BENTON HARBOR, Mich. (AP) — The southwestern Michigan city of Benton Harbor has elected a new mayor.

The Herald-Palladium of St. Joseph reports city commissioner Marcus Muhammad received about 60 percent of the vote on Tuesday to unseat incumbent James Hightower.

Muhammad plans to work with residents and businesses to move the city forward, saying that: “With leadership comes great consequences.”

He says that he wants to make Benton Harbor a more-friendly place for businesses and investors. He also plans to seek ways to help residents prevent water pipes from freezing in winter, a problem that has plagued the city for the past two winters.

Hightower, who faced recall efforts while in office, remains mayor through Dec. 31 and says he’s “leaving the city in better shape than when I found it.”