Flint council blocks mayor’s proposal to send $300K in ARPA funds to co-op grocery store

FLINT, Mich. — A proposal by Mayor Sheldon Neeley’s administration to send $300,000 in federal stimulus funds to the North Flint Food Market Cooperative has failed to gain enough support from the City Council.

The measure, which was on the council’s agenda Monday, Sept. 8, received three “yes” votes, one “no” vote and one abstention. The city’s charter requires at least five affirmative votes for approval, meaning the resolution fell short.

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Neeley had asked the council to allocate $300,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funding — previously earmarked for revenue replacement — to the co-op market on Clio Road. Construction of the store has been completed, but its opening has been delayed multiple times due to cost overruns and fundraising shortfalls.

One resident spoke out against this at the meeting:

The North Flint Food Market has been in the works for more than a decade, led by the North Flint Reinvestment Corporation and its executive director, the Rev. Reginald Flynn. In May, the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation announced a $1.5 million grant to help the project secure a food supplier, purchase inventory and hire about 30 employees.

Supporters, including Neeley, argue the store would provide fresh food and job opportunities in a section of Flint that has lost major retailers such as Meijer and Kroger in recent years. “The [market] will provide employment and job training opportunities for local residents,” Seamus Bannon, the city’s chief strategy officer, wrote in a review provided to the council. “The goal will be to create careers for residents who live in nearby neighborhoods. Individuals who work at the market will have advancement opportunities, allowing them to establish long-term employment.”

But concerns about conflicts of interest have lingered. Some council members are also co-op members, and city attorneys previously advised them not to vote on funding requests tied to the project. Similar funding efforts failed last year when support on the council did not materialize.

More than 1,000 people have bought shares in the co-op — $250 for individuals and $500 for churches and organizations — which grants them a role in shaping operations and how profits are used. In addition to Mott’s support, the project has also received contributions from the Ruth Mott Foundation, the state of Michigan, the Flint & Genesee Group and ELGA Credit Union.

The Mott Foundation has said its grant should allow the market to open before the end of 2025. Whether the city will revisit its proposed $300,000 contribution remains unclear.

Some information from MLIVE and Mackinac Center for Public Policy