Flint Water Crisis Hearing Set for Monday

A hearing connected to the Flint water crisis is set for Monday at 1:30 p.m.

A federal judge will decide whether to give preliminary approval to a settlement worth $641 million to resolve civil lawsuits connected to the crisis.

The litigation stems from when the city of Flint switched their public water supply to the Flint River.

In a press release, state officials broke down the settlement figure:

The State announced a $600 million contribution to the settlement in August. Since then, McLaren Regional Medical Center has agreed to provide $20 million and Rowe Professional Services Co. is providing $1.25 million. The City of Flint has conditionally agreed to contribute $20 million, with money being provided through its insurer as opposed to its general fund or otherwise derived from taxpayers. However, the Flint City Council must still approve that contribution. Under the settlement agreement, the Council has until Dec. 31 to pass its resolution supporting the contribution.

The settlement agreement was submitted to Judge Judith Levy in November. She has said that she expects to issue a ruling on that motion by mid- to late January.

“The public’s participation is part of the settlement process and I encourage Flint residents to attend the hearing on Monday,” Nessel said. “The State has made a concerted effort to reach this settlement with plaintiffs’ attorneys, with the guidance of court-appointed mediators. Countless hours of effort have gone into crafting this agreement, and while it may not be perfect, we continue to believe it is the best possible outcome for residents and the future of Flint,” said state attorney general Dana Nessel in a press release.

“I encourage Flint residents to learn about the settlement details, attend Monday’s hearing and participate as the settlement process moves forward,” said Governor Whitmer. “As I’ve said before, what happened in Flint should never have happened, and financial compensation with this settlement is just one important step forward in the long process of helping the city heal and making amends to the people of Flint who have faced so much uncertainty,” she said.

Flint residents and the public can attend the hearing online by accessing the court’s website.

Here are some instructions from the state on how to access the hearing:

Select Monday’s hearing on the drop-down menu (Waid et al v. Snyder et al, case 16-10444) and fill out the form. Enter the two numbers in reverse order, check the box to acknowledge that you have read the information about the prohibitions against recording, photographing, or broadcasting court hearings, and click on “Submit.” The next screen will provide a link to click to watch the hearing. Everyone must register separately. Depending upon other judicial matters, the hearing may not start promptly at 1:30 p.m.

Additional details surrounding the settlement, including compensation categories, eligibility…