Benton Harbor Area News
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At Monday night's, May 8,
Benton Harbor City Commis­
sion meeting the commission
approved longevity payments
for city employees totaling
$47,772.88.
City Manager Steve Man­
ning told the commission that
the longevity payments cost the
city about $100,000 a year. He
also said that other cities have
been exposed to longevity and it
is "traditional part of most
union contracts".
"Based on years of service
employees who have five or
more year are entitled to lon­
gevity payments as a percentage
of his gross annual pay", said
Manning.
Commissioner Charles
Yarbrough, said that it was. a
"pretty good chunk of money."
"It's the cost of doing bu i­
ness", Manning said, and "we do
better trying to get value for the
money that we put into them,
then trying to take away t
benefits."
Commissioner George
Wysinger said, he would like
people to co c bere and work
for the city without trying to g.
·them" pi cc of candy on
ide", and yo stay here, we'll
give you a piece f candy over
here".
Commis ion Ralph Cren­
shaw said he grcc with the
City Manager, stat in "when
you look at pcopl in certain
position , you look at whether
you get your m ney's worth".
"I think itjust need to be fm
tuned and ma cure that
whatever we're paying, the city
is getting it' m ney worth", h
ad� .
Commissioner Steve
Wooden said, the city "can't af­
ford it". Cornmis ioner Kerry
Shannon said he .agrecs with
Commissioners Wooden,
Wysinger and Yarbrough, but at
this point arc "locked into
this by contract". .
Wysinger voted no, while
Yarbrough said he was voted
yes, bUt he would like to see the
city nego . ate and vote the loan
jeopardy out of the contract. AU
other -commissioner voted ill
favor.
SUMMER JO cur OR
YOU11lCO
Glenn Yarbrough, Benton
Harbor City recreation director
and County Commissioner told
the commission that the City of
Benton Harbor will' not be get­
ting its fair share of jobs for
youths this um.mer. He tated
that, last year he had 240 youths
and th· year they have cut him
down to 22 youths.
Yarbrough said, be thin
. a slap in the face" to the city
of Benton Harbor.
For the last five year we
have been one of the biggest
work sites in the three county
area fo Michigan Youth Corps
and I feel that we as the City of
Benton Harbor have almost
made Michigan Yo Corps in
this area", he said
"We took on young poop
when they couldn't place them
on job . We too on special
projects that Michigan Youth
Corps asked us to do, but when
we sent in our proposal this year
for young peopl Lo work, I re­
quested 62 young people and
they only approved me 22."
"Twenty-two jobs for young
people 18-21. We are one of the
largest wor sites and the most
available work sites tba young
people can get to, and Benton
Harbor is one of the most
depressed areas in the sta e",
Yarbrough said.
"The government said that :
they was going to give us
$25,000,000 addition to
Michigan Youth Corps, 17,000
• (J •
Jobs. Now where are those JO
going?" h a ked. "I thin
should tal to our local PIC
agency in this area d find out
where arc the j going." •
Yarbrough slated that PIC
have 375 j bs for the three coun­
ty arc , but h don't believe
Benton Harbor wiU be geuing
"100 of tho e jobs", nd he
said, "if don't ha some jobs
for thi summer, we're going to
have orne problems".
Y rbrou h said, 22 jo re
bearly enough to run his um­
mer y uth recreation program".
C mmi ioner Charle
Y rbrough, brother of nn
Yarbr ugh aid, on turday
durin the time of the Blossom­
time Par de, Gov. J mes
Blanchard was ragging" about
the w rk the Youth Corps h
done in Benton Harbor and he
thinks the Governor uld be
called to verify hi comme
Mayor Willia Wolf ed
Glenn Yarbrough to check fur­
ther into 'the maUer nd he
would like to get documents­
tionsbyThursday, May 11, com- .
mission workshop so the com­
missi n can consider a possible
r Jution.
EMPLOYE GET RAJ E
Also Monday night after a
long reces the commission
ratified letter of under­
standing with it gener a]
employees uni n, which gives
union members a temporarily 7
percent pay hike in exchange for
agreeing to immediately
reneg . e their contr ct with
the city. .
The 7 percent pay hike will
t e effect July 1 and ends July
31.
Commis ioner Steve
Wooden voted . t the un­
derstan· Voting in favor of
the letter of UDders diDg were
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