Capitol Theatre

The Capitol Theatre in downtown Flint is shown in this Flint Journal file photo.

(Flint Journal file photo)

FLINT, MI -- Some Flint representatives on a committee dealing with the city's water crisis are raising new questions about the state's investment priorities here.

"We need to keep in mind, people have seen us do a ribbon-cutting for the Capitol Theatre but we still don't have a grocery store," Mayor Karen Weaver said during a meeting of the Flint Water Interagency Coordinating Committee on Friday, Nov. 4.

At the same meeting, the mayor's city administrator also said local officials have been left out of some decisions about state investments in response to the water crisis.

"We're still asking you guys to allow Flint to be a part of the decision-making. Can we share that space with you?," asked City Administrator Sylvester Jones.

The comments came as state officials detailed various efforts to help the city out of a water crisis that emerged after the city, while being run by state-appointed emergency managers, changed its water source to the Flint River in 2014.

As a part of the response to the crisis since, state government offices and agencies were asked to identify projects that could benefit Flint.

One state official -- Brian Whiston, Michigan superintendent of public instruction -- said those decisions were not made in a vacuum.

The state Department of Education identified things it could do, for example, by talking to local people in the Flint School District and at the Genesee Intermediate School District, Whiston said.

But Weaver questioned some of the program's priorities, in particular $5.5 million from the Michigan Strategic Fund that is being used to help renovate the historic Capitol Theatre downtown.

Weaver said she supports revitalization of the city's core and economic development, "but how do you explain to the people that (the Capitol) was one of the priorities?"

"They say, our school buildings are falling down, we've got neighborhoods that are falling down so how did this become our priority?" the mayor said.

State officials said the Capitol project was coordinated with officials from Flint and the Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce.

Rich Baird, special advisor to Gov. Rick Snyder, said he understands the perception of misplaced priorities but said the state isn't focused on economic development at the expense of other issues.

"It's not a question of Capitol Theatre versus lead pipe removal. It's Capitol theatre versus no Capitol Theatre and the 20 or so jobs that went with that," Baird said.