The fight to change the name of Flint Township got some new life recently thanks to a new law allowing townships to change their name.

The idea of changing Flint Township to a new name has been around for a while, but it really started to pick up steam during the Flint Water Crisis. Some Flint Township residents and business owners formed a committee in 2016, with the goal of changing the name. The committee had never been able to get the change done, but a new law may change all that.

House Bill 4637 was signed into law just a few weeks ago, and it is the key to a township name change. The law basically says that a township can change its' name if voted on by the township electors.

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Why do they want to change the name of Flint Township so badly?

The answer is simple, and a little ridiculous if you ask me, but the committee thinks that having "Flint" in the name hurts the township. Sounds a little ridiculous right? There is no denying that the Flint Water Crisis portrays Flint in a negative light. This is no fault of any Flint residents, but it did open the door for a name change discussion. The report below shows one of the Flint Township business owners voicing their concerns.

Why are people opposed to Flint Township changing its name?

There are quite a few different opinions, but most of them come down to the motivation behind a name change. While township businesses are talking about the alleged negative association with Flint, many Flint residents think it has to do more with race than anything.

ABC12 talked to Jerry Preston, who is one of the people spearheading the name change initiative. He explained that he hopes to have the original committee back together in December to bring the name change back to the table.

We'll keep you updated on how this plays out, but in the meantime, let us know what you think about changing the name.

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