The sign reads:
Welcome to Circle Drive
Neighborhood Association
Working together for a Better Neighborhood
Mayor Don Williamson
This sign was posted in a quaint grassy field in a quiet little neighborhood on Flint's south side. Go ahead and do a search for the triangle patch of grass between Circle, Dell and Omega on this here Murder Map to get an idea of where it's at in proximity to all the craziness going on. That is one of two signs in the local vicinity, which seems to raise a good question. Where are the rest of the Don's happy little neighborhood signs?
I grew up in another part of the city, Flint's Eastside. And I'm like most people, we tend to hold the places we know best close to our hearts. My mother moved us to a street named after a state on the Eastside in the 80's. Later on, the ex and I rented a house on a state street in the 90s, but the two neighborhoods were separated by the AC/Delco Plant. I have lived around that factory for so long, I've come to love it's big blue pipes and catwalks. I love the Eastside. I've got friends there and a great public park we've adopted. I got married on the Eastside – both times. Mike's mom still owns a nice house on the Eastside but has witnessed many of the houses along her block literally either fall to pieces or burn to ashes. Unfortunately, many Eastside residents are not home owners and the slum lords have not been keeping up with their properties so you can imagine what has been happening to these neighborhoods over the years. To quote wikipedia, at present “the Eastside is unquestionably Flint's most racially and ethnically diverse neighborhood.” Why isn't someone working together with these neighbors?
I posted a bunch of pictures of Flint's infamous factory sites, or at least where they used to be, to my Flickr account. Michael and I were out driving around yesterday and took these pictures. I've included just a few below but here's a link to the whole set with further commentary.
Why doesn't anyone force these land-owners to keep up their property or pay penalties and fines? Tell me what's right about these big auto manufacturer's leaving behind such ugly scars (zoom in on that) and doing nothing to repair the land or even keep up appearances — even if it's just for the sake of those of us who are left, so we don't have to be reminded of these epic failures that have become the hot-spots of entropy and decline. Don's answer has been to focus on the homeowners and businesses, forcing them to pay higher taxes year after year. Meanwhile, yet another untaxed church is built. How many churches does one city need any damn way? Funny how there's always enough money to build another bigger-better-badder church but not enough to make home repairs or do yard maintenance.
Seriously though, I really want to know where Don has placed similar signs throughout the city. If you know of any, please let me know! Send along a photo and I'll post it. I sure haven't seen them anywhere in Flint's Eastside or North End. Could it be that he only “works together” with white homeowners for better neighborhoods?