Some residents of Benton Harbor have been noticing damaged and knocked over headstones at Crystal Springs Cemetery, and the city is now working to restore them to their correct positions and prevent future damage.

Speaking to the Benton Harbor Cemetery Board this week, City Manager Alex Little said DPW staff were already out putting the markers back. He believes winter plowing operations led to the problem.

“With all the snow that was piled up out there, we don’t know if the plow pushing the snow caused the disruption or the plow itself may have hit it,” Little said. “But in any event, they’re trying to restore that.”

Little said measures are being explored to ensure this doesn’t happen again next year.

“We’re going to, before next season, put some markers up where we can stick them in the way we do to find fire plugs. It sticks up high enough that even if you get a real pile of snow up, you can tell, still tell, where the street ends.”

It was noted the roads in the cemetery can be quite narrow. Little said staff are doing their best to put things right without a great deal of institutional knowledge after some long-time staff have left in recent years.