growth with it Riverview sion meetings. That promise
Drive de lopment plan wa forgotten were most
but petty political leaders of the others he m de
o have destroyed y hope of during that campaign.
continuing economic devel- The next ayor of
opment in thi city. Benton Harbor will have to
It i the I cal govern- act "swiftly" to restore
ment of Benton Harbor public confi ence in ity
rather than Berrien County Government by accom­
or the Chamber of Com- plishing the following:
merce that is the greatest 1. Selecting a compe­
threat to the future well- tent City Manager who will
being of th 17 000 people serve the needs of all the
living in this city. citizens.
This is government 2. Developing a coher-
that appears, at tim ,to be ent plan to stabilize the
tlu pilot program for a TV city with sound fi at poli­
comedy silo: city which cies.
has had three city managers 3. Reorganize all city
in fiv years a city that departments where neces­
can't meet its financial sary.
obligation because of loss The ayor elec ed thi
of tax-b and mis-manage- time may ry weD deter­
ment a city that three mine whether Benton Har­
years ago paid it City bor can ever again become
Attorn y 20000 a year a fit environment in hich
and this year the City At- to or establish a busi-
torn y' bill is estimated n and rai a family.
at least over 80,000. � With so much riding
The present ayor as on this election, it is vital
elected in {975 as a 'Re- that all eligible vot rs tum
form Candid te". During out in force on August 7
that campaign he promised 1979.
the to rever the onday
o n of night figh' that to
and place during City
On August 7th Benton
� bor' citizen will go to
the poll to lect two
candid te for ayor from
a field of four plus two
comrni loner -at-large and
o rd candidate .
general election is
heduled on ovember
This i a critical elec­
tion year in Benton Har­
bor and could ell mar
turning point for one of the
rn t de pre d cities in the
United States. The Depart­
ment of Housing and Urban
lopment rate Benton
Harbor the cond mo t
di tre d city in m ri .
The problem of Ben­
ton Harbor are lac of
job, decaying and old
housing toe and a 10
of middle cla citizens.
The popul tion is gr wing
more tran ient and is crea­
tin problems from B n­
t n H bor having the high­
e dropout rate in the tate:
not ev n considering the
I of faith in city g rn-
m nt.
er
08
ditor:
In or ing in our yard
on turday I pi ed up
m tr in the yard
of th djacent unoccu-
pi d mong the
tr copy of the
July 197 Th
itiz no'
ot h ving
P P r for me tim
ed through and an
editorial posing question
o t 0 for me.
Th editorial em lu­
dicrou to m, and thu
prob bly should be ignored.
Out of courte , I will
er the on f t-rel ted
question you rai .
The executive director
of the Berrien Coun
Council of Churche , either
rrent or previous, has
r received any income
ri d from Berrien
Home . The General Fund
of the Council, out of hich
dmini trative salarie and
benefits are paid i uppor­
ted entirely by contribu­
tio and program receipt .
I am enclosing a bro­
chure on the ouncil for
your information. It is not
current in its listing of
officers, but e sential
inform tion i given regard-
ing the ministri of the
Council. I am al enclo-
ing a contribution envel­
ope for your u e ould
you wish to share in it.
o
Editor's ote: Rev. Bolin
missed th
editorial.
trying for month to
btain in ormation about
th finance of Berrien
Hom :
Go emment money
built the Home nd go rn­
ment money is being reque­
sted to help operate the
Homes. Th doesn't
the t payer hav a righ t
to kno the financial
tatus of that operation?
Rev. Bolin - ho
employer, the ouncil spon­
rs the Homes - is it­
ting on the City Cornmi-
ion. From that eat h
h d ca t vote on the
housing needs of the city.
His oting posi tion has
tied up the city Housing
in the courts.
Sincerely
ilen Gray
35 Par er
B nton Harbor
• •
I or
ttomey Gavin i the
ttorney for Berrien Homes.
As ity Attorney it
hi advice that led the
city into the courts and
tied up the housing.
e regret Rev. B tin s
implication that the it-
izen i trash. Perhaps he
is out of touch ith his
con tituents' ta tes. Som
1,847 cop ies of the Citizen
re sold within the city of
Benton Harbor last. week.
e also regret Re .
Bolin's failing memory .
We intentionally a igned a
newsboy to II a paper to
Rev. Bolin, the eek in
questiori. According to the
ne sboy, Rev. Bolin not
only bought a Citizen, but
tipped the ller -,
More HUD Funds coming
I t ann unced t
the ednesday, July 25
Benton Harbor City Com­
mission workshop that some
160 000 of Urban Renewal
close-out fund re ear­
marked for the city by
HUD.
ccording to Ro oe
Davis Community Devel-
opment Department
HUD wants the money to
go into bric and mortar
more than social services.
Davis cited possible
areas where the money
could go.
Downtown beautifi-
mold R. Bolin ction was one area. Davis
xecutive Director indicated that the hole at
Council of hutches the comer of Water and
c
c
em
r
•
ee I 9
Some 40 people turned
out for the United Commu­
nity Development Corpora­
tion general membership
meeting Tusday July 31 at
the Library.
A unanimous vote to
hold elections for new
Board of Director wa
pa sed.
That meetin ill be
held Thursday August 9
at the Library.
Tom arp pre ident
of the organization, declar­
ed the meeting was illegal.
T enty-three signatures of
U m mber were afixed
to a letter calling for the
meeting hi h m es it
leagal a c rdin to rti le
of Incorporation.
Th m etin mar ed
the fir t tim that general
members were involved in
the m etin .
EDITORIAL -
The int mal StTU e
bet een the mall group
ho h control of the
organization and the n
m mber as pparent in
th often he ted di us-
Dou Ie Sf ndard - Double Trouble
Continued from page 2
police departments had
okay'd Gravatos' building
for a disco the ayor inter­
ceded and directed staff to
conduct a survey of business
people in the area. That
urvey revealed 83 per cent
of the businesses were
opposed to the di 0 for
Benton teens.
r. Gravatos h d spent
I 000 to correct the fe
violations found by the city
before ayor Patterson in­
tervened.
Gravatos is threatening
a lawsuit. Double standards
means double trouble.
e are aware that he
did not me his nominating
petitions for office in com­
pliance with the city char­
ter.
We are aware that his
reliance on Attorney Gavin
for decisions has cost the
city 80 000 plu in the
past year.
e are a are that he
quotes the charter hen it
means up tting those ho
have oppo d him. He ab­
st ins on voting to pay the
city's bills becau e he dis­
agree with om of the
e pen did tures. ot that
he t e any action or
exert any leadership. He
just abstains.
This ee we sa
another example of the
double standard at cit
hall. As usual, the little
man is the one ho uf­
fers in this case a oman.
T 0 city employees in
the Inspection Department
had thrown their hats in
the race - Billy Cheatham
for mayor and attie Ev
Barnes for commissioner-at­
larg .
s of Tuesda one a
till employed and n had
b en forced to resizn or
take leave.
Billy heatham
apped b the itiz n
photographer in the city­
o ned or leased car in
his city uniform. attie
ve Barnes s off the
job.
Sh had been a
to either tea lea or
resign in accordanc ith
the city charter. She as
gon t 0 d y aft r her
nominatin petition had
been certified by the cler .
o ho can r.
heatham till b on the
job? In a city car?
Double standards. And
sin it leaves the cit open
to a la uit from r .
Barne then perh p again
double trouble.
Thr
should
reasons why
NOT sit on th
EDMOND EAMAN
Benton Herber Commi
Paid for by Fri nds of Arnold Smith
•
Ion
(1) Vot d for the firing of Chris Day nport as Community D �elopment Direc:tor
because he spoke up conc rning city Hall corruption.
(2) Voted for Capital Associates hich will stop n housing b ·ng d loped
in Benton Harbor.
(3) Voted on all bills that paid a parttime city attorn y OVi r $80,000.
BENTON HARBOR NEEDS GOOD LEADERSHIP!
VOTE for ARNOLD SMITH· First Ward Commission I
TUESDAY & UGUST 7, 1979 � --
ain could be filled in;
plants trees and shrubery
planted; or culture
erected.
The money could also
complement the Small
Cities grant. It could b
used in the eighborhood
Strategy rea .. In Benton
. Harbor that is the area
bounded by Pavonne Col­
fax Clay and Catalpa.
The money could go
for par improvem nts.
Davis presented his re­
port the Citizens Advisory
Board on Thur day July
27.
nyone with ideas can
reach r. Davis at ity Hall,
925-7061. I.. .... �� .. -