Posted on August 9, 2016
By Debra Haight, The Herald Palladium
There won’t be any decision on disbanding of the St. Joseph River Harbor Authority for another two months.
Berrien County Commissioners voted this week to table a decision until early October.
Berrien County established the authority in 1995, and county officials have been talking in recent months about dissolving it. If that would happen, responsibility for the harbor and long-range waterfront planning would be put in the hands of local governments in St. Joseph and Benton Harbor.
County Administrator William Wolf said last month the nine-member Harbor Authority is obsolete, adding that it has no actual authority and only operates in an advisory capacity. The real authority rests with the local governments who decide about zoning and land use, he said.
A resolution to dissolve the authority was on this week’s county board agenda, but was tabled on a 9-3 vote. Voting against tabling were Commissioners Mamie Yarbrough, Jim Curran and Jon Hinkelman. The issue is scheduled to return Oct. 6.
Commissioner Bill Chickering of St. Joseph said the local officials he’s talked to aren’t against the idea but want more time to make the transition.
“No one disagrees with the concept. Their concern is that it’s a complicated issue and to do it in the next five months is a task they’re not ready to do,” he said.
Commissioner Jeanette Leahey said she’s had similar discussions with St. Joseph officials.
“They would like to go forward, but they don’t have the information to do so,” she said. “If they have more time, they could do so.”
She said St. Joseph city officials are planning to discuss the proposal at a Sept. 6 work session.
“I think we need to give them latitude,” she said.
Yarbrough said at the end of the meeting the outer harbor dredging is done and the inner harbor work will be done in the next few weeks.
She said Berrien County Economic Development Director Dan Fette told her his department will work with local governments to get federal money for dredging in the future.
Source: The Herald Palladium
