It was a packed house at Freeman Elementary School on Flint's south side, where the public got to speak with Mike Brown for the first time since Governor Snyder put him in charge.
Many were concerned, some decidedly upset the City of Flint is under state takeover.
"I just want to know if you personally feel your position is unconstitutional, because actually, it is,” said Erin Erwin.
"No, I don't think it's unconstitutional,” Brown responded. “I think that states need the option when municipalities cannot balance their budget."
Brown assured residents he's committed to engaging the community.
Public safety was a hot topic. People asked brown how he would fix growing problems of vandalism, metal scrapping and violent crime.
Marilyn Marsden with South Area Crime Watch said she doesn’t feel safe in her neighborhood. "I really don't and I live on the South End. I live on the other side of Fenton Road, and our area is very, very bad."
Brown’s take away message Wednesday night: It's going to be a long road to recovery, but he's going to try to be open and transparent along the way.
