Benton Harbor City Commissioners have approved the purchase of a video surveillance system to help prevent crime and catch illegal dumpers. At a Monday meeting, Mayor Marcus Muhammad read the resolution that said the contract with VideoTec Corporation will enable the city to protect assets like the Armory, 200 Paw Paw Avenue, and city parks while catching those who come to town to dump trash. Commissioner Mary Alice Adams expressed reservations about a system that could lead to fines for residents, but Commissioner Ron Singleton said residents want something done about the trash dumping.
“The residents come up and say what about the trash, the garbage in the street, things going on, and they want us to do something about it,” Singleton said. “How are we going to do something about it if we don’t take the steps and put some things in place to get it done?”
The cost for the equipment is $354,000, which will be shared between Whirlpool and the city. The city will use $177,000 federal ARPA funds for its half of the purchase, and then another $103,000 of ARPA funds for installation. Mayor Muhammad noted the cameras will not be used for traffic enforcement.
