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By Bernie EJrown
T re i a n for an Afri-
can Americanjudge in Berrien
County, id t Benton Har­
bor Superintendent Parent
Advisory Council.
Annie Robinson, pokesper­
son for the advisory council,
aid there are many Black
lawyers who could fill the posi­
tion, but th council has not
contacted any of the potential
candida
"We have gathered together
tonight here because we have
determined that there is a
need in our city for an African
American judge," Robinson
told the city commission at
their March 7, meeting.
She said the group came to
the commission seeking up­
port for efforts to get an Afri­
can American judge elected in
Berrien county.
·1 FEEL THAT it is time
that the citizens of Benton
Harbor took c.h.arge of our own
destiny, being judged by our
own people, 0 t t can
have someone that we can re-
late to and can relate to , "
Robinson . d.
Robinson said they are tak­
ing one step at a time, but the
fi thing they wanted to do
was to mak ure they can get
an African American judge.
Robinson said he d n't
know how they are going to do
it, but the advisory council is
willing to challenge the consti- '
tutionality of why judges have
to have a law degree when it
doesn't call for the President to
have a law degree, nor the
sheriff to hold an office.
"We'll find a way," she said.
"Why would you have to
have a law degree to be able to
fairly judge any case. You can
just be a fair person, " she said
Robinson said there is great
need for a Black judge to deal
with juveniles.
Many of the commissioners
gave Robinson their support.
Mayor Emma Hull informed
Robinson that the commission
would research the issue and
get with the group at a later
date.
th eommi ion
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Grant to improve
beach park
By Bernie Brown
T.he Benton Harbor City
Commission approved at their
February 28, meeting the sub­
mission of a Coastal Zone Man­
agement Program Grant
application to the Michigan De­
partment of Natural Resources
(DNR), for the amount of
$30,000. The grant will be used
for the development of fenced
parking, canoe ramp and fishing
platforms at Jean Klock Park.
The site for the project is 10-
Scholarship
funds
available
Students and community
leaders from culturally diverse
backgrounds may be eligible for
scholarship assistance to attend
the National Trust for Historic
Preservation's upcoming 48th
National Preservation Confer­
ence. The scholarship fund is
upported by the Getty Grant
Program, one of eight programs
operated by the J. Paul Getty
, Trust.
The theme of the conference,
which will take place in.Boston,
Mass., October 26-30, 1994, is
"Preservation, Economics and
Community Rebirth."
Between 2,000 to 3,000 com­
mitted preservationists from
around the country are expected
to explore the theme through
plenary and educational ses­
sions, discussions groups and
mobile workshops and tours in
the Boston area.
Individual interested in ap­
plying for financial assistance to
help cover travel, accommoda­
tions and other related expens
should contact: Scholarship Pro- '
gram, Preservation Confer­
ence , National Trust for
Hi toric Preservation, 1785
Mas chusetts Avenue, N.W.,
Washington DC, 20036.
The deadline for applications
. June 15, 1994.
cated on city-owned property
along Paw Paw River adjacent to
the bridge on North Shore Ave­
nue.
According to City Engineer
Roland Klockow, this strip of
land will be incorporated with
the Rails for Trails, the Ox­
Creek trail project. He also said
the project represents one com­
ponent of an overall strategy to
re-establish Jean Klock Park as
a regional tourist attraction.
The total cost of the project is
$60,000, with the City matching
the $30,000 from DNR.
Commissioner George Wysin­
ger said, "I hope we don't rob
Peter to pay Paul for this project,
but I think if we dig hard enough
we can find these funds. "
Klockow said the City could
also use in-kind contributions to
pay for the match.
The commission had to ap­
proved the resolution that night,
because it was due March 1.
By BERNICE BROWN
The Benton Harbor City
Commission voted to hire Tami
Champ of Petersburg, Va as t
new Recre tion Coordinator for
the City of Benton Harbor.
Champ will be paid a salary of
30,000 a year, plus a relocation
allowance not to exceed 1,500.
The commi ion finally ap­
proved the hiring of Champ by a
7 -1 vote, with doubts still being
raised about the salary and job
description from two commis­
sioners.
The commission tabled the
hiring of Champ for several
weeks because of discrepancies
in the job description and lary
listed in the resolution with
what was advertised.
Commissioners George Wys­
inger and Charles Yarbrough
expressed some complaints.
WYSINGER complained
that the original job description
called for a degree in recreation,
but a change requires the candi­
date only have a college degree
with ated field and extensive
experience in the administra­
tion of recreation,
"What we are doing is hiring
people based on friendship and
not on qualifications," Wysinger
said. .
Wysinger also complained
that the City is hiring Champ
based upon a video tape inter­
view. "We don't know didly
about her. We have people here
locally t�� is qualified for the
position, " he stressed.
Yarbrough said his only objec­
tion was with the salary jump,
from a range of $20,500 -
, $25,000 to $25,00 - $35,000.
"It's not the person that is in­
volved here, " he said, "1 will sup-
port her. My complaint is with
the salary. I don't think it
donein p� ay henthe
job fi dvertised �th a
different salary."
"To change the salary in th
middle of the stream, I think is
unfair. You can talk typo all you
want to, but I think that the
salary was upgraded to get the
person you wanted for the job,"
Yarbrough told City Manager
Beverly Brewer.
YARBROUGH WENT on to
say that the city commission
need to stop talking about hiring
city residents, because they
don't mean it. ·We need to stop
talking about it, because it's not
what we have been doing ... and
we all know it. We have to lead
by example. We can't as busi­
nesses to hire city residents if we
don't. We need to stop broadcast­
ing hire city residents if we don't
mean it."
Yarbrough told the commis­
sion, "Let's stop being hypocrites
on this commission in hiring out­
siders for jobs that city residents
can do because it is unfair to our
city i P "
II My grandparents
taught' me the
greater my
expectations I
the greater my
accomplishments. II
SONYELLE POLK
GMSCHOLAR
SolITHERN UNIVERSITY
It As a student at Southern
University and A&M College, I
have applied this· philosophy in all
my academic endeavors as I work
toward a degree in electrical engi­
neering. I also applied it in my
first engineering assignment at
Delco Electronics Corporation,
Kokomo, Indiana. My assignment
was in Service Test Equipment
Engineering and it was a very
rewarding experience. It
It's no wonder that Sonyelle
Polk is a General Motors scholar.
'At General Motor ,we know
the only way we can meet our
customer' expectations is with
the help of talented and dedicated
individuals from all segments
of our society. Providing scholar-
, ships to students like Sony lle
Polk willhelp make that happ n
o that we can continue to provide
our customers with world class
cars and trucks.
Commi ioner Ralph Cren­
ha ,Chairman oftbe Commis-
ion' Public S fety nd
Recreation Committ and
member of tb interview panel,
said, while conducting th inter­
vie of the candida based on
their evaluations and history
and background experiences,
"we felt that the person we rec­
ommended would be the tone
for the job for this city. "
According to Brewer, Champ
will be involved in promoting
programs in conjunction with
the schools and plan special
even li e parad and f ti-
vals,
I
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FOR SALE
2 PLOTS WITH
VAULT.
"GARDEN OF
LOVE"
ORmSHORE
:MEMORY
GARDENS.
CALL
(616) 683-2645.
CHAMP S been working
with th Recreation Department
for th past eight years and has
served as Division Chief for the
past three y 1'8 with th City of
Petersburg. She will report to
her new job with the City on
June 13.
Commis ioner Wysinger
voted against the hiring of
Champ and Yarbrough ab­
stained.
Thanks to you. all or s of everyday products are betnq
made from recycled materials But to keep recycl1ng working
to help prot ct th Earth. you need to buy those products.
. To receive a free brochure. call1-800-CALL-EDF.
Family Life Survey
The Family Life Survey conducted by the Family Life Issue
Group of Community First will soon be completed, according to
Antonio L. Mitchell, Project Director. The deadline forr eeiving
completed questionnaires at the Communities First office is
March 16.
Persons who live in and/or work in the 49022 area code are
eligible to complete the survey. Anyone who has the question­
naire is encouraged to return it to the Communities First office
at 185 E. Main Street, #507, Benton Harbor. Anyone who would
like a questionnaire to complete may call 926-2988 and one will
be mailed to .. hem ..