An arbitrator ruled the city will have to pay $125,000 in whistleblower case.
A local man says he was fired for blowing the whistle on the City of Flint as it misused Genesee County Senior Millage Funds. Now he is being compensated for his troubles.
An arbitrator awarded him $125,000 to be paid by the City of Flint.
“Nobody is above the law,” says former City of Flint employee Leon Wesson.
That’s the message he says he wants the City of Flint to learn from his case.
It all started while he worked as director of the Hasselbring Senior Community Center in Flint. He says when he would ask for funding to improve the building or programs he was told no money was available. He looked into what happened to the money from the senior citizen millage of Genesee County.
Mr. Wesson says he learned the city had put these funds in the city’s “general” fund account. There was then no way to make sure they were used to help the elderly of Flint.
When he brought this to the attention of city leaders, he says they fired him.
He says the arbitration award brings him justice, but he would like justice for the senior citizens of Flint. He says they could enjoy better facilities, transportation, and programs if the city spent money meant for seniors on seniors.
Flint Mayor Dayne Walling says the city is working with the county to make sure all such funds are accounted for. He says his administration will work to make sure this mistake made by past administrations isn’t repeated.
