October 21, 2003
October 21, 2003
LANSING – Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today received the final report from the task force she appointed to identify priorities to improve the quality of life in Benton Harbor, calling it a "blueprint for moving the community forward."
"The Benton Harbor community has demonstrated that it has a vision of how it can become stronger and self-sustaining in the years to come," Granholm said today. "Through this task force and its work, there has been a recognition that the community must operate differently if it is to avoid the pitfalls that has plagued it in the past.
The task force’s vision for Benton Harbor is "a city with strong community and governmental leadership focused on collaboration leading to continuous quality of life improvements. Benton Harbor should have safe neighborhoods, affordable housing, and a strong education system with an emphasis on early childhood development."
"Nowhere is the task force’s vision more clear than in the areas of education, economic development, and police and community relations," Granholm said. "Just as the community has developed this plan for positive change, so, too, must it continue working together to move forward on these recommendations."
The task force report, available at www.michigan.gov/gov, addressed several key issues including economic development; education; health awareness and improvement; police community relations; diversity with inclusion; criminal justice; parenting and family; recreation, arts and culture; communications; and faith based community.
The Governor’s Benton Harbor Task Force, which was co-chaired by Rev. James Atterberry, president of the Southwest Michigan Ministerial Alliance, and Greg Roberts, Director of Community- Based Initiatives for Governor Granholm. It was comprised of community members and representatives of the Governor’s office who worked for three months developing recommendations that, if implemented by the community, will help strengthen the city’s economic and educational future.
The recommendations include actions to be taken by the community, including local businesses and faith-based organizations, and by local, state, and federal government.
The Governor said Roberts, who co-chaired the task force, will continue working with the Citizens for Progressive Change, the Council for World Class Communities, and other community-based organizations to prioritize and implement the recommendations.
