Flint City Council selects interim 1st ward council member

FLINT, Mich. (WNEM) – The Flint City Council has selected a person to serve as interim first ward council member.

After three rounds of voting, the Flint City Council has appointed Leon El-Alamin as the interim first ward councilman for the vacant seat in a vote of 5 to 3.

Council members filled the seat left open by the late Councilman Eric Mays just hours before the 30-day deadline.

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El-Alamin is the founder and executive director of the MADE Institute and has been working in Flint for years. He said that he is ready to get to work to help move the city forward.

“I’m ready to get to the city business so we can move the first ward forward in a positive way,” he said. “We got a lot of issues going on in the first ward that needs to be addressed, and I’m just ready to roll up my sleeves and continue to do that and work with those who want to work with me to get that done.”

Some residents are hopeful for the future with the appointment of El-Alamin and hope residents in the first ward and across the city will give El-Alamin a chance to do the work that is needed for the community.

“Some people, or one particular person, which I will say, was trying to dig at him about his past. He’s not ashamed of his past. His past has created a great professional window and who he is now. And I think he’s a testimony to others who have maybe gone astray in their lifestyle to see how you can bring it back together,” said Dion Freeman, first ward resident.

After the appointment of El-Alamin, the council voted to suspend Councilwoman Tonya Burns and to censure Councilman Dennis Pfeifer.

They also voted to hold a special primary election for the 1st ward council seat on Tuesday, Aug. 6 and a special general election on Nov. 5 with the term lasting until November 2026.

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