Mayor will leave office midnight Sunday
(02/09/09) -- During a morning news conference today, Flint Mayor Don Williamson said he will retire from office effective Sunday, Feb. 15 at midnight.
The mayor did not take questions from reporters after making the announcement.
Click here to see Mayor Williamson's entire news conference.
"In leaving, I wish only the very best for our city as it continues down the road we have paved," he said.
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The action comes less than two weeks before Williamson was to face a recall election.
In everything there is a season. And I have decided that now is the time to retire from public life, effective midnight, Sunday Feb. 15," Williamson said.
"In my absence, I want to assure you that Mike Brown will ably lead the city until August, when the voters can decide on my permanent replacement. He shares my strong belief in the support of our neighborhoods and my excitement about growing downtown development. He brings great energy and experience that I think will be important to carry Flint through the next period in history."
Longtime City Council opponent Scott Kincaid said it "was a super-fantastic day" for the city of Flint.
When ABC12's Gabe Gutierrez asked for her reaction, Councilwoman Jackie Poplar said, "Hallelujah."
ABC12 News has not been able to contact Williamson supporters for their reaction.
Williamson, now in his second term, would have served until November 2011.
According to City Charter, Williamson's successor will be newly-hired City Administrator Mike Brown.
Brown replaced former City Administrator Darryl Buchanan last week. At that time, Williams appointed Buchanan to the newly-created position of deputy mayor.
Williamson wouldn't explain what the deputy mayor position means, but did say that Buchanan will stay on in a capacity under interim Mayor Mike Brown.
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Citing health reasons, the Mayor of Flint, Michigan, Don Williamson announced Monday at an 11:20 A.M. news conference that he was resigning from office effective Sunday February 15, 2009 at midnight. Williamson, age 75, indicated that he had multiple sinus infections and kidney stones since November 1 and his doctors wanted him to slow down by reducing his schedule.
Genesee County, Michigan (orange).
A number of events has lead to speculation about Williamson's resignation. His interim Police Chief, David Dicks, has been charged with defrauding the United States government stemming from the Federal investigation into his father's security company, City Security, and its contract with Career Alliance in January. Further, a recall election was scheduled for February 24. The snap selection of Michael Brown to be the new Flint City Administrator and his current City Administrator Darryl Buchanan to the non-City Charter position of "deputy mayor" last week Wednesday. Last Thursday a press conference, originally announced to explain the switch in City Administrators and the position of "deputy mayor," was canceled. And finally, on Friday the Interim Police Chief David Forystek was replaced with a new Interim Police Chief, John Keahey. This returned Forystek to department's traffic bureau.  

Over the last weekend, Williamson denied the rumors. Buchanan was at the press conference while Brown did not attend.

Williamson is a multi-millionaire. He is majority stockholder and chairman of the publicly traded The Colonel's International Inc. (Nasdaq:COLO).

Williamson first stepped onto the political field by running for Mayor of Flint in 1991 but failed to get out the primary. In 1999 he lost to Woodrow Stanley in the general election. In 2003 election — the first full term election after the recall of Stanley — Williamson won the office of Mayor, while the city was still under state financial administration, succeeding Mayor James W. Rutherford into office.

In 2007, Williamson won a narrow re-election over Dayne Walling. He was only drawing a US$1 per year salary. A number of problems have cropped up since then including budget deficits, layoffs, and proposed drag strip.

Some leaders in the community that were surprised at his resignation. The ''Flint Journal'' quoted Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton as stating "I'm shocked." While County Sheriff Robert Pickell stated to the ''Journal'' that he was "absolutely shocked that the mayor resigned." Pickel added, that "with Darryl Buchanan working with Mr. Brown, it will be a good team."

City Councilor, and Williamson opponent, Scott Kincaid is quoted by ABC 12 News as stating that this "was a super-fantastic day" for the city of Flint. City Councilor Jackie Poplar said "Hallelujah!" to ABC 12. 

According to the City Charter, Michael Brown as the Flint City Administrator will take over as Temporary Mayor, with no veto nor ability to remove mayorial appointees with out City Council approval. A primary will be scheduled for the May election date and the general election in August for a replacement mayor.

The recall was based on charges that Williamson mishandled city funds and misstated the status of the city's finances. An additional recall charge according to recall supporters was he disregarded public safety by moving to eliminate 59 police officers and nine firefighters.