Commission to consider renaming Pipestone Park for former Mayor Hightower; resolution to be drafted for next meeting

Benton Harbor commissioners on Sept. 24 discussed a proposal to name the Pipestone neighborhood park after former Mayor Hightower and directed staff to prepare a resolution for formal consideration at an upcoming meeting.

Commissioners recalled Hightower’s tenure and cited achievements the group said included leading the city out of receivership, initiating local health and workforce programs, starting a respiratory therapy training program that helped local residents gain credentials, reopening and renovating recreation facilities, and securing improvements to the city chamber and other civic infrastructure. The chair asked Mayor Hightower to speak; Hightower thanked commissioners and family members and recounted work on health programs, a charter amendment to reduce meeting frequency, reopening the Charles Grama recreation center and other civic efforts.

“...I appreciate your consideration. I’ve lived across the street from that park since 1994, and we’ve pretty much taken on a role to try to watch over it, take care of it through the years,” Hightower told the commission. Commissioners said they planned to move a resolution forward: the city manager said he would prepare the resolution so that the next meeting’s agenda would include the item.

Why it matters: Naming a public park is a civic recognition that requires formal commission action. Commissioners said they preferred to honor Hightower while he is alive and to bring the matter forward promptly for a formal vote.

No formal vote occurred at the Sept. 24 meeting; the city manager said he would prepare a resolution to place on the next committee/commission agenda for action.