City Commissioners Discuss Credit Card Use

bhcityhall2-30
bhcityhall2-30

The use of city credit cards in Benton Harbor will be watched more closely by city commissioners following a discussion this week. At a Monday meeting, Mayor Marcus Muhammad noticed the monthly bills included a more than $1,400 purchase of hand sanitizer. He asked City Manager Ellis Mitchell which city commissioner told him to make that purchase. Mitchell said the mayor told him to buy the sanitizer.

“I didn’t order you to make another purchase,” Muhammad said. “I sent out an email saying that we don’t need any more hand sanitzer. I sent that email out regarding the last purchase.”

The city was buying hand sanitizer and PPE for residents toward the start of the COVID crisis, but since then, hand sanitizer has become more widely available, and Muhammad noted there’s some still sitting at city hall. Mayor Pro Tem Duane Seats wondered if the spending of city employees should be monitored. Mayor Muhammad said he wants an itemized account of the credit cards.