City Commission - Regular Meeting

Commission meeting to order. We begin with an invocation by Commissioner Canard followed by the pledge of allegiance by the city manager Alex Little. All right.

Father God in heaven might look for your directions. You said all our ways to direct our path for direct us in this meeting in every aspect of what we are here for. And we ask these blessings that we have pleasing and peaceful need in the name of Jesus. Thank you. Amen. Amen. United States of America for it stands one nation and justice for all.

I yield to the city clerk for roll call. Commissioner clerk Griffin present. Commissioner Fields present. Commissioner Henderson. Commissioner Henry. Commissioner Isam, Commissioner Canard, Commissioner Warren, present. Mayor Prom Turner, present. Mayor Muhammad present. You have a quorum. This brings us to the approval of minutes, regular minutes, May 4, 2026. Is there a motion for the approval? Motion made by Mayor Pro Tim Seats. Excuse me, Mayor Pro Tim Turner. It is supported by Commissioner Fields. Madame Clerk. Commissioner Clark Griffin. Yes. Commissioner Fields. Yes. Commissioner Henry, yes. Commissioner Canard, yes.

Commissioner Warren, yes. Mayor Prom Turn Turner, yes. Mayor Muhammad, yes. Motion carried. This brings us to approval of a council payable listing. Is there a motion for the approval? Motion to approve. Motion is made by Mayor Pro Tim Turner. Is there support?

Support. It is supported by Commissioner Warren. Is there discussion? Carry none. Madame Commissioner Henry. Thank you, Honorable Chair. Uh I just want uh my colleagues to realize that we had quite a bit of money for early release. And um in the past we've always recommended that uh it has to be something dire an emergency to do a early release. When I asked the question to our our financial director, I got no answer. So of course I'm going to vote no on this um because of some of those problems. Thank you. is there any other?

Madame clerk, Commissioner Fields, yes. Commissioner Henry, no. Commissioner Canard, yes. Commissioner Warren, yes. Commissioner Clerk Griffin, no. Mayor Prom Turner, yes. Mayor Muhammad, yes. Motion carried. This brings us to uh presentation day of impact.

Hello. So, sorry. Sorry, I feel like I have a lot going on. So, as you know, this year marks our fifth consecutive year of Day of Impact and partnering with the city of Ben Harbor and Warpool Foundation. So, this annual tradition remains a core pillar of our equality pledge and commemorating June 10th. So, I'm so excited. I'm sorry. Really excited about this year. So on Thursday, June 18th, we're joining forces with Ben Harbor area schools to upgrade the basketball courts behind the high school. So, and I remember being there when those courts were donated by Sinbad. So, we're really excited about this and we hope that you all are there and um to inspire the community and you will have an invite as well. So, thank you. If you have any questions, please let me know. Thank you. What is the time?

8:30 in the morning to 2:00. I will put that on your calendars. Thank you. Thank you. This brings us to our next item on the agenda which is public participation under citizens comments. There is a 3minut maximum per speaker. Please sign in with the city clerk so she can call you accordingly. Madame clerk

Tony Anderson. Hello. I was just uh wondering why there's still city-owned lots that haven't been mowed yet this year. And if Benton Harbor wants a cleaner city, um why they can't set a better example with their own property they own. And if they can't afford to maintain it, they should just sell them. And that's it. Thank you.

Samuel Rogers. I have a similar concern. I live in the city. Um taxpayer of course. Um my concerns are with the garbage in these empty lots and with the overgrown grass, with the overgrown trees. You know, I've done things myself with the empty lot next to mine. Threw the garbage away that was just full of glass and, you know, just jumbledness. Um, what can we do to to get a dumpster in our alleyways or something? You know, I'm I'm very close with my neighbors, you know, and I know that they would help me, too. You know, it wouldn't just be me donating my time. It would be my neighbors as well. And I know that the dumpster would get filled. Um, our sidewalks. I walk to work or I bicycle. Um, I see there's a brand new stretch of sidewalk that just got poured and a tree fell down and the and the concrete is heaved now. And it's a brand new section of concrete, you know. I can see that. That's embarrassing. It's brand new. Uh, street sweepers. I see the street sweeper run around here in town, you know, right downtown. It won't ever come in the suburbs. Why?

Um, that's all that I have. Thank you. Thank you, Abby Muhammad.

Good evening everyone. Good evening

again. Um, excuse me. I am Abi Sai Muhammad, um, the first lady of Benton Arbor, Michigan. And I am here this evening to promote our 10th annual kite flying event. The event will be this weekend on Saturday. Um, it starts at 1000 a.m. and it's over 3:30. So, I invite you all to come out to share with um your families, the children, as long as they're accompanied by an adult to come out and enjoy community um family engagement. Um and I do want to say that again this is our 10th annual event where it started as an initiative to bring families together to promote STEM with science. We started out at the Southwest Regional Airport. Um, and we were able to meet with the directors who gave us ideas of future careers in aviation as well as employment at an airport. Some of our residents didn't even know we had an airport. So, it was a great learning experience. And throughout the years, this will be our 10th and we are very excited. Commissioner Isim is also on the commission. And um I see that he's not here. He uh really promotes it really well. I have the this year's flyer. So please grab one from me and I can leave some with my husband and also um downstairs in the office. Um if you want mine, I can promote it there as well. But we are really excited um to celebrate 10 years to keep it going every year. Now we're over um more inner the city on Union Park right behind Discount Tires so people can drive past Napier, drive past

Union, see kites flying and see people having fun. Thank you. Thank you. No more comments. Yay, mayor, if I may. Uh yes. I actually I see that we have a a close session. I want to do a close session to suspend the rules and do a close session in regards to employee matter. So will we do it immediate immediately after this one or do we need to return and then I'll do the process over? How do you want to do it? So is the employee present?

Yes. So typically in order to go into a closed session, it has to be posted um on the agenda. However, uh the employee would have to request um the close session or not from my understanding. Madam clerk, excuse me, ma, madam attorney,

um, has the employee been given like a written notice that we were going to do a close session? So, normally we do a like a written notice to the employee so they have a heads up on what it's about so that they can prepare. It's part of the due process portion of the close session. Um, has there been has there been any um communication about it at all? No, not in to that regard. Okay. Okay. Could we Could we set it for the next meeting, the June 1st meeting, and I'll work with you on the um on the notification to the employee? Thank you. Perfect. Thank you. Chair recognizes Mayor Pro Tim Turner.

If I may add an item to the agenda, please um amend the calendar whether the city staff get the Friday before Memorial Day off support. And that's a motion to suspend the rules to add that. Yes, please. Okay.

Commissioner Henry. Yes. Commissioner Canard. Yes. Commission Commissioner Warren. Yes. Commissioner Clerk Griffin. Yes. Commissioner Fields. Yes. Mayor Pertam Turner. Yes. Mayor Muhammad. Yes. Motion carried. Is there a motion to go into a close session to review material otherwise exempt from disclosure being a written opinion from the attorney under section 8H of the Open Meetings Act?

Motion to support. Motion is made by Mayor Pro Tim Turner. It is supported by Commissioner Warren. Madame Clerk, Commissioner Henry, yes. Commissioner Canard, yes. Commissioner Warren, yes. Commissioner Clark Griffin, yes. Commissioner Fields, yes. Mayor Prom Turner, yes. Mayor Muhammad, yes. Motion carried.

We enter into uh recess for the close session. Excuse me.

The city manager will be joining us momentarily. We will enter back into recess or out of recess, pardon me, to conduct the execution of our agenda. Is there a motion for the approval of the consent calendar? I'll make a motion. Motion's made by Mayor Pro Tim Turner. I'll support Commissioner Clark Griffin. I'd like to separate number two and five.

Duly noted. Is there a motion to motion made by Mayor Pro Tim Turner? Is there support? It is supported by uh Commissioner Warren for the consent calendar. Madame Clerk, Commissioner Is sorry, Commissioner Canard for the consent calendar minus items two and five which were separated. Yes. Commissioner Warren. Yes. Commissioner Clark Griffin. Yes. Commissioner Fields. Yes. Commissioner Henry, yes. Mayor Pertam Turner, yes. Mayor Muhammad, yes. Motion carried.

This brings us to the first separated item, which is an amendment to the city commission policy and procedures section agenda, quote unquote, approve of authorization. No, excuse me. Amendment to the city commission policy and proceed procedures council rule section agenda. Is there a motion for the approval? Motion to approve. Motion is made by Mayor Pro Tim Turner. Is there support? Support. It is supported by Commissioner Warren. Is there discussion? Chair recognizes Commissioner Clark Griffin.

I You know what? I do not every time a change and amendment policy and procedure, it's always something to give the mayor more power. take take power from the commissioner and the citizens. And they say it's only minor changes, but everything is in red. Red means the change. There's barely any black, right, and left. So, and it say to clear this up, but it's coincident that some of the things that we're going to amend it is to the things that me and Commissioner Field suspend the rules to change. And those are some of the main focus. So, it's clear to me what's going on tonight. and I don't support it.

Madame clerk, uh, in my conversation with you, I thought that what is changed is what Commissioner Fields requested.

So, the reason that this portion of the policy and procedures needs to be amended is due to the vote that the city commission had for the distribution of the agendas. Um, so that portion right there was changed to reflect that change of noon on Thursday. What is outlined in red is the way everything is currently operating for the agenda preparation, how items get on the agenda, distribution and the amendments to the agenda. Um, I will note that in the previous policy and procedures, it stated that to to suspend the rules only required a majority vote, which was not correct. to suspend the rules actually does require a twothirds vote. So, this reflects that

because it's an exception to the rule. Correct. Yep. Suspend the rules takes a twothirds vote, not a majority. Thank you. By ordinance and Robert's rules of order. Chair recognizes Commissioner Canard. Now, is this the question in depth as to what the commissioner asks for? I mean, is this clearly understood to the point as to what she was raising the issue about? Are you referring to Commissioner Clark Griffin?

Yes. Um, so I mean she didn't specifically say what the issues were on here. Um, but what I just explained was the reason that it was being changed. And then when I went through the previous policy and procedures is when I noticed that it did say majority for a vote to suspend the rules, which like I said is incorrect. So this is reflecting the 2/3 vote. So it's not really anything being changed. you're saying is just uh so what's in red are the changes. Um what is under you'll see under agenda material

that was just moved into one. So that's where you're going to see some of this red as well. And this is how we are currently operating the preparation and distribution of the agenda. And it's been like this since I started but that's that's what's being changed.

Correct. Just to reflect what we are currently doing. Correct. And just for the record, that's what was proposed by Commissioner Large Fields. What what she had proposed was in is in the distribution part that the city commission voted on. So that change is in there under distribution where it says commission agenda packets will be provided to commissioners by noon on Thursday prior to the regularly scheduled commission meeting because previously the policy and procedures said 48 hours. Correct. So, so since city commission made that change, it needed to be reflected in the policy and procedures.

Yeah. I just want to make for clarity that way as people are listening in the YouTube world that you know what was proposed is what's being changed and voted on. And by the way, I I do support it for the record. Yes. In the distribution portion, what was voted on by city commission is what is in here. Like I said, the rest the preparation that's how it's currently operating. Thank you.

For the record, again, this is all of this is not what I suggested. So, you're kind of packaging it all together. I asked about um receiving the information more in advance as of noon on Thursday, which we haven't um followed that to date. But what she the other thing she's referencing saying that you guys have already been operating that way has nothing to do with me. That's why this is confusing somewhat to me too because

if it's what we've already been doing and so we're up I'm I'm confused to an extent and it's coincidentally adding or being incorporated following me asking for documentation for agenda items at noon. So all the other things are not clear to me either necessarily. Chair recognizes Mayor Pro Tim Turner. Can this go back to committee so that way it can get clarified so that way it's no no confusion? Yes. I mean I'm I just want to go forward with what has been changed but cuz I don't know who even put this on the agenda in committee. So I think it's right that we go back to committee that we're more clarified.

Yeah. This this did this did go through legislative committee and they did pass it on and I attended the meeting so I remember it being referenced that someone asked for this to be on there and to you know more or less okay well don't put it anything else on the agenda. So, it wasn't technically even supposed to be legislative committee's idea supposedly. And any changes to the council rules or ordinances or charter map,

right? But what I'm saying is that they the committee said that they someone asked for this to be on here, not them, meaning brought to their committee. Correct. Am I am I speaking correctly or not? So, I believe that the chair did um mention that she was asked by Commissioner Henry to review the policy and procedures.

Is that consistent, Commissioner Henry? that I've been trying to get policies and procedures changed since 2014 when the state of left here and everybody that's was that's on this board now remember the changes that we went through and I commend us for making some change any change is better than what it was and I recommend that we put it back on the agenda and look at policies and procedures a little closer because this didn't do anything but ratify that we have a charter and ordinances and that we need to follow them but we need to change some of these policies and procedures and I commend us for doing it after 20ome years. Well, I I can just say, Commissioner, I was on the board with you and I know what we went through. Um, so I can support the changes uh to the policy and procedures. Um, but I I don't you know, I I know it it went through the correct committee, Madame Clerk.

Correct. It went through legislative committee. Chair recognizes Commissioner Clark Griffin. Now, correct me if I'm wrong, clerk. Didn't we make some changes 2023? The amended changes that we made in 2023 was because the original didn't have the communications and public relations committee in there. So, we made that change in 2023. Um, and restructured public works and public safety committee. Um, so it was the committees that were restructured in 2023,

right? So it was some changes just three years ago and Commissioner Henry, she said she suggested changes, not necessarily these. And as I stated before, um, city clerk said that I didn't specifically state I did. I said the the two things that me and Commissioner Field suspend the rules to pass. All of a sudden, those are the two things that's on here highlighted. change. Um, I'm still talking. Thank you. But yes, so like I said, I don't trust it and I will not be supporting it.

Well, the thing about the 2/3 vote, that's like she said, Robert's rules and the in the city ordinance years dealing with it. We cannot call for the question if the city in a city ordinance we have to follow. That's a part of the law and the the council can only operate based on ordinance and resolution and we don't always follow and the ordinance has it that it be twoth3 vote our finance director that's the charter chair recognizes um may pro Tim Turner

I was asking we make a motion to table this here until we get everything worked out correctly But the thing about it is if we continue to to, you know, suspend the rules illegally, that's the issue. I believe there's a motion on the floor. I support. So, madame attorney, can you speak to that, please?

So, we did look at this. There is an ordinance that requires a twothirds vote to suspend the rules. That would be twothirds of your people who are present. Um, whether we change it tonight or not, that is the law because it's an ordinance. So, we don't need to change it that automatically. If there's a conflict between a policy and an ordinance, the ordinance rules. So, you do need two/3 vote, but there I'll turn it back over to the chair. Thank you. So, the ordinance is in place and the process to change ordinance is different than just council rules.

It is. Yes. We have to do that through um a change or an amendment to the ordinance. So, even though it says in here that you need a majority, you need 2/3 because the ordinance says that. Thank you. So, are we going to move forward with the changes in the chair recognizes? Uh, Commissioner Fields. Um, a couple things. Again, this is it's real organized and if it's something that you have a passion about, we don't move on. But I do want to reference some different things in regards to the charter. So, I read items in the charter. For example, our city manager should live where for the charter. I mean, I don't think that's

the charter is important. You brought the charter up. You brought the point up. So, can you reference in the charter what it says in regards to the city manager? And then I have a couple more so we can reference how we make exceptions. I mean, all due respect, Commissioner Fields, what we're talking about is the council rule changes that you recommended.

I did not recommend all these extra items like the one you're emphasizing, I didn't recommend. So, again, if you brought it up about the charter and that we should and better and ought to be following the charter, can you tell me what does the charter say about the city manager? an attorney. You want to weigh in as to how we did after he reads it? So, I know what it says because I've read it recently. Okay. Can he read it now? Because he

I I don't know what section it's in, but I have bad news and good news depending on what side you're on on this debate. Um that provision in our charter has been declared illegal. So that has been challenged in other communities where it says the city manager has to live within a certain area and it's been deemed illegal. So they you can't enforce it. It's in there and it's not enforceable. Um one of the issues is our charter has not been changed or amended since the 1940s. So the law has changed since our charter was last adopted and ratified. So there are some things in our charter that literally are not the law right now. So,

so I'm I'm glad you knew that, but we didn't. Right. So, just with all due respect, whether it's good news or bad news, it's still we're not operating per charter or right or different things because we didn't know that. So, I don't know who it's good or bad for and it doesn't particularly matter because he's here. The point of it all still remains is that it was in there and we disregarded it prior to knowing just to date that it's illegal which we would like the documentation and things for that as well. I want to recognize Commissioner Warren.

Okay. Thank you. I just wanted to quickly uh comment because I am on a legislative committee. So regarding this, per my understanding, the main reason for it was to change that deadline to get the us or the commissioner's documentation by noon on Thursday. And per my understanding, it was just notice that there was an error. So one additional thing was added, which is what we've been discussing, the 2/3. So, I don't know if I'm misreading, but I don't see any other changes other than what's pertaining to us meeting the new goal of noon on Thursday and the 2/3 vote majority. So, that's what as a committee member, that's what we thought this was. I don't I know people are saying it's a lot in here that's different, but I'm not seeing those portions.

Thank you. chair recognizes Commissioner Canard. Thank you, Mayor. And from my understanding, uh, we're in violation of, uh, more parts of the charter because we have been operating for years without a finance director. And what does the charter, you can read it, uh, city manager, I mean, uh, mayor.

Well, I I I think these items need to be taken up in the legislative committee. Tonight we have an agenda that is demanding that we address what was placed on here regarding an amendment to the city commission policy and procedures council rules parenthesis section agenda. So we should be discussing the agenda of the policy and procedures. Now, Mayor Pro Tim Turner did make a suggestion that we table it this. So, that is there a motion to table a motion to table it

and I support it. Madame clerk, well, I'm going let this go, but you saw my hand long before No, I want you're recognized. Okay. Thank you. So, who

chair city attorney? Are we picking and choose what we follow in the charter and what we not? Because now you said that part is illegal. The finance director charter states and then the mayor said, "Uh, well, we got to follow the charter procedures and all that." But then when we get discussing it, he don't want us talking about it. But then we're not following the charter in its entire in entirety. And I knew about the city manager supposed say it's supposed to stay in the city limit. and I brought it up years ago. So we what we we picking and choose what's what's illegal, what need to be changed, what we follow, what we don't follow. I think that's a really good question and I think over the years what happens is case law gets decided. So courts, the Michigan Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals, even local courts make decisions and they become binding law. Um, a lot has changed since the 1940s. Even in labor law, a lot has changed since the 1940s. You know labor law. That's why I'm talking labor law. So a lot a lot of laws have been passed since the 1940s. So when I looked at our charter, I talked to the previous city manager and said there is a lot in here that was well-intentioned in 1945 when the charter was last amended. But there are things that need to be changed. Unfortunately, to change your charter, you have to go through a charter commission. It's almost like appointing a planning commission. It's very expensive and it's very timeconuming. It can take, you know, a year to 18 months. That's if you have the money because people generally get paid to do that. Um, you have to pay an expert to come in and help you go through that exercise. So, here's my opinion without I've only been here 3 years. It's my opinion that you probably never had the money to go through an entire charter amendment and adopt a whole new charter. So, there are things in your charter that are in there. They have never been changed, but they're not the law as it stands right

now. But we can change bylaws also, but you can change ordinances and you can change policies. So, those are easier to change. I'm just saying we can change bylaws, too. But, okay. And as I said before, I don't trust it. Especially when I say a lot of changes we've made, it was to give the mayor more power, lessen the commission and the citizen power. And when he's trying to push it, push it, push it right, definitely I do not trust it because usually something is not good. Not something we don't agree with.

Madame clerk, please call the role. Are we doing a motion that a motion was made by Mayor Pro Tim Turner to table? The motion to table. Commissioner Henry, yes. Commissioner Canard, yes. Commissioner Warren, yes. Commissioner Clark Griffin, yes. Commissioner Fields, yes. Mayor Prom Turner, yes. Mayor Muhammad, yes.

Motion carried. This brings us to the next separated item. It's a resolution to approve and authorize issuance of notes in anticipation of revenue sharing next succeeding fiscal year. Is there a motion for the approval? Motion to approve. Motion is made by Mayor Pro Tim Turner. Is there support? Support. Supported by second W Commissioner Warren. Is there discussion? sh recognizes fourth ward commissioner Clark Griffin.

You know, this is some crazy work. It's unbelievable. I ain't never seen nothing like it. We're are asking to do a loan for a million24,324. We've already in the last few years transferred about $7 million. The state pays the pension in the tune of six million I think $6 million. We had all we have all kinds of grant that don't came through here from the state. The state has sent over $1 million between April, May and and be between April this month and June. It'll be over $1 million they've sent. We've had um I if I recall correctly over $1 million in income taxes in the last few months come in. We've had over $300,000 in uh marijuana revenues come in. We have money coming from the water bill. We have money coming from permits and violations. We have money coming from property taxes. We have see money coming from city income taxes and and more. I don't understand why are if we transferring all this money and then all this money coming in why do we leave alone like I say May uh April May and June over a million came is coming all together from from the state. I've been in this commission over four and a half years. I ain't never seen this. Never. It didn't start getting really bad till over two years ago. Also, the loan, not to mention when I asked city manager in the committee meeting, I said, "What's the APR? What's

the finance, the interest rate?" He said 6%. Now, I'm reading it said not to exceed exceed uh 7%. Which is really really high to me. You can't make this make sense. I will not be supporting it.

I call for the question. Commissioner Fields. Any clerk called you for roll call? Uh, yes. Commissioner Henry

vote yes, but I definitely don't trust the players. Uh, which would be our attorneys or the state of Michigan. They say that they're supporting us, but in the past they've showed no support. They have been our worst enemies. But staff has informed us that we will not make it if we don't have this million dollars. When I look at the money,

Commissioner Henry, the discussion is over.

Yeah. Yeah. I can say chair exactly why I'm voting the way I'm voting. And if it's long to you, good. So, I'm saying that I don't trust the players. I'm voting yes because we're in a dire place and I don't want to see what happened to us in 2010 when the state came in. So, I'm knowing that is some more changes that we're going to have to make. We're going to have to pull our purse strings in. We're going to have to do a lot of things and uh that's probably going to be a hard thing to do, but I commend us for sticking together and let's do this thing. I'm voting yes. Thank you,

Commissioner Canard. with my conscience and I pray hard for this commission here really hard and in my conscience it tells me from everything that I'm hearing that no would be my answer. I thought it over and done the best that I could to be fair about it but I've seen too much go in and it's not being making us look favorable. So while we invest more and more we getting bigger and bigger into a hole. So my vote is no. Commissioner Warren, yes. Commissioner Cler Griffin, no.

Mayor Prom Turn Turner, I'm going to vote yes. But I'm going to make sure in this here that the city manager understand I am going to be watching every dollar that is spent. I don't care if it's $2, 25 cents. I'm going to be watching every dollar. If I got a question for it, I'm hoping I get a response because I don't want to have to be upset about something. Mayor Muhammad. Yes. Motion carried. This brings us to our staff communication. The chair recognizes our city attorney, attorney Synica. No report tonight. Honorable mayor.

The chair recognized our assistant city manager and city clerk, Clerk Moore.

Thank you. Um, Commissioner Ism apologizes. He was um getting on a plane to go watch his granddaughter graduate. Um, public safety apologizes uh off to an emergency at the beach. So, they were not able to attend this evening. Um, I do want to let everybody know, residents, commissioners, that absentee ballot applications will be going out in the next couple weeks for the August 4th primary election. This will be the last year that you will receive an application to choose your to receive your ballot. If you want to continue receiving your ballot by mail, make sure you check the box to be on the ballot list. And that means that you will automatically get sent a ballot for every election. You will never have to fill out an application. So, like I said, this will be the last year that these applications will go out. There will be a notice in there, bright colors, so you can't miss it. Just as a reminder, letting you know what to do to remain on that ballot list.

Thank you. Chair recognizes city manager, Mr. Alex Little. Nothing this evening, ma'am. Chair recognizes four commissioner Clark Griffin.

I'd like to thank everybody for coming out, everybody that's listening. Uh on this weekend we went um Commissioner Fields, Mayor Pro Tim Toner, um Commissioner Canad and ourself we went on an MML training and city and a lot of the things we talked about in my classes engaging the things they changed to make a difference in a community. uh offer about to cuz you call they call it prison city. So they talked about the changes they made to kind of make the name better things for the and y'all have a good night. Thank you.

Thank you. Chair recognizes commissioner at large Canard. you mayor and I'd like to thank each and every one of you taking out your valuable time and uh being here the length of time and sir we did hear you and it's been our great concern about the appearance of our city and the things that seem to go into a lot of neglect and I think everyone would like to have a beautiful place to live safe and clean it represents your care a lot about your character so I think that it until we get a lot of things working for us here at the head, the body doesn't function correctly. So, I'll do my best at trying to represent those that voted for me. And if they didn't vote for me, my best interest is our community. We can sweep and clean downtown and other places, but that equipment was to be an advantage to all of our city being cleaned up. We get the streets all fixed up and cleaned up and the drains and everything all done up and it just it looks a a monster of a mess in a lot of parts of the city. So don't care how hard you break your life down as I've done many years cleaning, pushing, and working. I I don't see what I'm looking for in having our city represent our character.

So we've got to do better at the head. Regardless of what you see the people doing, you got to be an example of it yourself, like cleaning up properties that the city owns. as they were saying, the grass is overgrown. They're looking for people to fill those spaces, but a lot of those people complained that they weren't being treated fair in doing the cutting and the cleaning of the areas. So, we've got to re further as uh our mayor prom said, we've got to dig real deep into seeing what is going on here at the head because we're just as responsible. People are looking for us to have answers for them. So, I'm going to do my best. I pray every day for it. But actions, they say, speaks louder than words. You got to see the action as to what we're doing as commissioners to make sure that things are going right for our community. And so we've got to look for whoever pushing the the pulling the strings is pulling them for the best interest of the city of Benton Harour. Thank you all and you all have a blessed week. Thank you.

Thank you. Commissioner Canard. chair recognizes commissioner at large fields.

Uh I too would like to thank those that are watching online as well as those that are present. Um when residents come it's it's like difficult for me because again for those that know me know that they are genuinely the reason I'm here. Um I'm not a politician will be the first to say that I am a community advocate or activist for um our state rep Julie Andrews. Um, and so I'm I'm bothered when they come, right? And so it was two gentlemen that came on tonight. And so I want to recommend not phone calls, but emails. Um, our city manager's email is a little bhcity. us. Um mine is De Fields at BHC us. Our mayor pro Tim who is also over or the chair for public safety and public works which is where I would recommend you coming so that you can have a dialogue um versus just coming and make a statement here. It's like a stonewall process. It's not exchanges during this meeting, but public safety and public works is the second Wednesday of the month. Um, and that way you can have that exchange. And I recommend our residents when you have complaints or questions or concerns to do it via email versus even coming here now or having independent phone conversations because we won't be able to um follow up on that necessarily. It'll be a he or say, he say, she say, but I really want to empower residents in regards to helping

us with accountability. Um because I too even in meetings when I was invited per the city manager to the communications which is Nicholas Gunn personal assistant to the city manager not necessarily a communications committee staff person that I was invited to those meetings and it was just more or less um what he wants on the on the website or on our Facebook page. But I actually stressed and asked will we be more in our grass first? Will we be that example? And for to hear and I was so yes and to hear residents coming in complain about that basic process as well as leave pickup. We are residents are given a date then it's a change like a psych we'll have another day but then it's cancelled and it's no exchange as to why it's changed and and it's given reasons as oh it may have rained and so we couldn't get the leaves but the leave bag is dry. There's just a lot of moving pieces and I wanted to spend my comment time to support and and empower residents to continue speaking out and I would love to be a part of the emails that you send out to a little bhc. us for whatever um questions or concerns you may have. And again, my email is D feels f as in Frank I E L D as in David or Dedra S at Bhus. But again, I recommend residents coming to the committees. So based upon what your issue is, you should then come to that appropriate committee. Um legislative is the first Wednesday of the month. Public safety and public works again is the second Wednesday. Personnel and finance is the third

Wednesday. Economic development and parks and wreck is the fourth Wednesday. And then communications, which I'm actually the chair of, is on the fourth Monday of the month. Thank you. Thank you.

Chair recognizes Commissioner Henry. Thank the citizens that sit here and listen to your government at work and that the ones that are on YouTube or that are going to listen to it afterwards. We are definitely a new commission and we are looking for your input as to what's going on in your neighborhood and what's going on in your household. So, it's important that uh you reach out to your commissioner. You have four at large and one ward and a mayor. That's uh majority vote to get anything that you want. So, make us do it.

Thank you. Chair recognizes Commissioner Warren.

Thank you. I want to thank everyone for coming out. um are watching and thank the citizens for their comments. Um I'm going to spend the majority of my time speaking about uh positive things that are going on specifically with our youth in the city of Benton Harbor. So um I work uh with at the Boys and Girls Club and I do workforce development. And one of the great things the kids are learning about is careers and in addition they're learning about finances. And one of the things that I definitely push is home ownership because we definitely need more residents to own their own home. So, they're learning at a young age. I talked about this about a year ago. We do a program every summer where our middle school age youth are able to work with me and get paid. This year we're excited because I was able to work with Horizon Bank and they are going to double the stipen for the youth um who attend the Boys and Girls Club youth campus who are participating in my program this summer. and we're mainly going to focus on entrepreneurship and they're going to make be making products, selling the products, looking at the entire writing your business plan and pretty much learning things on how they can kind of have a side thing in addition to their career to um continue to help themselves financially. Uh finally I want to touch on um I worked with Abbert Abban March last summer and we did a short uh internship uh on engineering jobs and um I have reached out to Abiden March today. I'm hoping we can do that same program this summer. Uh I need everyone's help in uh recommending youth that actually are interested in doing engineering. So um again I'm working with Abid Marsh. Hopefully we can do that internship again. And if they do give us the green light um if anyone knows any high school age youth that are interested in engineering, it is a paid um or stipend

is given at the end of the program and it's really cool, but it definitely works better when a person is actually interested in that. And um that'll help also come if they come back to Benton Harbor after college and they want a job. We'll have more uh local residents working at local companies if they decide to major in uh engineering fields and um I think that is all I have but just again uh shouting out to the youth and how we are looking to change things and looking for them to be tomorrow's leaders. Thank you. Thank you. Uh chair recognizes Mayor Pro Tim Turner.

Thank you. I think I agree with the fourth ward commissioner, but I think she forgot to add today we uh attended what's called connect the change, stop the violence in Boys and Girls Club where our young kids spoke their mind about what's going on in our city. Um June 13th will be the Junth parade from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. downtown Ben Harbor. When it comes to Memorial Day, I'm very frustrated because I don't believe that our cemetery will be cut. I'm hoping I'm wrong, but I do not want to see pictures on on social media saying that our cemetery is not cut before Memorial Day because I went yesterday. The grass was not cut. We I literally we whacked my own grandmother grave site. So, I'm hoping that we can get this addressed before Memorial Day so that way families can grieve correctly. When we went to MML training over the weekend, myself and Commissioner Fields in our class, we learned about uh programs and services, leadership, financial management, and bonding, which is public service. So, it was very interesting cuz we got a lot of information. As I close, I want to go back to the CDBG funding in here is sites blight property. I'm hoping that we can get our illegal dumping, our grass cutting, you name it, cleaned up. So, when I did my math, out of the $380,000, we will only use $150,000. $25,000 for the landfill, $1,000 in the Bobcat for the whole week, and then the rest will be making sure that we get our community clean. So I don't think using CDBG funding for the blight would not be wrong with getting committed to clean. So I think that's a good request to our

city manager on the budget from February until April 27th at midnight. Yes, I'm up at midnight all through the night. I emailed the city manager a plan which was a suggestion how to to eliminate our city budget by $1.8 million. Still to this date, I have not heard from him. That's very kind of concerning. So, I'm hoping that the city manager will address it by June 1st. Thank you.

Thank you. I'd like to thank all the residents for coming out. Uh just like to commend the city council uh for your leadership. You know, governing is hard work. Uh governing is decisions that are made based upon circumstances, the realities that are in front of you. And in government and in life, you know, it can fire at you point blank. And the city of Ben Harbor has gone through a multitude of changes. Uh but tonight what was voted upon allows for this community to continue to fight another day uh where we can you know one way you can reduce a deficit is not just reductions. A deficit can be reduced by adding more revenue. And as Senator Peters stood here in this chamber, he said, "Mary Muhammad, your solution is growth." Now, of course, reductions must be made. There's no question about that. We see that taking place at the federal government where the deficit is trillions. And then we see on the state government reductions being made. The budget the first two years, three years of or four years of the Whit Whitman administration don't look nothing like the budget that they just passed because a lot of the federal money that was infused into the state budget is no longer there. So now we're dealing with the reality of what really is at hand.

And that's when tough choices, unwelcome decisions have to be made. And tonight, on behalf of the residents, we made a tough choice. But at the same time, it allows for us to protect the millions of dollars, tens of millions of dollars that will be invested in this community in the way of housing, in the way of infrastructure, in the way of economic development. Because if the city, the municipal corporation goes belly up, then we fail to provide city services to residents and it runs away people that want to invest in this community. And right now, Bent Harbor is prime for investment. I want to invite everyone out tomorrow to the state of the city, uh, which will take place at the end at Harbor Shores. uh doors open at 6:30 p.m. Uh the address will be from 7 to 8 and then there will be a social collaboration hour where residents and those in attendance can discuss how we can rebuild the city of Benton Harbor because it will take more than one group, more than one entity, more than one church, more than one school district. It's going to take everybody rolling up their sleeves and working together. And working together does not always mean we think alike, dress alike, look alike, or even agree. Sometimes progress comes from serious arguments. That's what democracy is. Intense debate, unwelcome dialogue even in some cases. But what I believe that every member on

this commission wants what's best for the city of Benton Harbor. We may see it differently. However, uh I think that we all want to arrive at a conclusion of Benton Harbor being successful. Madame clerk, before we finish up, um I just want to go back to Mayor Prom um suspending the rules to add his requested item. We need to actually vote on that item. Even though the adding is so suspending the rules is actually adding the item to the agenda, but the the items can still be um discussed. So it still needs a motion, discussion, second and discussion, and then a vote because he's adding an item to the agenda.

So to suspend the rules, I thought it was two/3 vote. We had we had a twothirds vote to um suspend the rules to add his requested item to the agenda. And that did pass, but we need to go back to that item. Have a motion for that particular item. Recogniz.

So the request was that in December of 2025, the former commissions approved the calendar. However, in that calendar, it did not state the Memorial Day would give staff that Friday off. So that's the request whether they have Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday off and come back to work. do have. So, I think what Mayor Prom is requesting is um the holiday calendar. He would just like to amend that holiday calendar to add Friday prior to Memorial Day. Is that a motion?

Absolutely. Motion's made by Mayor Pro Tim Turner. Is it supported? report is supported by Commissioner Clark Griffin. Madame Clerk, is there discussion? Mr. Manager, do you have any? Please call the RO. Commissioner Warren, yes. Commissioner Cler Griffin, absolutely. Yes. Commissioner Fields, yes. Commissioner Henry, yes. Commissioner Canard, yes. Mayor Pam Turner, yes. Mayor Muhammad,

yes. And that's democracy at work. Is there a motion to motion? Motion is made by Commissioner Fields and it is supported by the mayor prom. Madame Clerk, could you please call the role? Commissioner Clark Griffin. Absolutely. Yes. Commissioner Fields? Yes. Commissioner Henry? Yes. Commissioner Canard? Yes. Commissioner Warren? Yes. Mayor PM Turner. Yes.