City Commission - Regular Meeting

Good evening, everyone. Let us begin the Benton Harbour CET Commission Yoke. August 17th, 2026, Monday, 10am. 7pm. Let us begin with the prayer of Commissioner Isoth. The next CET Manager, Mr. Alex Little Kuru Prakapanam, will lead. I am getting up. Let us all move forward together. Amen. To the country of America and to the nation,

Madam Clerk, Commissioner Clark Griffin, Commissioner Fields, Commissioner Henderson, Commissioner Henry, Commissioner Issam, Commissioner Carnard, Commissioner Warren, Mayor Promptane Turner, Mayor Muhammad, Quorum has been reached.

This is what we are getting. Minutes are for those who agree. Ordinary minutes of August 3, 2026. Closed session minutes of August 3, 2026. Do you have a recommendation for approval?

I am proposing a recommendation.

Commissioner Henderson proposed a recommendation. Commissioner Fields agreed. Madam Clerk,

Commissioner Clark Griffin. Yes. Commissioner Fields. Yes. Commissioner Henderson. Yes. Commissioner Henry. Yes. Commissioner Issam.

Yes.

Commissioner Karnard. Yes. Commissioner Warren. Yes.

Mayor Promtenor. Yes.

Mayor Muhammad.

Yes. The appeal has been passed. Now let's move on to accepting the list of payable accounts. Is there an appeal for acceptance?

I declare.

Commissioner Henderson declared the appeal. Mayor Promtenor appealed. Do you have any discussion or opinions? Nothing. Madam Clerk.

Commissioner Fields. Yes. Commissioner Henderson. Yes. Commissioner Henry. No. Commissioner Isom.

Yes.

Commissioner Karnard. Yes. Commissioner Warren.

Yes. Commissioner Clark Griffin. Yes.

Mayor Promptaner. Yes.

Mayor Muhammad.

Yes. Pramayam passed. The 4th District County Commissioner representing Benton Harbour City in Berrien County will now proceed with the annual update of the Honourable Yaro.

Yes, that's right.

Good evening, everyone. Good evening.

Honourable Mayor Muhammad, Thank you very much for this opportunity. I don't have much time to remember the years. I would like to know how long I have been doing this. But my Mayor of Berrien County was only two years old. I am now in my 21st year. That is why I really enjoy this. I learned a lot of things. I got to know a lot of people. I learned a lot of things about how to do things and how not to do things. That is why I want to give you an idea of what is happening in our county, and I want to ensure that you don't lose your money, so I want to show you some statistics. When I give these numbers, it is about Marion County. It is not only about Benton City. I would like to tell you about Harbour Voting percentage. It was the previous voting. 619 people participated in the previous voting. This is what they did. I didn't know it earlier. A city or township can vote independently from ordinary voting. In the last two elections, the Benton Charter Township and Bainbridge Township decided to do so. Therefore, they conducted voting in the Benton Charter Township and also conducted voting in one place in Bridgemont, which was in front of Marion County. When the early voting began, they conducted it in several places. But no one had come to some places, and only one person had come to some places. So if you live in Benton Charter Township, you can only vote there. Others had to go to Bridgemont to vote. The voting percentage was 25.82%. The number of people who voted in the last election we held was 34,838. There were a lot of people we didn't know. Everything that happened seemed unusual. In November, our usual voting will be held in all the places where the Governor is present. Many of the people we voted for were not in the ballot. When we spoke to people, they told us to turn the ballot over. But even then, they were not there. So we need to be careful and encourage more people to vote. Sometimes when I go to the polling booth, there are only 48 people. It will be 5 pm that evening. We have to behave well in this too. That is what I request. Then I would like to talk about the illegal sale. That also happened. As you know, there are properties in this department three years after the illegal sale. They have an opportunity. To come to our treasurer, to understand things well, to make payment plans, or to understand what happens to you, they are working very efficiently in the places that help. Then, the auction is only over now, so the last item we got is not with me. The name of the treasurer there is Kelly White. There were 128 items in the auction. Once I came and told you about the auction, there were about 1400 items. After the protests that took place in the cities, it decreased to 128. It was 128 houses or things. Some were abandoned land, some were business buildings, and some were houses. We got 94 houses, so the income has not been calculated so far. But you can do some things by September 25. Check out the site called Bryant County Treasurer Sally White Tax Sale. Some items have not been sold. So it's still there. It's still available. This is what they do. They bring in the next bidder. They will give the next bidder a chance. But it may not be sold anymore. If you are interested, you can check it out. The next auction will take place on October 30th. I have 100 rupees in my hand. Oh, you have to pay 100 dollars in advance. But in the first normal auction, it is 1000 dollars. That's how it happens. That's all I know. Thank you. Thank you for this opportunity. Thank you again for naming me in the wedding. Because the people who came from Detroit and other places in the family union said, we know your name is in that wedding. So I thank you. I am very happy about that. Thank you for your appreciation for my work. Thank you. Thank you. Let us now move on to the opinions of the participants. You will have at least three minutes. The first speaker, please register your name next to the clerk. They will call you. As it is written, Madam Clerk Michael Hoyer

Okay, good night. There's a lot of talk going on. Things about Jingla Park are getting a little cold. It's my good fortune that I have a lot of information about Jingla Park. I intend to digitize all this and make it available online as soon as Nick returns. Then people will be able to see it clearly. This is just an indication that Jingla Park has changed. Okay, that's just a suggestion. This is just the beginning of it. You can see how much I have drawn through this. Then there is the park and its surroundings, as well as the park and its surroundings. Along with that, there are more and more add-ons added to it. Fortunately, on April 13, 2006, Le Cornerstone and their fax and tamil katheda boards are with us. Then wait, there is a very important part about the park here. People may not know this, but because it is a permissible use, it means that it is a public golf course that is necessary to build, manage and operate public facilities. We have the right to use the entire park for any reason throughout the year. In November, December, and January, we have the right to use the entire golf park whenever we want. Along with that, there are a lot of documents that were sent to the Supreme Court in 1917. Then there is the Personal Finance Committee, what was left, what was rejected by the law, what was handed over, what was changed, what was not changed, what was returned, etc. There are many aspects to this. That's why this is a history that only one person can bear. That's why I'm leaving this out so that people can get an idea of what happened, what they left behind, what changed, and what helped Jean Clark Park take the city forward. The reason is that this is information that only one person can understand. I want to spread this to the public. That is my goal. This is only one part of this. So, please forgive me. But this will happen. Okay. Thank you. Oh, this is about the golf carts and horses in the park. This is... There are no more opinions. Thank you. This brings us to the consent calendar. Do you have any instructions for accepting the consent calendar or do you have any wishes to be expressed?

The consent letter is for Pindu.

Commissioner Warren has sent the letter. Commissioner Henderson is giving it to Madam Clerk.

Commissioner Henderson.

Yes.

Commissioner Henry.

Yes, Commissioner Issam.

Yes, Commissioner Karnard. Yes, Commissioner Warren. Yes, Commissioner Clark Griffin. Yes, Commissioner Fields. Yes, Mayor Promthurner. Yes, Mayor Muhammad.

Yes, Pramayam has passed. This is our staff communication. Please allow me to introduce our Deputy, our Police Chief and Public Safety Director, Dan McInnes. Thank you Sir. Mayors, Commissioners, I wish you all the best. I would like to give a special warning to the 2nd Ward and the 4th Ward. From the south side of Union Bishop to Ogden at 7.30 a.m., houses in 11,200 blocks from the south side of Union Bishop to Ogden are being looted. Vehicles in the north and south parts of the city are also being looted. So, we tell everyone to be careful. This is happening at midnight. At least 3 to 5 people are in the group. Last night, there were 3 people in the group. We know that they went through Bus Street and High Street. Many people in our community have cameras, but they often don't get their services. Remember that all this is happening in 2, 3, 4 hours. If anyone, especially 3 to 5 people, is suspicious, it may not be the right thing to do. Let us know immediately. If you have cameras, use them. But make sure you protect yourself. Anyone who wants to know what to do to protect themselves can call me. This is one of the things we are monitoring. Of course, my team and I are currently handling these things. So please be aware of this. In addition, we are trying to increase the number of investigations with the help of crime scene technicians, whom I personally cover. So I come directly to the site. I don't like it when people's property is stolen and cars and vehicles are stolen. So please be careful. If you have any pictures, you can send it to us through our website. I said it's a film from the olden days. I can send you the footage and pictures. You can also contact my office. I would like to let you know about this. Again, I can't text you because I'm busy. That's why I came here. But that's how it is in the North and South. We will find them. We will catch them. But we need everyone's help. That's why I thank you. I will ask any questions after yoga. Thank you. This is what I would like to say. This demonstration took place almost six months ago. Yes, the crime rate has decreased. But we can't just say that everything is decreasing. We are happy. We will continue. But we are seeing new developments. Your police department should be able to find out about the developments and try to solve them. Overall, we are very much ahead according to the new data. You have seen the report of Wednesday. But there has been a rise in some parts. It is not the highest among what has happened so far. But it shows a rise to the top. Okay. So that's part of the solution. That's the current situation. Our crimes are few. But we are interested in some of the facts. Thank you. One of the reasons for our success is our commitment to community policing. If you see anything, let us know. You have been creating this culture for a long time. I believe that we will continue to experience the benefits of our experience. I would like to introduce our Assistant CET Manager, CET Clerk, and Clerk Tiffany Moore.

I don't have any reports this evening. Thank you.

I welcome our CET Manager, Mr. Alex Little. I would like to inform the public that we are doing our utmost in connection with Maliniya Segaranau. But due to the damage of a truck, the operation is in a bit of a slump. Please forgive us. When other problems arise, we will try our best to welcome the guests. Fourth Ward Commissioner, Commissioner Clark greets you. Greetings to everyone.

Thank you to everyone who came here tonight. I thank everyone who is listening. I am very excited because this is the 5th annual Resource Fair, Community Giveaway and Fall Cleanup of our 4th Water Alliance. This will take place from 12am to 4pm on the 8th, 2nd, 2nd and 6th. This has been done for the past 5 years. This is a great help for many. I will tell you some of the things that are happening in this. We have resource vendors on our side. I am trying to bring in vendors who can provide all the needs of a person or resident. I have 14 vendors. I had to say no to a small number of vendors. Because there are a lot of other things going on there. Since there is a limit to the area, I allowed them to come and share the details. For those who could not enter there. We provide deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, and everything you need for your primary needs. Shoes and clothes. I have diapers for children and diapers for women. Everything you say is on our side. We also provide toys, school supplies, and other school supplies that are not in the bag. So, everything will be reduced. Food, grilled food, we have prepared everything to start eating. All that is on our side. We are working very hard for this. As before, I would like to thank the Deputy Director of the Fire Department. The fire truck has been there for five years. They have been a part of this for five years. I thank them. They distribute carbon monoxide detectors and smoke detectors. Even if you are a kid or a grown-up, you can see it on the fire truck. There are many hats and stickers on their side. The Christ of Heart has been with me for five years. They do a lot of activities for the kids. Just like last year's Richard Hunt Studio, this year they are also doing artistic activities for children. In addition, this year, four H-Clubs have also included activities for children. Since there are other vendors, you will get good things and rewards on e-resources and community giveaways. We are also conducting a Charitable Reconciliation. Charitable Reconciliation has been going on for the last four years. Mayor Pro Tem Turner has been supporting me for the last five years. So, let's spend a good amount of time that we are blessed with. You all should come. As I always say, people who spend time with the Commissioner bring their gifts. We can enjoy a very wonderful time. I may have left some things behind, but there are a lot of surprises there. There are raffles and dishes in our kitchen. All this is to bless the residents. So come and accept this blessing. My Mary Kay party is on 29th Saturday. Women, everyone should come. We can spend a lot of time by preparing food, gifts and groceries. It will be a good experience. Have a good day. Good night.

Chair Mayor Potim Tanar is speaking. Thank you. I will be brief. From October 26th, from 1am to 4pm, there will be a touch and track event. There are 48 different organizations in the country, and I will be talking about them. Chair Commissioner Kanad is speaking. Thank you Mayor. I would like to thank everyone who came here tonight, as well as those who are watching us. To those who are watching us through YouTube, I would like to thank you for listening to everything that you are listening to. Regarding what is happening, Many may not be able to participate in the meetings, but I would like to express my special gratitude to those who have come here. I have one more thing to say. The lights at the top of the Broadway NVA have not been lit for a long time. It is dark in the evening. We are worried about security issues. Things are hidden when there is no light. I think the city is paying for the lighting costs. About the lighting in these streets. Therefore, I need to focus on security and inspect the lights that are lost in that area. Another thing is that I was told that the drains cannot be cleaned. If we do not clean the drains, they will never be cleaned. The same problem that we face again and again will occur. Whether the drains are closed or if there is water in the streets full of garlands. Therefore, I urge you to use a street sweeper or other necessary facilities to keep the streets clean. Otherwise, we will get back to the old issues. I have heard about the things at Jean Clark Park. I think we need to write down some things that we need to pay attention to. If we talk about the rose-pink plant that is being destroyed here, we can't see it anywhere else other than in the dunes. I would like to check if that rose-pink plant is still there. Because if that particular plant has not grown there, that is a shame. Because it was once a place for singing. They wanted to protect it. If the plant is no longer there, it must be counted as heritage damage. Then we will have a big problem, because it is a tree. So, like the director, I would like you to pay attention to the things in the trees. It is our duty to make sure that it is there. Otherwise, we will have a big problem. Who do we have to ask to make sure that things are going well? So, we expect that our staff will make sure that things are going well. We wish you all a blessed week. Thank you. Thank you. Commissioner Henry of Ward 3 welcomes you. Thank you, Mayor.

I would like to thank the viewers for coming here tonight and for watching us on YouTube. This is a new start for Benton Harbour. We need more feedback from you. Please send it. Then, some seats are hidden in our committees. We need you. Only four hours a month. That's all. Therefore, we need your feedback on what is happening. If you have not taken part in the Riverview Riverfront project so far, please do. Because it is the last possible development of Benton Harbour. Therefore, as a resident, you need to know where the place is. Thank you. The second ward commissioner welcomes the ward chair.

Thank you very much, Mayor. In the last week, a community sale was held in the second ward. It went very well. It was a great opportunity to remove unnecessary items from the house. So we enjoyed it very much. I am thinking about our town hall yoga with a reminder. I think it can be done in the library itself. But my wish is that people should participate in it. Only 10 or 11 people participate in normal town hall yoga. Not even half of them live in the second ward. That's why I'm promoting Teeyati. I can spread Lagulagas, but as I said earlier, we need more people to participate in our second ward town hall yoga. Thirdly, I would like to tell you about the youth program run by Boys and Girls Club in Venal. The young people who started their businesses there, the Benton Harbour Tiger, are struggling. If anyone wants to order bracelets or other things like that, the kids have been selling them for the past year. That's why they're so excited. Commissioner Henry also talked about this. Anyway, if you can come to the Riverview meeting tomorrow, you should definitely come. I know that it will start in 30 minutes after 5 o'clock.

That is correct. The meeting is at 5.30 pm. So, please tell us your opinions. It is very important to talk about what people in a community would like to see in your area. Thank you. The chair of the first ward, Commissioner Henderson, agrees. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I would like to thank everyone who came here tonight.

I want to remind people about the problems in the city. The project in Wall Street Corner is now complete. People who did not stay will move there. In Project D, our first home was our police jeep. In addition, a fire jeep has become one of those properties. Project T or Project Terrarium. So he was one of the first people who stayed there. The charity is going on. There was an announcement about it tonight. Tomorrow night and Sunday there will be each announcement. So I pray to God that everyone should come. Good news. I want you to come and get it on the internet. So people can participate in that way. Because some good things are happening in the community. This is a great opportunity to tell you what you want to see about Riverview and your opinions. Because it is about to be developed, we want people to come to such things. Because if you have watched the videos, there were very few people in the department who came to say their opinions about Riverview. But we hear that it is not for us. But people are not reaching those organizations. So we want you to come for it. I took part in the Legacy Walk and Run that took place this week. In 1974, Le Batche held an event in that week. It was very important. Many people took part in it. It was a wonderful event. So let me tell you, one person is dancing, another person is pouring water, but God is willing. That's what happens in Benton Harbour. Different dance groups had different styles under them. We made them dance. Some of them started with those styles. Especially, when Project Tea started, Ruthie Harrelson was here. They couldn't see us. Even though they couldn't celebrate it in such a way, they were one of the people who helped start that style. Again he says, one person walks, one person whispers, but God gives a warning. That is the story of Benton Harbour. It still continues like that. We may not be sitting in this council, but many were part of the growth and success of the city. So, thank you for coming. Tomorrow is Wednesday, then Thursday. Share your opinions on the development of Riverview. Good night.

Commissioner-at-Large Deirdre Fields is the chair. Thank you.

I would like to thank everyone who is present here. Especially when I see faces who want to connect with various reasons. I would like to thank those who are online, but I think it should be encouraged more. I think people are really seeing the replay of it. I would like to talk about our riverfront or down-down area listening sessions and brainstorming sessions. I came here tonight from there. The next two sessions of this week are Friday and Sunday. You will be able to see the curriculum for 30 minutes after 5 p.m. You will be able to talk to various people there. I am happy to see elementary students working with college students. We are thinking of holding meetings in other places, because they are also ready to come to other places. Andrew was at the Farmers Market this Wednesday. I asked him to go to the radio station with Ricky Hill. We need to share our opinions. If you can't come in person, you can use the QR code. On September 3, a garden party will take place at the Broadway 566 Le Benton Harbour Children and Youth Community Garden. On September 12, a garden party will take place at the Flourish. This is a voluntary event. You may not be aware of Noah. He is not in Ben Harbour in reality. He has a background in agriculture. I intend to connect him with Commissioner Carnard. He is very interested in things related to farm management and youth. So we have to use him properly. Last year, I met him at the meeting of farmers. So garden cleanup is going on again on September 3. The Garden Party is actually taking place on the 12th. Sorry for August 28th. The Benton Harbour Bike Party is taking place on August 28th, Friday, 2026. This year, it is 8 miles away from Hall Park. The time is 6 in the evening and 6 in the morning. So, you can come early and participate. Let's see what we have done in the park so far. Then on September 27th, which is a Saturday, my wellness activities will take place at Hall Park. Time is 12 o'clock. That's all I have to say. Once again, thanks to everyone for coming here and paying attention. Do you wish to leave your special advisor at the end of the minute? Oh, no. Not today. No. Forgive me.

Okay, thank you. We wanted to give you an opportunity. Commissioner-at-Large and the Chairman of the Personal and Finance Committee, Commissioner Aizali, welcome you all. Honourable Mayor, I would like to thank everyone who came here tonight. I have nothing special to say. So, I thank everyone who came. I thank the CET Commission for its comments and speeches. When I look at what is happening across the country and the natural disasters, Many things have happened in Michigan, but with the protection of Benton Harbour, we continue to work together to bring Benton Harbour forward. Aha! A special gift from Governor Whitmer and Lieutenant Governor Garland Gilchrist. A special gift related to the 160th anniversary of Benton Harbour. It states that, during the 160th anniversary of Benton Harbour, our unwavering joy and unwavering gratitude was instilled. These stones are evidence of the hard work and commitment of those who see this city as their own home. In 1860, this place was actually named Branson Harbour by the founder, Stane Branson, Henry's sister. Morton and Charles Hall were the founders of the project. To connect to the river, they built a canal through remote areas. They turned this area into a great source of income, as well as a profitable trading centre. In 1866, this community was officially established, and the U.S. Senator Thomas Hart, who ruled the state of Michigan, was re-appointed as the representative of Benton with the support of Benton. For the last 160 years, the Benton Harbour financial changes have led to a rapid rise in the economy. From the beginning when it was known as the center for people with disabilities, to the end when it was known as the center for people with disabilities, to the end when it was known as the center for people with disabilities, to the end when it was known as the center for people with disabilities, to the end when it was known as the center for people with disabilities, to the end when it was known as the center for people with disabilities, to the end when it was known as the center for people with disabilities, to the end when it was known as the center for people with disabilities, to the end when it was known as the center for people with disabilities, to the end when it was known as the center for people with disabilities, to the end when it was known as the center for people with disabilities, to the end when it was known as the center for people with disabilities, to the end when it was known as the center for people with disabilities, to the end when it was known as the center for people with disabilities, to the end when it was known as the center for people with disabilities We joined Benton Harbour City to think about this important history and to look at the future. For the next 60 years, we have achieved all sorts of victories in the city. Years. Garland Gilchrist II, Lieutenant Governor. Gretchen Widmer, Governor, Lansing 103-Dash Swarachinnam Aamadhi Neyamasabha. Like Michael Hoey, who established the Benton Harbour Historical Society, we invite residents to think about the things that remind us of the forest. When we found out about their contribution in the 250th anniversary of America in Philadelphia, it was over. It was unbelievable to see how the founding fathers built a dam that was known to protect this country. One of the things they pointed out was how cities in Benton Harbour were shaped by the people. We think of states and the whole country as a union, but the nature of this country is made up of some special cities. The nature of the state of Michigan lies in the fact that Benton Harbour has played a big role. Most of the thinkers, most of the people, the legal parties, the artists, all come from Benton Harbour. Benton Harbour has a very special place. Therefore, I would like to dedicate the last 20 seconds to our dear one and only life. Therefore, Miss Deborah Chabinayi, let us be silent for a moment. Thank you. Is there a plan to withdraw the agreement? There is a plan to withdraw. Mayor Pro Tem Turner announced the plan. Commissioner Fields agreed. Madam Clerk.

Commissioner Clark Griffin. Yes. Commissioner Fields. Yes. Commissioner Henderson. Yes. Commissioner Henry. Commissioner Issam. Commissioner Conard. Yes. Commissioner Warren. Yes. Mayor Pro Tem Turner.

Yes.

Mayor Muhammad.

Yes.