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Hi, I am Brian J. Moeller a life long area resident. I married Diane L. Kemp, my wife of 31 plus years, also a life long area resident.  We have four children, Brian Nicholas (Jessica), Matthew James (Charity), Katie Mae and Alissa Lynn along with three grandsons Brendan James, Morgan Brian, and Brayden Brian.
 
I graduated from Port Huron High School in 1973, St. Clair County Community College (SC4) in 1975 with A.S. in Law Enforcement.  In 1976 I graduated from Grand Valley State with a B.S. in Criminal Justice and a minor in Psychology.  In 1995 I graduated with a Masters in Liberal Studies with concentrations in Police Management and Police Administration from Eastern Michigan University.  I also graduated from Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command in 1992 and the FBI National Academy in 1995.
 
I currently work for the State of Michigan, Department of Labor and Economic Growth, Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) as Manager of the Integrity Initiative Unit.  I also teach as Adjunct Faculty at SC4 teaching Criminal Justice and Political Science classes.  Prior to working for the UIA, I worked as an investigator for the Michigan State Senate.  I conducted an investigation into government corruption or mismanagement at Detroit Wayne County Metropolitan Airport leading to the federal indictments and convictions of three Wayne County employees and or their family members.  Several other employees lost their jobs due to corruption or mismanagement.  I also conducted the investigation leading to the first and only expulsion of a seated State Senator in the history of Michigan, Senator David Jayne of McComb County.
 
In 2000 I retired from the Port Huron Police Department as a Captain after some 25 years of service.  Upon retirement I was the youngest Captain and the most decorated officer in the history of the Department, credited with saving seven lives among other awards.
 
I am running for City Council to do my best to keep Port Huron from running into bankruptcy, but not at the expense of making it a ghost town.  This is my town and I am proud of it and I want to help lead it into the future.
 
Thanks for your support and God Bless,
 
Brian

1.  The City Manager has proposed water rate increases in each of the next five years, Brian Moeller has stated that he would not support additional water rate increases, what is your position?

As to my statement, what I said is that I would not vote to raise water rates at least for the next two years.  I personally believe there is a lot of things in the budget that can be cut without hurting the public service to the citizens of Port Huron.  I have also read the Michigan Supreme Court Case of Bolt v. City of Lansing and it is my opinion that the City of Port Huron is in violation of the Headlee Amendment and I would like to get a legal opinion from an attorney that is not holding the bonds for the City of Port Huron.
2.  If you are opposed to the City Manager's Budget, how would you balance the budget?
As to balancing the budget, the next council must be able to make the appropriate cuts.  If we go into receivership, we will have strangers making the decisions for us, and we will have no say.  Just look at what happen in Flint, Highland Park and Hamtramck if you don't believe me.  However, with that said it is hard to say what specific cuts could be made, without seeing the line item or working budget that was approved by the council.  However, I hope to disclose some of my ideas at the Meet the Candidate sessions on Oct. 16 and Nov. 1.  Please don't tell me the budget is on-line.  This is not the working budget, it is just a summary, which says little if anything.  We need to think outside the box and have round tables with the budget open to the citizens so that they can make suggestions of cuts.  We don't need a company from Colorado or any other state to come here and take $40,000 from our depressed economic State, County and City.  If we have or someone has money to help defray costs lets at least hire a Michigan company if not a local company or individuals.

Let me also say that there is nothing that is in the budget that is so "sensitive" as one current councilperson said, that we the taxpayers can not see the line item budget.  We are not talking National Security here.

3. For many years the leaders of Port Huron have extolled the amenities of our city and it's great potential, in your opinion, why hasn't that potential been realized?
No Response.
4.  Several of the challengers for council seats have expressed hesitation at being specific about budget issues, stating that the budget published on the city web page is not the real one, and that they are not "privy" to specific information that would shape their opinion.  In the interest of having an open and transparent government, shouldn't the budget that is published be the real one?
First let me say I was the one who brought this to the attention of Mr. Wright, Mr. Lewandowski and the Mayor at the Times Herald meeting with the Editorial Board when the four of us met to try and win their endorsement for City Counsel. The Mayor argued that he and all council members had copies of the line item budget and that it was available to anyone. I then advised him that I had talked to three prior councilpersons and they all stated they only had the line item budget during the budget meetings. I also stated that Councilperson McCulloch had stated on line that he only had the line item budget during the budget meetings and then had to give them back to the City Administration because they had to much sensitive information in them. 
I would also like to say if it was available to all Councilpersons why didn't any of the Councilpersons have them at the budget workshop meeting on September 23rd, 2007, and all questions were referred to the City Administration? 
I want to thank the Mayor, I assume for making the line item budgets now available for $200 plus and Mr. Wright for his investigation into the matter. 
Finally, I would like to say if elected I would direct the City Administration to place the line-item budget on line. I would also have the budget available on disc for $10 the same price the city charges for the voter registration lists
5.  Candidate Al Wright found that the full detailed budget can be available to citizens if they pay approximately $200.00 plus time expenses for printing.  Would you favor having the full budget available on the city's web page, or that the city would make it available on a CD disk for $1.00?
I believe it should be available on line for review by anyone and should be on disc for $10 the same price as for the voter regristration disc. I would also like to say that I agree with Mr. Byrne that all contracts should be on line or available for a nominal fee including all union and non union contracts including managements.
6.  If Pete was your son, would you advise him to purchase in the city of Port Huron?  If so, why?  If not, what can be done to make Port Huron a more financially attractive place to live?
No Response.
7. The city has given tax incentives to encourage developers, manufacturers and businesses to locate in Port Huron, should they give tax relief to encourage common people to locate in Port Huron?
No Response.
8. If elected, and you had sufficient support on the council, what would be your first priority?
There are actually two things I plan on doing right away regardless as to who gets elected.

1. Make a motion to rescind the water and wastewater rate increases that are to go into effect on June 30, 2008, June 30, 2009, June 30, 2010
and June 30, 2011 passed by the current council on September 24, 2007. If rates are to go up let the appropriate councils deal with the issue. 
However, let me say again, I will not vote to raise the rates for the next two years.

2. Make a motion to have the City Administration have a contract before the council no later than the second meeting in March in reference to
proceeding with the Terra Land project as directed by the people of Port Huron more than two years ago.
9. Televised city council meetings are intended to inform the public in a transparent manner, in your opinion, when should the council go into "closed session"?
Only when mandated by state law.
10. What changes in the city charter, if any, would you support?
I am not sure what changes I would support at this time. However, I believe the whole document should be reviewed. I believe any and all ideas should be considered and the final document voted on by "We The People". Even the idea of a strong mayor form of government has its pluses and minuses just like the weak mayor form we have now.
With a strong mayor form the mayor would in most cases be paid less than a manager. The mayor and the GOB's could be voted out of office every four years by "We The People". The best part would be you wouldn't have to pay them $138,000 plus to fire them behind closed doors and have them say they resigned.
The weak mayor form has a plus and that is we have a highly professional manager and not a politician running the government.
Whatever, times have changed from the 50's and 60's and "We The People" should have a say in reforming our City government. Because the current form has failed us, just look at Terra Land. "We The People" said to sell the land to them and let them develop the land. Yet years later nothing has been done, because the council and city administration know better than "We The People". I don't think that's the way it is suppose to work in a democracy.
Enclosing I am open to any and all discussion about the City Charter and truly believe there has to be more oversight and input given to "We The People".