Flint - Everyone (click here) connected to the city of Flint's water system is urged to filter and boil their water after a transmission main broke Friday.
The break occurred in a 24-inch main near the General Motors plant at 12th Street and Van Slyke Road. It caused a large-scale depressurization, which may have allowed bacteria into the system.
Rob Bincsik, Flint's director of public works, decided to issue the city-wide boil filtered water advisory as a precaution. The advisory covers the whole city, because officials aren't sure how far the depressurization spread.
“At this time the full area of depressurization is unknown, so we are issuing the boil water notice city wide,” said Bincsik.
The boil water advisory will remain in effect for at least 48 hours until two samples taken 24 hours apart and allowed to sit for 24 hours come back free of bacterial contamination. The earliest it would be lifted is Sunday.
“Bacteriological samples are being taken and if samples come back negative we expect to lift the boil water advisory after 24 hours,” Bincsik said....
Flint also needs a "Human Rights Commission." It exists in some cities and even small cities. It is usually a volunteer effort supported by the city for any activities that are necessary. But, an Ombudsman's Office is essential for Flint.
May 23, 2018
By Zahra Ahmad
Flint -- The Ombudsman's Office (click here) will be funded in the upcoming fiscal year, according to the Mayor Karen Weaver's proposed budget.
However, the office won't be filled until city leaders appoint an Ethics and Accountability Board.
The Ombudsman's Office was vacated in 2011 after former emergency manager Michael Brown axed both the Ombudsman's Office and the Flint Civil Service Commission.
However, voters reinstated the office when they approved a new city charter in 2017.
The mayor's proposed budget calls for $250,000 to fund the office.
"I certainly think there is a role needed for the ombudsman and it was clear the people wanted that," Fourth Ward Councilwoman Kate Fields said. "They want someone that they can go and place a complaint and have an unbiased investigation of any functioning department of the city government."....
Corporate America have Ombudsmen. I think it is more than appropriate for city and county governments to have them.
By Micheal Mills
...The United States Ombudsman Association** (USOA) (click here) has been making an effort to support the ombudsman concept by assisting jurisdictions in creating new ombudsman offices at all levels of government. In our effort to create new offices, we have recognized that we must have some flexibility and tolerance in the type of offices that will be condoned and supported. It was a conscious decision on the part of the USOA to permit and encourage executive ombudsman offices to join the USOA in addition to those offices established under the traditional legislative model. That decision, made some seven years ago after much debate, served to increase the size of the Association to where it could continue as a viable organization with the resources to support the creation of new offices. In making the decision to be more inclusive, the USOA did make clear that the preferred ombudsman model was the traditional legislative model designed along the parameters established by the International Bar Association....
