Commissioners table Brownfield appointment amid questions over mayoral appointments and dual-commissioner service

The Benton Harbor City Commission tabled consideration of Dylan Barnes’ appointment to the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority and asked the city attorney to review the authority’s bylaws after commissioners raised concerns about who the mayor recommends for boards and whether two sitting commissioners can serve on the same authority.

Commissioners asked whether Barnes would be replacing a current commissioner and whether any other applications had been submitted. Commissioner Ethel Clark-Griffin and others said they had applied for reappointment and said they received no notice about the mayor’s recommendation process. Clark-Griffin said she and others previously served on boards and were surprised by the mayor’s selections.

Mayor Muhammad defended his recommendation, saying he sought a resident appointee to maintain a citizen voice on boards and referenced prior decisions to avoid disrupting another commissioner’s term. The city attorney, Seneca, told the commission she needed to review the brownfield authority bylaws to confirm whether two sitting commissioners could serve simultaneously given the risk of double voting at different decision stages.

After discussion, Mayor Pro Tem Turner moved to table the appointment and have the city attorney and staff review bylaws and policy language; the motion carried on a roll-call vote. No appointment was made at the meeting.

Next steps: staff and legal counsel will examine the brownfield authority bylaws and return with guidance on the eligibility of commissioners and any recommended changes to appointment practice.