputy CFO pay increase
The county's second-in-command for finance gets a 10% raise, backdated to mid-September, for doing the vacant CFO's job on top of their own.
Paylocity data feed funding denial
A $9,696 general fund request for a Paylocity data feed failed on a 3-3 tie, meaning the county will not move forward with that expense as requested for the coming fiscal year.
Public Defender grant funding
The Public Defender's Office is seeking $8.9 million from the Michigan Indigent Defense Commission to keep operating for another year. The committee referred it onward without a recommendation, so the funding question is still moving through the process.
Prosecutor's office staffing restructure
The Prosecutor wants to trade a secretary position for a paralegal, reshuffling legal support staff. The full board will make the final call.
Head Start Program Funding Agreement with OLHSA
Genesee County's Head Start preschool and family services for low-income kids depend on this $12.4 million agreement with OLHSA for the 2026-2027 fiscal year. The committee sent it back for more review instead of approving it, so funding is not yet finalized.
Mt. Morris Township CDBG contract extension and fund transfer
The county is working out an agreement with Mt. Morris Township to extend a CDBG contract and shift federal grant money between eligible activities. The committee referred the resolution for more review rather than approving it, so nothing is finalized yet.
Otisville wastewater treatment plant ARPA contract
A last-minute addition: the county is extending its ARPA-funded contract with Genesee County Water and Waste Services for the Otisville wastewater treatment plant.
county newsletter and IT modernization
Genesee County just put out its October 2026 Commissioner newsletter, and the headline item is IT modernization — the county says it's upgrading its tech to serve residents better. That's roughly all the detail included, but it's a quick skim if you want to know what your county government is currently focused on.
2030 Census preparation
The county is on the official census timeline (address count listing is underway), but Commissioner Shumaker is pushing urgency, noting states lost serious federal funding from undercounts. A resolution assigning responsibility — likely planning staff under Government Ops — is due in November, plus a convening of municipalities.
Uncompensated hospital care payment denial
The county pays area hospitals up to $1.85 million a year for care provided to uninsured patients. The committee sent it forward with two commissioners voting no — a rare split on a health funding item.
Road Commission structure and funding
With Chris Gehringer leaving in August, the board debated whether to publicly interview Road Commission candidates — a seat that's politically hot. No process change was adopted yet.
Recognition resolutions and DEI commission process
The board split 6-3 on recognizing the National Day of Racial Healing, with three members questioning whether the resolution is the county's job. The MLK Day portion passed unanimously after the two were separated.
Senior services funding and task force recommendations
A nonprofit leader told commissioners the senior millage-funded guardianship, transportation and hearing/vision programs served hundreds of seniors last year, including 1,314 medical rides.
Countywide broadband network negotiations with Pivot-Tech
The county wants to negotiate with Pivot-Tech to form a 63-20 LLC that would build and operate a Genesee County broadband network. It passed committee 6-3, the most contested vote of the night, and now goes to the full board.
Stepping Stone Falls parking lot grant
Three state grant applications totaling $830,000 were approved — for Stepping Stone Falls lot Phase 2, a For-Mar educational dock, and Bluebell Beach entrance renovation — with matches but no general fund dollars.
Reduced tuition partnership for county employees
County employees and eligible family members could get discounted tuition through Claremont Lincoln University. It advanced to the full board.
$3 Million Mott Grant for Flint State Park
The Charles Stewart Mott Foundation is giving $3 million for work at the State Park in Flint. It's grant money, so improvements come at no cost to county taxpayers.
Search for new Chief Financial Officer
The county will pay a search firm, Hiring Solutions, to find a new CFO — a key hire for whoever runs the county's finances next.
General Fund cost of District Court IT position
A grant meant to pay for an IT position fell through, so the committee was asked to cover half the cost — $55,049.67 — from the general fund. The committee split 4-4 and said no, leaving the position's future funding unresolved.
Veterans services and transportation
A state grant of $163,665 would fund veteran transportation, plus $10,000 for the Veterans Bell Memorial and $110,000 for Vets to Wellness rides through MTA.
Huckleberry Railroad Locomotive Repair
The county plans to spend up to $146,327 repairing the boiler of historic Locomotive 464 at Crossroads Village — keeping a beloved attraction running.