Benton Harbor City Commissioners have started the search for a new finance director, but before they find someone, they want to make sure that person will have the tools to do their job. After the resignation of former Finance Director James Williams this month, commissioners learned he had been denied access to information he felt was needed. Speaking at a meeting of the Personnel and Finance Committee this week, Commissioner Juanita Henry said things need to change internally.
“We need to know what’s happening with our employees,” Henry said. “We need to know why they’re leaving so we can put something in place so they can stay.”
Henry noted the previous two finance directors left under similar circumstances, saying “we have to do something different.” She urged the committee to send letters to universities and other organizations seeking a new finance director. Also this week, Plante and Moran’s Rhonda Hildebrand warned the utility fund is running low due to residents not paying their water bills.
“Right now, with accounts 60 days and over, there’s $550,000 in the 60 days and over category, and if you look at the same figure pre-COVID, January of 202, it was half of that.”
Hildebrand said a credit was previously given to ratepayers using $1 million of federal ARPA funds to give them a break while lead water lines were replaced. That work is all but done at this point. Committee Chair Edward Isom suggested the city give residents another credit, using more ARPA funds, to help get back on track.
