Flint City Council Members: Wards, Duties, and Contact

The Flint City Council is made up of nine members, one elected from each of the city’s wards, who together hold all legislative authority for the city under a strong mayor-council form of government.1City of Flint. Flint City Charter – Section 1-101, Section 3-101 The mayor runs day-to-day city government; the council writes the ordinances, approves the budget, and checks the executive branch.

Who Represents Each Ward

The council picks a president and other officers from its own membership for one-year terms.2City of Flint. Flint City Charter – Section 3-103 As of 2026, the members are:

Finding Your Ward

Flint’s ward boundaries were most recently redrawn for the 2024 ward map. If you aren’t sure which ward you live in, the interactive version on the City of Flint website lets you look up your address and match it to your council member.7City of Flint. Ward Map

What the Council Does

Section 3-101 of the Flint City Charter lays out the council’s authority. Its core powers are enacting local ordinances, reviewing and approving the annual budget the mayor submits, levying taxes, authorizing bonds, and conducting investigations into any city department or agency.8City of Flint. Flint City Charter – Section 3-101 The council also appoints the City Clerk and the City Auditor, both of whom serve at its pleasure and give it an independent line into how the city is actually being run.9City of Flint. Flint City Charter

Passing Ordinances

Any council member or the mayor can introduce a proposed ordinance, in writing. The City Clerk distributes copies to each council member and the mayor and publishes notice of the proposal. A public hearing cannot take place until at least five days after that publication, giving residents time to read the language. Once the council passes an ordinance, the mayor has 168 hours (seven days) to sign it or file a written veto. If the mayor vetoes, the council can override with a two-thirds vote within two weeks.10City of Flint. Flint City Charter – Sections 3-302, 3-303, 3-305

Budgets, Contracts, and Land Use

The mayor prepares the annual city budget, but it does not take effect without council approval.8City of Flint. Flint City Charter – Section 3-101 The council also signs off on certain city purchases above thresholds set by ordinance; under the purchasing code, public entity purchases over $10,000 need council approval, and other tiers apply to broader city spending. Zoning and land-use questions come to the council through recommendations from the Planning Commission, and the council makes the final call on how property in Flint can be developed or repurposed.11City of Flint. City of Flint Planning Commission Agenda

Standing Committees

Most of the detailed work happens in committee before it reaches the full council. There are four standing committees: Finance (budget proposals and fiscal matters), Legislative (proposed ordinances and resolutions), Governmental Operations (city departments and administrative matters), and Special Affairs (miscellaneous and special items). Committee meetings run at 5:00 p.m. on the Wednesdays before council Mondays. Full council meets on the second and fourth Mondays of each month, with the Special Affairs Committee session at 4:30 p.m. and the Regular meeting at 5:30 p.m.12City of Flint. City Council

Terms, Eligibility, and Pay

Council members serve four-year terms and cannot hold any other city office or city employment during that time. After leaving office, a former member must wait one year before taking any paid city position.13City of Flint. Flint City Charter – Section 3-104 Service is capped at three consecutive four-year terms, after which a member must sit out four years before running again for the same seat.14City of Flint. Flint City Charter – Section 2-202

To run, a candidate must be a registered voter in Flint, a resident of the ward they want to represent, and must have lived in the city for at least one year before the election or appointment. Anyone convicted of violating Michigan election laws, or of a felony involving a breach of public trust, is barred from serving.15City of Flint. Flint City Charter – Section 3-103 Because candidates have to be qualified electors, the practical minimum age is 18.

Council members earn an annual salary of $26,500 as of 2026, up from $25,000 in 2025. Pay is set by the Local Officers Compensation Commission rather than by the council itself, so members cannot vote to raise their own compensation.

If a Seat Opens Mid-Term

When a council seat becomes vacant, what happens next depends on how much of the term is left. If more than 18 months remain, the sitting council members must appoint a replacement within 30 days from eligible ward residents who submit résumés, and a special election is then held so voters choose a permanent successor. If fewer than 18 months remain, the appointee simply finishes the term and no special election is held.

How to Contact a Council Member or Speak at a Meeting

Contact information for each ward office (phone numbers and email addresses) is listed in the directory on the City of Flint website.12City of Flint. City Council The general council office is reachable through the City Council Secretary at 810-766-7418.

To speak during the public participation portion of a meeting, get permission from the presiding officer, then go to the microphone, state your name and address, and keep your comments to three minutes. Remarks are directed to the council as a whole, not individual members, and there is no back-and-forth between speakers and council members during that segment.16City of Flint. Rules Governing Meetings of the Council – Rule 10