Published in partnership with East Village Magazine
Two candidates, Joel Arnold and DeWaun Robinson, are facing off in the November 3 election to replace Flint’s longest-tenured current City Councilperson, Jerri Winfrey-Carter.
Winfrey-Carter, who was first elected in 2017, will have served two terms when her term expires this year. She announced in January that she would not seek re-election.
Arnold and Robinson emerged from a competitive August primary that also include former Councilman Wantwaz Davis and businessman Jeron Dotson on the ballot. Arnold won the primary with 465 votes and Robinson finished second with 406. Davis received 365 votes and Dotson 95.
As they pledged prior to the primary, Arnold and Robinson both submitted the required pre- and post-election campaign finance documents. Arnold reported raising more than $33,000 on his pre-election statement and Robinson reported raising just over $4,400.
The Fifth Ward encompasses much of Flint’s downtown, including anchor institutions like University of Michigan-Flint and Hurley Medical Center, Atwood Stadium and other historic spaces, a portion of the Mott Park neighborhood, and a significant amount of park land that will be part of Flint’s new Flint State Park project. The ward’s boundaries are visible on the city’s interactive map.
Arnold and Robinson both responded to our questionnaire prior to the primary election in August. Their responses are below.
All candidates in Flint elections, including certified write-ins, have been contacted at their publicly-available email address and phone number, as listed in their filing forms. More background about the questionnaire, our methodology, and the partnership between East Village Magazine and Flint. Daily. publications is available in our story announcing the collaboration.
We will continue adding links to candidate responses to our questionnaires to the list below and update it in future stories over the next week.
- Mott Community College Board of Trustees
- University of Michigan Board of Regents
- Flint Community Schools Board of Education
- Beecher Community Schools Board of Education
- Westwood Heights Community Schools Board of Education
- Probate Judge
- Ninth Ward
- Eighth Ward
- Seventh Ward
- Sixth Ward
- Fifth Ward
- Fourth Ward
- Third Ward
- Second Ward
- First Ward
- Mayoral Election
Age:
Joel Arnold: 33
DeWaun Robinson: 39
Occupation/relevant professional experience:
Arnold: Currently I serve as Policy Director at Abundant Housing Michigan. Previously I spent 5 years as the Planning and Advocacy Manager at Communities First, Inc., where I managed neighborhood planning and public policy work focused on building healthy, vibrant communities. Before that I spent 3 years in Philadelphia working in community development and also worked in the City of Flint’s Blight Office.
Robinson: Building Community Partners Peer Recovery Coach Supervisor; Flint Housing Commissioner; nonprofit management.
Education:
Arnold: Bachelor’s Degree in Social Relations and Policy/Urban and Regional Planning from Michigan State University. Master of Public Policy degree from University College Dublin, with a specialization in Urban Policy.
Robinson: Graduate of Flint Central High School; Associate degree in Computer‑Aided Drafting and Design; Bachelor’s degree in Nonprofit Management; extensive professional training in peer recovery coaching, trauma‑informed care, and community leadership.
How long have you lived in Flint?
Arnold: I have lived in Flint a total of 7.5 years. I was born at McLaren Hospital, moved into the city permanently in 2015, moved away for graduate school in 2017 and then moved home in 2021.
Robinson: Born and raised here.
How long have you lived in your ward?
Arnold: I have lived in my ward for approximately one year. I previously lived on Crapo Street and on Court Street downtown.
Robinson: Ten years at my current address, but my family home has always been in the Fifth Ward, so I’ve lived here all of my life.
What neighborhood or area of your ward do you live in?
Arnold: Carriage Town.
Robinson: Metawananee Hills.
Do you own or rent/lease a residence outside of your ward? If so, how often do you stay there?
Arnold: I do not.
Robinson: No — I only have one home, and it’s right here in the Fifth Ward. This is my sole residence.
Do you promise voters that you will file your campaign finance statements by all required pre- and post-election deadlines for the primary and general election? If not, have you filed a Reporting Waiver and promise voters that your campaign will not receive or expend more than $1,000 in your election bid, per that waiver’s requirement?
Arnold: Yes. I will file all required campaign finance reporting on time. I did not file a Reporting Waiver.
Robinson: Yes. I’m committed to full transparency and will file all required campaign finance statements on time. I stay in regular communication with our campaign treasurer to make sure everything is submitted accurately and on schedule.
What things do you enjoy doing in the city for fun or in your spare time?
Arnold: There’s so many things I love about living in this community. I love riding my bike so I regularly use the Flint River Trail, the Genesee Valley Trail, Max Brandon Park, and the trails in Chevy Commons. The summer event season is a highlight in our city from Porch Fest to 810 Day, Back to the Bricks, Juneteenth, the Crim, and more. As a board member at Friends of the Alley I helped put on four years of Alley Fests (2022-2025) so that event holds a special place in my heart. I also love the cultural events we have in Flint like Art Walk, the amazing events put on by Jeff Skigh, CFI’s Levitt AMP Flint Concert Series behind Totem Books, and our great sports teams like the Flint City Bucks, Flint City AFC, the Flint Firebirds, and more. My church, St. Paul’s, is also deeply important to me.
Robinson: I enjoy spending time with family, supporting local events, mentoring youth, and uplifting cultural celebrations that bring Flint residents together. You’ll often find me at Back to the Bricks, the Crim, Kwanzaa, and Juneteenth. I love visiting the North Flint Food Market and eating at food trucks, as well as spending time at the Cultural Center, Riverfront, Berston Field House, Farmers’ Market, the new McCree Theatre, and local senior centers — places that show Flint’s heart, history, and community spirit.
What boards or community organizations have you been involved with?
Arnold: I have been a board member on the boards of Friends of the Alley and St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. I am the co-founder of Strong Towns Flint, where I serve as board president today, and serve on the board at Flint Fresh as well. I am actively involved with the Carriage Town Neighborhood Association and Flint Neighborhoods United.
Robinson: Traditional Flint Juneteenth Committee (Chair); Black Lives Matter Flint (President); Artistic Visions Enterprise (CEO); Urban Renaissance Center (COO); Community Based Organizing Partners; Habitat for Humanity (Community Liaison); Rights of Passage & Young Visionaries programs; Greater Flint Art Council Board of Director; Flint African‑American Leadership Dialogue; Steering Committee leadership team; My Brother’s Keeper; Young Professionals of Flint & Genesee Chamber; Habitat Young Professional Ambassador; Master Plan Committee; Flint NAACP; Generation Forward; Phi Eta Psi fraternity.
What made you decide to run for City Council?
Arnold: I decided to run for council because I feel very strongly that the challenges we face in Flint are solvable, but so often we get in our own way. For years our council has been defined by infighting. Basic city tasks like trash pickup, park improvements, public safety and more have fallen victim to this. Yet if we have a council that is focused on the basics – fixing streetlights, fixing potholes and repaving roads, growing our economy, reducing our 911 response time and investing in quality free community programming – we can ensure this is a thriving and welcoming place. My experience working for the city in the Blight Elimination Division and interacting with the city in working to get new housing built at Communities First has made me confident that I could make an impact if elected.
Robinson: I’m running to restore trust, strengthen neighborhoods, and ensure residents feel heard. I live here, own my home, and raise my family here. I want safer blocks, less blight, stronger small businesses, real youth opportunity, clean walkable neighborhoods, and fair housing. I know what it feels like to have unanswered questions, and I want to help Flint heal and rebuild trust. I decided to step up to work with colleagues with efficient effective local governance, to improve services and pass resolutions that protect residents through transparency.
What separates you from other candidates in your election?
Arnold: I come to this race with a decade of experience in direct community development work. In my very first job after college, I worked in the Flint’s Blight Elimination Division alongside then director Raul Garcia. I coordinated the city’s response to more than 10,000 individual blight calls, supported more than 250 community cleanups, and we raised the city’s resolution rate for blight complaints from 33% to more than 75%. I also spent three years in Philadelphia coordinating a multi-million dollar park redevelopment project, rebuilding a beloved community garden, supporting small businesses, and leading a neighborhood planning effort to ensure that the neighborhood’s future was shaped by those who lived there, not outsiders. While working at Communities First, Inc. we built more than 150 quality homes in Flint and brought over $50 million in investment to Flint neighborhoods. No other candidate comes to this race with this level of experience and *proven* results.
Robinson: As a lifelong Fifth Ward resident, I have long‑standing relationships with families, youth, elders, churches, and small businesses. My experience comes from over a decade of healing‑centered work, cultural organizing, conflict mediation, and hands‑on community service. I’ve supported public safety through restorative‑justice practices, youth mentorship, and neighborhood‑based problem solving. My perspective is shaped by living, working, and serving here every day. I don’t just talk about community — I’ve been serving it for more than a decade.
The City Council has long been plagued by difficult working relationships among council members and with the mayor’s office. How would you create a healthier environment on council and with the mayor to move city business forward?
Arnold: The key thing here is to realize that each council member is a representative of their ward and deserving of respect. I commit to treating all of my colleagues with civility and respect and to building a good working relationship with all members of the council and the mayor’s office through regular meetings and conversations. We have to remember that at the end of the day these offices are not about us, they are about serving the public. We are just the temporary holders of these offices.
Robinson: Even when personalities or opinions differ, my motivation stays the same: serving people with transparency, not ego. I know how to work through differences, move city business forward, and not be held by anyone’s personal agenda.
What do you see as the biggest challenges facing the city?
Arnold: The city’s three major challenges are crime, blight, and economic development. In reducing crime, I believe strongly that we cannot be satisfied until our 911 response time is the exact same as the national average. We must also work with local police departments and trusted community groups to ensure that we reduce crime and ensure policing is done in a safe, effective way. Too many Flint residents live next to abandoned and burned out houses, overgrown grass, and illegal dumping. If elected I will do what I did when I worked in the blight office – keep a laser focus on solving blight issues, catching those who dump illegally in our city, and supporting institutions like the Blight Court. Lastly, so many of our challenges are a result of not having enough good paying jobs. We must focus on making it easy to grow or start a business, invest in our local small businesses, and partner with local schools to ensure that our residents have world class educational opportunities.
Robinson: Changing the public and national narrative is one of Flint’s biggest challenges, especially the backlash from being known for bad water and high crime but not for the sports legacy or college town identity that’s just as prominent. The city faces aging infrastructure, slow service delivery, and long‑term disinvestment. Public safety, food deserts, economic instability, housing insecurity, transportation barriers, poor grades, limited jobs, and unstable living conditions strain families. People and businesses hesitate to move or invest. Poor healthcare, gaps in senior support systems, and the lack of malls, banks, movies, and hotels deepen negative perceptions.
What do you see as Flint’s greatest assets or opportunities for the future?
Arnold: The best thing about Flint is its people. We are blessed with a community full of people who do the small things every day to keep their neighborhood and their communities great places. We must support them by building on the assets that we have in our city. From our universities and colleges to our hospital systems to our enormous park network to our philanthropic partners, Flint has so many assets it can build on. If we focus on getting the basics right as a city government, we can better utilize these assets and ensure that all of our neighbors have what they need to live great lives.
Robinson: As a college town with UM‑Flint, Mott, and Kettering, the city has strong resources for education, entrepreneurs, and innovation. General Motors’ presence, new housing for young adults, and historic areas like Carriage Town support growth. Financial resources from the water crisis aid recovery. Flint is a place of forgiveness, offering second‑chance hiring for residents. Even when so much has been lost, opportunity remains. Flint is a blank canvas, and our people are ready to paint their dreams into reality.
What would be your top three priorities should you be elected?
Arnold: 1. Reducing crime, blight, and improving economic development. We must work with partner organizations and focus on ensuring that our neighbors have safe, clean neighborhoods and access to quality, high paying jobs. 2. Ensuring that we have safe, clean, affordable water. Too many of our neighbors understandably do not trust our water system and are paying exorbitant prices. We must renegotiate our water contracts and lower costs for our residents wherever possible. 3. Ending the toxic politics at City Hall and ensuring that we focus on what we are elected to do – serve the residents. City Hall should not be a place where elected officials fight about personal disagreements, it should be a place where we work together to improve our residents’ lives.
Robinson: My top priority is to propose ordinances and Charter amendments that strengthen Charter duties enforcement and ensure councilmember accountability. I also aim to propose ordinances and amendments that ensures transparency, water bill fairness, consumer protection and strengthens councils water authority. My priority is to meet Charter budget requirements by improving efficiency and revenue, especially since the FY27 budget met balanced budget and reserve rules but only partially met forecasting standards and did not fully comply with capital improvement planning.
The Flint City Council recently passed a 1-year moratorium on data center developments in the city. Do you agree with that resolution? Why or why not?
Arnold: I support the city carrying this resolution through its year as it gives us time to craft appropriate rules. I think this resolution gives us the time now to think about quality regulations to ensure that our city only sees economic development that has a true benefit to our neighbors. With respect to data centers, we must ensure three key things: 1) That any data center construction will not increase electric rates for Flint residents. 2) That any data center construction does not negatively affect the quality or price of our water and that it does not negatively affect the health of our environment, and 3) That any data center does not come with the intense noise pollution that has been seen in too many communities. The City of Flint should craft *enforceable* rules with teeth that ensure that any new development of data centers in Flint does not harm our community. If those thresholds cannot be met, then we should say no to their construction in Flint.
Robinson: I support the moratorium because Flint must first confirm with GLWA and Consumers Energy that our grid and water system can handle a hyperscale data center, evaluate whether the Flint River is a viable alternative, and secure clear commitments that the developer will fully fund any required upgrades and absorb any resulting utility rate increases.
The Flint City Council recently passed a permanent resolution recognizing June as Pride Month in honor of Flint’s LGBTQUIA+ residents. Do you support that resolution? Why or why not?
Arnold: Yes, I strongly support that resolution. Our LGBTQIA+ neighbors deserve the full and equal protection of the law and to be affirmed as full members of our community. I will always stand with the LGBTQIA+ community and ensure that the City of Flint is a proud voice that celebrates their contributions to our city and society.
Robinson: I support both Juneteenth and the permanent Pride Month resolution because my commitment to LGBTQIA+ residents comes from my Juneteenth roots — both honor communities who were historically not recognized or included, affirming that all Flint residents of all genders and all backgrounds, including Black, Hispanic, Asian, and Native American people, deserve full visibility, dignity, and representation in our city’s celebrations.
Have you ever been charged with or convicted of a violent or financial crime, and if so, how was it resolved?
[EDITOR’s NOTE: This question is not intended as a judgement on a candidate’s criminal history. We do not believe that a criminal history should be a barrier to anyone holding elected office. Rather, this is an opportunity for a candidate to directly respond to voters regarding any public criminal or financial records or accusations that do exist in the public domain and address them in their own words.]
Arnold: I have never been charged with or convicted of a violent or financial crime.
Robinson: No.
Do you have a campaign website or social media pages for voters to learn more about you?
Arnold: Yes! Just head to votejoelarnold.com or you can follow us on Facebook or Instagram using the handle @joelforflint. Additionally, my direct cell phone number is (810) 309-8198. Don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me a text!
Robinson: Website: robinsonfor5thward.com.
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