Benton Harbor City Commissioners have voted to name Alex Little city manager.
At Monday’s regular meeting, the commission debated whether to follow its own scoring system and appoint Little to the manager position, or to keep him as the interim city manager and keep searching. He’s been the interim city manager since April. Commissioner Ethel Clark Griffin opposed hiring Little as city manager, questioning the process that was followed, while Commissioner Juanita Henry said she hears too many stories about residents who can’t get a response from the manager’s office.
Commissioner Sharon Henderson was also reluctant to proceed.
“I don’t feel like we should be boxed in with giving the city manager role,” Henderson said. “I think we can still retain the interim title until such time as we see fit.”
Mayor Marcus Muhammad warned turning Little down after he went through the former process to be named manager could cause the city to lose him.
Mayor Pro Tem Duane Seats said in the roles that Little has served the city, he’s shown he’s up to the job, even saving the city’s Community Development Block Grant program when it was dying.
“City managers are not dropping from the sky,” Seats said. “They’re not coming banging down our doors to take this job.”
Commissioner Edward Isom, chair of the Personnel and Finance Committee, said the body had three applicants, and through its standard selection process, advanced the two most qualified to be interviewed by the full commission.
After much discussion, the commission approved the appointment of Little as city manager, with Commissioners Clark-Griffin, Henry, and Emma Kinnard voting no.