FLINT, Michigan—Mayor Sheldon Neeley today called on City Council to stop delaying a critically important contract extension for project management of the service line replacement project. Council’s failure to vote on the issue will force work on Flint’s service line replacement project to come to a halt.
City Council members have repeatedly delayed votes on a contract extension for Rowe Engineering, which is providing project management for service line replacements for all households in the City of Flint.
The service line replacement project was originally scheduled for completion in 2019, but was behind schedule when the current administration came into office. City employees and contractors are working hard to complete the project — but need City Council approval on contracts to continue the work.
“All we want is for Flint City Council to do what is in the best interest of the residents of the City of Flint. Instead we are seeing obstructionists who attempt to sideline every issue before them. Petty politics has no place here when lives are at risk. People have been through so much for so long, we need to get this project completed,” Mayor Sheldon Neeley said.
The service line replacement project is in its final stages. So far, the City of Flint has excavated 26,800 service lines. Of those 9,200 were lead or galvanized steel. There are fewer than 500 service lines estimated to be checked as part of the project.
