Buchanan residents push for answers over suspended city manager

 

BUCHANAN, Mich. -- Buchanan residents are wondering what happened to their city manager.

After less than five months in office, the city manager, Benjamin Eldridge, was put on an indefinite suspension by Mayor Sean Denison last Monday with no public explanation.

More than 50 Buchanan residents came to Monday night’s city commissioner’s meeting to follow a vote on the future of the city manager, but commissioners skipped the topic.

Mayor Denison claims an ongoing investigation is keeping city leaders from talking about it.”

“As soon as we are able to speak on the city manager situation, we will, but we can’t currently,” said Mayor Denison in Monday’s meeting.

The statement still leaves neighbors pushing for transparency.

They claim the city administration is causing a high turnover rate, saying there's been four city managers since 2020.

They also say during his brief career in office, Eldridge has reduced overtime of employees, brought down city spending, and was an overall hands-on manager that spoke directly to Buchanan residents about issues.

Some tell me it's also unfair to Eldridge himself, with his job status in limbo.

“It’s their right to do, but you know what I think, it’s absolutely horrible to do that to someone who is waiting to find out whether he is put back on the job or not,” says Monroe Lemay, a Buchanan resident.

Some in attendance said they plan to file for a recall election for the mayor, as he will reach the required one year and one day since sworn in office on Tuesday, November 14th.