FLINT, Mich. – Mayor Karen Weaver signed a new emergency declaration Tuesday to extend the State of Emergency in Flint due to the ongoing effects of the water crisis and asked county, state and federal officials to do the same.
Weaver stood with Flint City officials and Genesee County Sheriff Robert Pickell at Flint City Hall, thanking the Flint City Council for voting Monday evening in favor of the measure.
“The fact of the matter is we still cannot drink our water without a filter,” Weaver said. “That is why I have signed a declaration to renew the state of emergency in the City of Flint until the lingering issues have been resolved and the watyer is deemed safe to drink.”
Weaver urged county, state and federal leaders to follow their lead and reinstate emergency declarations for the city. She also said extending the State of Emergency in Flint will let the public know the citizens and the City of Flint still need help.
“We cannot let this story die until the problem that was caused through no fault of our own has been fixed, we must continue to give this issue the attention it deserves," said Weaver. "I want to thank the Flint City Council for voting to support the extension. Next, we will send the declaration to county officials. We hope to again have the support from leaders on all levels of government including the state and federal levels."
After her election last November, signing the Emergency Declaration was one of the first things Weaver did as mayor. The declaration expired Monday. Federal and state emergency declarations expired Aug. 14, although both levels of government have continued their work to resolve the water crisis.