Benton Harbor's search for a permanent City Manager continues
BENTON HARBOR, Mich – The search for a permanent City Manager in the City of Benton Harbor is still on.
On Thursday evening Benton Harbor City Commissioners voted Ellis Mitchell to the position of Interim City Manager while some commissioners who didn’t vote for Mitchell voiced their opinion.
“For every move you make you gotta pay so we’ll be paying the other one maybe we’ll have to pay this one again or pay other ones again or whoever comes to sue us,” Benton Harbor Mayor Pro-Tem Duane Seats said.
City Commissioners squabbled over everything from Mitchell’s salary and the rules of employment.
Mitchell said he would like to know that he has the experience to lead the city in the right direction.
“My background is 49-years in the business managing cities I managed four other cities including the City of Benton Harbor,” Mitchell said.
Business owners like the owner of The Phoenix Café Jaffe Bartlett would like the new City Manager to have things in order which he says will help the business climate in the city.
“I’d like to see less personal vengeance and a little more transparency a little more professionalism I’d think we’d love to stop being on the news as the city that doesn’t have its [expletive deleted] together,” Bartlett said.
City Commissioners are expected to begin the process of finding a permanent City Manager at their August 5thCity Commissioner meeting.