Weaver, who was elected in November to lead the city that is in receivership, can now hire and fire the city administrator and department heads for Flint under recommendations approved by Michigan Treasurer Nick Khouri.
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According to the video, “This natural treasure provides the people with the best H20 in the Great Lakes state”.
Current efforts to help the disproportionately poor and black residents of Flint include donations of bottled water, independent research on the water supply, and a petition asking Michigan’s governor to stop making residents pay for toxic water.
Snyder appointed the task force to review “actions regarding water use and testing in Flint” and to make recommendations for future guidelines. I like to think everything is fair game for humor…
A state-appointed board earlier on Friday unanimously recommended that some powers be returned to the Flint mayor as the financially strapped city transitions to local control from the state control that once included an emergency manager.
The Environmental Protection Agency has issued an emergency order under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
A top federal regulator resigned this week in connection with the lead contamination. Both employees were suspended pending an investigation, in accordance with civil service rules.
“Some DEQ actions lacked common sense, and that resulted in this bad tragedy in Flint”, Snyder said. Governor Snyder reiterated his commitment to quickly get safe water back to the people of Flint and the willingness of his new team to work with EPA to define a path forward as soon as possible. They work in the agency’s drinking water division, state spokesman Kurt Weiss said.
The Flint Water Advisory Task Force says its recommendations are more detailed and comprehensive than what the EPA ordered.
High levels of lead have been detected in Flint’s water since the city switched from the Detroit municipal system and began drawing from the Flint River as a cost-saving measure.
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While much of the blame has been directed at Snyder and state officials, particularly the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, some have faulted the EPA’s Region 5 office for not acting more forcefully.
