Flint Water Crisis Payments Move Closer to Release

Checks from the water crisis settlement are one step closer to reaching Flint residents. City leaders are reacting to progress made behind the scenes after the release of new documents from the Special Master overseeing the claims process.

Progress After New Court Filing

Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley said that the 'Special Master, Judge Levy, has total determination on this.' Communication is happening on all sides, according to the City of Flint.

Who Could Receive Payments First

On Friday, a report and recommendation was released from the U.S. District Court, providing rules and some clarity on who could begin seeing payments first.

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Mayor Neeley continued:

As the city administration, we are going to continue to try and fight for residents of this community to get this expedited as much as possible. The Special Master has asked the judge for permission to start releasing money in one of the categories of property damages.

How the 30 Claim Categories Break Down

The settlement includes 30 compensation categories covering a wide range of claims, such as personal injuries, property damage, and business loss.

Based on a preliminary analysis, most award levels will be modest. Payouts range from $1,000 to $100,000, with the highest amounts going to claimants who were under age 6 at the time of exposure and had the highest lead levels.

Mayor Neeley went on to say:

If the judge gives approval, then more paperwork will follow to those individuals given the maximum amount of the property claims. Then the process would continue to move further, but it is a positive step moving forward.

Flint Leaders Push for Clarity

The Special Master is also providing clarity to Flint City Council. The council reached out for answers to help clear up confusion for residents. Second Ward Councilwoman and President of Flint City Council Dr. Ladel Lewis said at Monday’s meeting:

She was not able to come, however she was gracious enough to answer some key questions that were raised.

City Council Addresses Resident Confusion

These answers addressed when payments will begin and why the process has been delayed. She continued:

We have been getting a lot of misinformation from different levels of government and we want to make sure we give the residents the right information.

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