City Commission - Regular Meeting

I'm calling this meeting to order at 10:01 p.m. Member Brown present. Member Edwards. Member Jackson present. Member Smith. Chair Frasier

present. You have a quorum. comments from from any guest written complaints. As I see one, are there any other besides this one? Name of the complaintant is Gerald Litkkey. Um he has his contact information here. Details of the complaint is would like to know what happened to the perpetual care fund of Crystal Springs Cemetery. And the date for this is 35 25. Is that correct? Or should it be 26?

And this was referred to uh the city manager, Alex Little. And this was also forwarded to the finance team. Uh Mr. Little, since you're here, um can you address this? I can't at the moment. I want to make sure I've got all of the information. I also made a inquiry to finance. Once you um once you do get that information um I'm requesting that the board also gets that information as well.

Approval of meeting minutes January 13, 2026. No meeting took place in February. I move that we approve the minutes of January 13 of 26. support. Motion by Brown, second by Jackson. Member Jackson, yes. Member Brown, support. Chair Frasier, yes. Motion carried.

Friends of Crystal Springs and Morton Hill Cemeteries report. Well, good afternoon. Uh, we started we got in the field uh this month, so uh we're not just strictly working in the office anymore, but we did work in the office. put about 16 hours in and uh we spent 11 hours in the field and spent 40 hours at home working on computer stuff uh putting grants in different updates uh to keep the uh the group in uh keep the group running. We gate 10 people in our Facebook page. So, we're still improving there. uh what we did this last period from February to uh through March, all the old documents and blueprints that were in the cemetery office that were originally downstairs in the basement have all been brought up. I've inventoried them and indexed them and put them in individual boxes for protection and now they're back in the vault. And if you go, there's a notebook in the vault area. Look at that notebook. You see all the blueprints listed by uh by name and by description and where they're located in their boxes. So that aspect is done. Uh we submitted a grant for $1,500 to bearing found community foundation and we're asking them for there some help to publish uh make brochures and pamphlets that we can start press send around to different businesses and individuals uh in the county. Uh I had a contractor come out uh last week and we've divided the ravine and the parks into three sections. We have a north park that goes north and south and drains into the larger portion. And we got the east park that's between Crystal Avenue and the bridge in the cemetery.

And the west park is from the uh the bridge in the cemetery all the way to the far west end of the property by the railroad bridge. And I had them go through there. I gave a list of projects. And what we're trying to do to get an idea and estimate if we get a large grant that we go out and start clearing our property and making these uh some areas that are inaccessible now open back up so we can put paths and access to those areas. And this is so you get an idea what what it would cost and we can then put in for grants to try to get assistance in doing this activity. Uh starting this Sunday uh the 15th, we're going to start uh having work sessions out in the cemetery for the month of March, we'll be working uh have work sessions out there uh Sundays and Mondays. And in April, uh we'll be going out there Saturdays and Mondays. We're going to alternate between Saturdays and and Sundays every month, but we're always going to be out there on a Monday morning. And those sessions are going from 10:00 to 1:00 in the afternoon, three hours, three-hour portions. Uh we also worked with uh Dean uh to co- coordinate work with a uh he submitted a grant for uh cleaning Ox Creek up from just west of 94 where Ox Creek crossing 94 uh to where the two creeks join the north branch and south branch join west of the cemetery. and uh he submitted that last Friday and we hope that we'll get that uh so we can do that this year that grant money and the wife and I walked yesterday and

walked from the uh Crystal Avenue branch uh to the cemetery branch B2 on the south side. It's the first time we've walked that to see what's out there and how bad it is and how much it take to get that and put a path through there. uh future work. Uh like I said in April, we're going to be working Saturdays and Mondays uh every week through the month of April. Uh I plan on submitting a grant to uh help pay for the uh veterans flags we put on each one of the veterans creates. And also we have quite a few people out there do not have veteran flag holders. And we're also going to put money into to get money to buy those. So hopefully if that gets approved, we'll have every veteran out there will have a flag holder, veteran flag holder and a flag for Memorial Day in the following years. Uh and then we uh also work on different activities so we can determine uh future grants later this year for larger projects in the cemetery. For example, to lay mulching of the trees and vines and stuff to open up the pathways and roadways that are now blocked. And going along with that, I'm going to develop a five and 10 year plan. Uh so that's something that could be submitted with the grants looking for the long-term aspects and we still uh want to establish emergency zones with the department of public safety. So if I have somebody injured out there, especially down a ravine, they know where they're at. How emergency people can get access to where that person is. So yeah, that's an ongoing project. Get that coordinated.

And that's all I have for this month. Any questions? Thank you.

Thank you for all you do. Unfinished business. Update on maintenance slashrepairs. Latest activity we've had in the cemetery was, as a matter of fact, public works is out there today uh restoring where the ground had been uh disturbed and some of the um um cemetery markers had gotten moved. They're trying to put all that back to where it should be. We try to determine exactly what occurred there and as best we're able to. It appears that maybe one of the plows got too close when and with all the snow that was piled up out there. We don't know if the plow pushing the snow caused the disruption or the plow itself may have hit it. But in any event, they're trying to restore that. We're going to uh before next season put some markers up where you can stick them in the way we do to find fire plugs. Uh and it sticks up high enough that even if you get a real uh pile of snow up against so you can tell still ter where the street ends. Um beyond that um I talked with our engineering people there um trying to get everything situated so when spring comes we want to uh restore the uh pump system that was

working out there that uh provided water so that u uh that would be still be available for people who are in different areas and water other than up toward the building up front. Uh we still don't know for sure how much that's going to cost, but we're trying to see if we can get that uh mapped out and and costed out so we can try to do that. That's about all I have for for the moment now. So, and excuse me in looking at this picture that we got of these trees. Um, yeah. So, I have no idea what's going on here, which I'm very disappointed with. So, um, can you explain what this is about, please? This we've been trying to investigate it as best we're able so far. It appears that it may very well be an extension of the same problem we had over on the um uh Ox Creek corridor where some someone was stealing trees. Um, we don't know if this was a separate incident or the same situation where somebody had gone in there and cut trees. Uh, this I understand is a wall and a tree we're looking at that's still standing there that's cut. That might be quite valuable. In any event, at this point, uh because of the danger of it falling and doing more damage and planning on having that, um tree taken down so we can uh get rid of the problem there. But

that's basically all I know about it at this point. We're trying to clean it up and not have a situation where we have more damage occur and going to try to extend our efforts at surveilling what's going on uh to this area also. So has a police report been made?

Yes. And just for clarification, when was this um founded that this was going on or happening? About a week ago. Two weeks. Yeah.

Okay. And then just another question um in reference to you said that public works is is out there today working on damage done to some of the grounds and also some of the headstones um in regards to we think was done um during plowing season. So who was doing this plowing would have been the department of public works.

Okay. Thank you. Okay. Um, next up, new business, transfer of funds for burials. But before that takes place, um, I don't know about any of the other um, members, but I do have a question. What exactly is C management owed? Um, I'm seeing two amounts, but just trying to clarify that. So, I believe it looks like the ending balance is the $15,310 at the bottom of your sheet.

Okay. Thank you. Uh with that being said, I move that C management um that this money be transferred of funds for burials and that amount is so if you look on your sheet um that says due from cemetery the amount of 31,825 um we did get an additional invoice in March because this only goes through February. So we're going to ask that the amount be $33,615. That way we can go ahead and submit that most recent invoice as well. 33615 that will take us through March 3rd. Do we know um well who can answer that? Um can you Mr. Little or does it have to come from finance director if we'll be able to take care of that balance that's owed of $33,656 $615?

I'll have to get with our finance unit and uh see what the situation is in terms of when we might be able to do that. Okay. And do you have an idea when this will take place?

I'm not exactly sure. Probably sometime this week, if not the following week. We have a lot of stuff going on with uh uh cash flow right now that we're trying to get resolved and that will be a part of it. Okay. But when you do get an update, um, I would appreciate a phone call or basically a email, not a phone call, but a follow-up email to what amount is being paid and how this is, yeah, how what amount is being paid if it's the $33,615 or a different amount.

Very well. I move that $33,615 will be transferred for burials. There's a motion on the floor. Is there a second?

Second. Motion by Frasier, second by Jackson. Member Brown, no. Member Jackson, yes. Chair Frasier, yes.

Motion carried. comments from the board. Yes. Let me um I'd like to say um I've been out there in the graveyard all week and also Thursday and Friday about the the about the headstones. But let me just say this. The plan that was put in place for them to uh when they put stuff on their graves and take it off, most of the people been following that. I've been out there seeing them get the garbage bags and take their uh personal stuff off the graves. They put them on three days early and then 3 days later they takes it off. I saw that myself. I talked with some of them. um if it wasn't for it being in the office, you know, a lot of them didn't know that, but that's a good deal. So, I'm pleased to see that going on about the headstones and trees and stuff like that. Thursday and Friday, I was out there. A lot of them stones is being removed by the snow cuz some of them are they're not that heavy. You can take your feet and move them. Now the heavier stones I believe cuz see the road some of the roads are so narrow the plow don't know where the road is. So when it pushes that snow and about 3 or 4 feet and there is a lot of snow that they push it can push the heavier stones. Then you have a stone that's broken off about five six feet from the road and

it's and it's the way the stone I mean the um the gravestone is there. It's a circle. So when the plow tried to turn around it it got to go through a wide turn. I think that's how that got broken off. I took pictures and uh immediately after uh the Thursday and Friday I did speak with the city manager about it. show them the pictures and things and that's a possibility that even when they plow that that that is happening but mostly it's the snow. You can if you see the pictures you can see where it's been moved uh not just by the plow it can it been moved by snow heavy sedation of snow. So, like I say, um it can get probably straightened out by putting markers down. That's what uh Mr. Little said. And that will help. It will help the people who plow know exactly how far to go off the road. And also, there's a lot of stones. Head stones is maybe two feet, some of them a foot from the road. I don't know how that got like that, but that is close. So that that can just be uh not on purpose damage just they just didn't see it. But overall things are looking good in that graveyard. A lot of stuff on graves is is is gone now. And hopefully um everybody else will catch on cuz it it' be less complaints and plus some of them got my phone number so I do go out there and meet them and that do help. So I appreciate the effort that's going on in that graveyard. And I also appreciate what what other people is doing out there. I'm going to get a chance to see what they doing myself. Other than that, other than that, I'm I'm I'm I am

pleased what's going on right now. Thank you. My apologies. I didn't intend for that to come on.

Okay. Apology accepted. Um, member Jackson, thank you for being out there on the grounds, but um, also too just making a request for uh, further anything else that goes on further that you also um, email the board so we're also aware of what's going on. Um because it it's very frustrating to come here and or just see in on Facebook, the news and wherever else what's going on the cemetery and we as a board don't know. It's like what's the purpose of the board and it's very very I'm beyond frustrated. Um and that's very the only appropriate word I can use right now. Um but moving on, uh my next question and final question is grass cutting season is coming up. Um are we doing bids this year? And if so, how is that going to go? Because I know last year we didn't do bids and it was just basically who's been cutting um the last few seasons and I don't see where that's fair to community. We've not made any final decisions yet on that. We're in the process now trying to figure out exactly how we're going to handle the situation for this year. Okay. With that being said, who is we first of all and secondly, I want to be included in that process. Like I said, I don't like being in the unknown. It's very frustrating. I can be doing much more with my time than sitting here coming blind being blinded every time I'm I'm here. It's very frustrating.

Well, we is basically me, but I'm also working with some of the staff to get some ideas and and thoughts on it. Our problem is really simple and that is that we really don't have the kind of money we need to do what we want to do and we're trying to figure out how to do the best we can with what we will have and that may not lend itself to um some of the processes we would normally use

and that I do understand. But um as a board member and as leadership um the purpose of having different people at the table is for different ideas. So I'm available. I just need to know when, where, how. Very well. I'll be glad to play again.

Oh, let me uh let me have something else to say here. Um, since I've been on this board, you know, I, you know, I'll be out there in that cemetery all the time when needed and when not needed. I get my information from the clerk's office. I'm pretty sure that y'all, they have y'all number, too. What I would like to see these board members do is go out there just like I do and look at this stuff. I mean, that's what we here for. But I do agree. If we can't establish or do nothing, we need to get rid of this board. Um, and the mayor, you know, it might be up to the commission to get this on the ballot because this is a situation. First of all, we don't have no checks to write to Burke. We don't run nothing. It used to be that the cemetery worked on their own. It's not like that. It's the It's the city manager is taking care of all this stuff, all these problems. And when I do see him, he he asked me to go out there and check it out. I'm out there. So, I shouldn't be the only board member getting all this information and delivering it back to him. The clerk's office has everybody number and I I suggest you all to get out there and see it for yourself and talk to these people out there in this graveyard. We're not getting paid to do this. It's volunteer. But it's very important and I understand that. But at this point, I don't see what this board is doing

anyway. There's nothing we can't do. The little that we can do, I do it. So, we need to think about it. Since Ben Harvard City is taking care of this, let them continue to find solutions and take care of it because there's nothing we can do. And I also like to thank Burke for having all them patience doing what he do, you know. cuz I understand where he coming from and I appreciate him the way he get paid. He get paid. He understand. And again, I'm I'm I'm grateful to him. And this got to this going to continue until another solution come up. And right now, we don't have a solution. The only close solution that we have to getting this done is by the city manager. So, I'm just saying let him do diligent, do his job, and try to help this situation because I go out in that graveyard whenever I get the call. I meet them out there whether I want to or not. So, like I said, I'm I'm the only board member they know. They they think it's just me and it's not. So, so I so I would like for you all that's still on this board with me to go out there and look for yourself and you will have what I got. But I will send you what I got. But for the future, you need to go out there and get it yourself. Thank you. Madame Chairperson, be advised and informed that in April of 21, we thought the board was in an agreement with the city manager's office to work

in collaboration together, that we would be in concert to get up from under the M emergency management and to be able to be solvent. However, when I reviewed the final when it went before the commission, they left the words collaboration with the board and the city manager's office out. So, yes, it does fall unfortunately in the hands and rest with city management also going out first. First of all, you cannot sell the cemetery through the mayor. It has to go to the residents of Benton Harbor according to the charter to vote. We still have a voice and a say in it. Period. And although we appreciate you being able to go to the cemetery whenever this uh clerk's office calls you, great. A lot of us have other responsibilities, a business and a young family. So, let's not be so highminded that people have the perception that you're the only board member cuz they see you. Sometime physicality does it is not. So, however, we are in the process of writing a resolution to take it to the board to get us back in the this is what we're going to do that at least our chairperson be communicated with. We're not asking uh for much. Just talk to her, keep her included, like she said, so she won't be blindsided. That's not

fair to her and it's certainly not fair to the people of Bitten Harbor. We deserve better and we're working for better. This is my third rodeo, third or fourth rodeo with the cemetery board. And I gave her my word that I would stick with her until we got this debacle straightened out so that the new people coming in won't have to deal and relive this again. So until we get that resolution back to the city, we're going to have to put on our big girl pants and we're going to deal with it. But all we ask is for communication and collaboration and that has been null. I appreciate the comments from both um board members. Um and I agree to a certain extent and in reference. Um I will say this though um it takes a village and the cemetery is a part of the village and it should not all fall on one person which I see that it has been but um like I said we all have our parts to do some can go to the cemetery some of us can't go to the cemetery. Now, do um some know who the board members are and some don't know who the board Yes, some do. I get calls, I get emails, I get texts, I get approached in public. So, but some things I'm null and void, too. And like I said, I don't appreciate it. So, I do believe communication and collaboration will help us get somewhere so that we can work together and get the city and the cemetery back on the same accord. With that being said, if there are any other comments,

I would just like to say I promise to try and work closer with with you in terms of what comes across my desk uh concerning the cemetery so you are aware. Thank you. I appreciate that. With that being said, I called this meeting to end at 1:35 p.m. Support. Second. Motion by Brown, second by Jackson. Member Brown. Yes. Member Jackson. Yes.