Former Benton Harbor City Manager Darwin Watson has landed the city manager job in New Buffalo. The city council approved his selection Monday night. Watson succeeds David Richards, who died last December. City councilman Mark Robertson said most of the hiring team wanted Watson and said his references included remarks from Watson stabilizing Benton Harbor as it came out of state emergency management and him being “battle tested.” The city council also interviewed Martin Shanahan and Jeffrey Sheridan. Shanahan is a former corporation counsel and interim city manager in Joliet, Illinois and Sheridan is the city manager in Webster, Indiana. Contract negotiations are underway with Watson.
