Sheldon Neeley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sheldon Neeley
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| 94th Mayor of Flint | |
| Assumed office November 11, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Karen Weaver |
| Member of the Michigan House of Representatives from the 34th district |
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| In office January 1, 2015 – November 11, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Woodrow Stanley |
| Succeeded by | Cynthia Neeley |
| Personal details | |
| Born | September 20, 1968 Flint, Michigan, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Cynthia Neeley |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Delta College (AA) Saginaw Valley State University (attended) |
Sheldon Andre Neeley (born September 20, 1968) is an American politician. He is currently the Mayor of Flint, Michigan. He was first elected as Flint's mayor in 2019. He was re-elected in 2022 for another term.
Neeley is a member of the Democratic Party. Before becoming mayor, he was a state representative for Michigan's 34th House district. He served in the Michigan House of Representatives from 2015 to 2019. He left this role when he became Mayor of Flint. His wife, Cynthia Neeley, was elected to take his former seat in 2020. Before serving in the state house, Neeley was a member of the Flint City Council from 2005 to 2014. He was the first African-American council member from Flint's Sixth Ward.
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Early Life and Education
Sheldon Neeley was born on September 20, 1968. His parents are Marva and Sam Neeley. He grew up in Flint, Michigan, and finished Flint Northern High School in 1986.
Neeley earned an associate degree from Delta College. He also attended Saginaw Valley State University.
Career Before Politics
Before his political career, Neeley worked for WJRT-TV12 for 27 years. He was a broadcast technician there. He also led the local union for the National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians-Communication Workers of America until 2020.
For ten years, he worked as a counselor for the Flint Community Schools. He also served as CEO of the Flint Inner City Junior Golf League for four years. His father, Sam Neeley, started this organization.
Political Campaigns and Elections
Serving on the Flint City Council
Neeley first ran for the Flint City Council in 2001 but did not win.
In 2005, he ran again for the 6th Ward seat. The person who held the seat before, Mark Horrigan, supported Neeley. Neeley won the primary election and then faced Nancy DeKatch in the main election. He received strong support and won by a large number of votes. Soon after, his fellow council members chose him as the vice president of the Flint City Council. He was re-elected as vice president in 2006 and 2007.
Neeley ran for re-election to the City Council in 2009. He won the primary election and then the general election. He also ran for re-election in 2013 and won without anyone running against him.
Representing Michigan in the House
In 2014, Neeley ran for a seat in the Michigan House of Representatives. He competed against seven other Democrats in the primary election. During his campaign, he supported marriage equality and local police. He also spoke against Michigan's use of emergency managers. His main goals were creating jobs, improving education, and keeping communities safe.
Neeley won the Democratic primary election in August 2014. He then faced Republican Bruce Rogers in the general election. Neeley won with more than 90% of the votes and became a state representative.
He ran for re-election in 2016 and won again. He supported keeping college tuition costs from rising. His top priorities included fixing roads and pipes, ensuring environmental safety, supporting law enforcement, and helping the economy grow.
Neeley ran for re-election one more time in 2018. He won both the primary and general elections with a large majority of votes.
Becoming Mayor of Flint
Neeley first ran for Mayor of Flint in 2007 and again in 2009, but he did not win either time.
In April 2019, Neeley announced he would run for Mayor of Flint again. In the primary election, he and the current mayor, Karen Weaver, received the most votes. This meant they would compete in the general election. Neeley won the general election on November 5, 2019, becoming the Mayor of Flint.
On January 31, 2022, Neeley announced he would run for re-election as mayor. Governor Whitmer supported his campaign. In the primary election held on August 2, 2022, Neeley received the most votes. He then faced former Mayor Karen Weaver in the general election on November 8, 2022. Neeley won the election, securing his second term as Mayor of Flint.
Key Policies and Actions
Supporting Law Enforcement
As Mayor of Flint, Neeley has the power to choose important city officials, like the police chief. In November 2019, he appointed Phil Hart as the temporary police chief. They worked to address rising gun violence in Flint. They stopped a program that sold confiscated guns back to the public. Neeley believed that keeping guns off the streets was more important than the money the program brought in. Now, all guns collected by the police are destroyed.
In September 2020, Terrance Green became the permanent Flint police chief. He had experience as a police chief in a nearby town.
Improving Public Safety
Flint saw an increase in serious crimes like homicides in 2020. To help with this, Mayor Neeley asked for emergency help from the state and federal governments in July 2021. He wanted this help to continue to reduce street violence. Through special orders, the Flint Police Department started working with mental health experts. They offered counseling and community programs to help people affected by violence.
Responding to COVID-19
The City of Flint began its response to the COVID-19 pandemic on March 17, 2020. City Hall was closed, and Flint was one of the first cities in Michigan to declare a state of emergency. Mayor Neeley asked residents to limit their social gatherings. Flint was the only city in its area to have a medical advisor guiding its pandemic response. The city also helped residents with their water bills during the pandemic, being the only city in Michigan to do so.
Addressing the Flint Water Crisis
When Neeley became mayor in 2019, the Flint water crisis was still an ongoing issue. The city was working to replace lead water pipes and build a new water treatment plant. Money from the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act helped fund these projects. Before Neeley took office, by July 2016, the lead levels in Flint's water were within state safety limits.
Political Endorsements
On March 8, 2020, Mayor Neeley announced his support for Joe Biden in the 2020 United States presidential election.
