Thursday, August 07, 2008

Letter to Editor 8/7/08

Suit regards court order, not deed (H P)

Editor,

I read in the July 24 letters to the editor that Lori Jenkins of Stevensville is “incensed” over a lawsuit against Harbor Shores and Benton Harbor. She neither understands the suit nor does it involve Stevensville. Even Benton Harbor’s city commissioners have indicated people outside Benton Harbor should mind their own business. Yet the whole Harbor Shores crew lives outside Benton Harbor.

The lawsuit is not about the wording of the Jean Klock Park deed, as Jenkins’ letter indicates.

It’s about a 2004 court order forbidding further privatization of the park.

Second, plaintiffs Carol Drake and Clellen Bury are not against the Harbor Shores project, only against the further theft of any part of JKP from the children of Benton Harbor to whom it was given.

The park was not given to the fat cat golfers nor was it given to “provide profits to enable local community organizations to further develop and grow the area profits.”

As I have said in previous letters, if this project is the greatest thing since sliced bread it should be able to stand on its own without destroying the remaining dune area of JKP.

I can certainly cipher why Harbor Shores is so determined to get their greedy hands on JKP. It is the only property amid the properties of St. Joseph and Benton Township that belongs to Benton Harbor.

Without control of JKP they can’t landlock the park. Instead, they would have to allow an entrance to and from the park.

Thus when safety issues pop up, and they definitely will pop up, they can’t gate their little community from those outsiders.

Jenkins writes of increased jobs. What jobs? Where? Please be specific for once. I have heard and read enough remarks about regarding these illusive jobs.

The lawsuit is not about the deed but is about a 2004 court order. I would find it bogus if the courts can’t or won’t uphold their own orders.

Shirley Stinson Millburg