Flint Board approves emergency invoice, HVAC replacement at Southwestern amid debate over $131,640 vendor charge and $17,000 city fire fee

The Flint Board of Education voted to move and approve two finance items tied to Southwestern Elementary and discussed the district’s monthly disbursements in detail.

The board approved Resolution 11.13, authorizing payment of an invoice for emergency services at Southwestern and moved it to the regular board agenda; trustees noted the district may seek reimbursement from insurance. The board also approved Resolution 11.14, authorizing a proposal to replace a heat-exchanger pump and valve at Southwestern after staff said the exchanger had not been replaced since the building’s opening and that the insurance company would not cover the wear-and-tear replacement. Both motions were adopted by roll call with unanimous votes among those present.

Trustees spent substantial time reviewing the monthly check register and queried several specific entries. One trustee pointed to a Genesee Health Plan invoice on the register for $131,640.30 and suggested the district might be underutilizing that vendor’s services; the trustee asked the board to monitor how the district pays that vendor going forward. Vice President McIntyre and others also flagged a payment to the City of Flint for approximately $17,000 described in the register as a fire-related charge or surcharge and questioned whether the district should pay that sum while the city’s investigation of related arson incidents remained unresolved.

Operations staff described the district’s purchasing process: a purchase order is created, the invoice is attached, the department head reviews and approves, then it proceeds to accounts payable and the superintendent for final approval. Staff said the reviewed invoices had supporting documentation and were processed through the district’s normal workflow.

Several trustees urged caution. One recommended a governance meeting and consultation with legal counsel to review options before the board adopts a blanket practice of refusing similar city charges in the future. Another trustee said paying city invoices without contest could be defensible to avoid litigation and to preserve district operations; that trustee also urged collaboration with the city to address long-term blight and safety issues that generate fines.

The finance committee adjourned after the discussion. Trustees did not adopt an immediate policy change; instead several asked staff to retrieve the earlier legal opinion referenced during debate and to schedule a governance-level review of check-register practices and vendor payments.