Edison Palmer:

·  AGE: 39.

·  RESIDENCE: 1324 22nd St.

·  OCCUPATION: Emergency room technician for St. John Health System.

·  POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: None.

·  EDUCATION: Port Huron Northern High School graduate; attended St. Clair County Community College.

·  FAMILY: Wife, Karen; one child; two stepchildren. 

"This forum has been set up for the candidates to ask the questions. Do you feel that the opportunity to ask questions should be offered to non-candidates as well? " Submitted by James Fisher 9-16-09

"I feel that if the person asking the question is a Port Huron Resident then I feel their question is relevant. As this is a Port Huron City Council race only resident questions should matter.

"How do the candidates feel about having fundraisers outside of Port Huron city limits. Do they get most of their contributions from non residents or from residents? Also do they feel that township resident contributions can sway their opinions and how they vote?" Submitted by John Edison 9-11-09

"I personally feel that fundraisers outside of city limits are wrong. If a candidate cannot draw city residents to support them, then maybe that should say something about their campaign, that their platform fits township residents interests and not Port Huron resident interests. I personally have felt that meeting PORT HURON RESIDENTS face to face and finding out what is important to them and showing how my platform of City Residents First will help our city.

Also, I will not take support from special interest groups such as Unions (like some incumbant candidate) or Big Players in the EDA (some challengers). I  feel that the regular working class family and our seniors on fixed income are my voters and prioity, not special interest groups"

"How do you like the work new city manager Bruce Brown is doing ? Please give examples of what you liked or disliked so far." Submitted by Mark Byrne 9-3-2009.

No Response

"A few months ago the City Council removed funding for the EDA and hired their own Economic Development director. Do you support the direction this council has taken?" Submitted by John Edison Palmer 8-27-2009.

"I wholeheartedly approve and support the decision of City Council to go to their own development director. Port Huron was receiving no return for laying out hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years except to see new high tech industry go else where in the county.

I also feel that recent media coverage of  new business was an effort to slam this council's decision. These projects were in the works for months, not days, and it just goes to show how our city taxpayers money was spent to further St.Clair's industrial park."

During the pre-primary debate. A few of the challengers commented that too much time has been spent on "trivial matters." Specifically, over the past two years, what items up for council consideration have you considered "trivial?"  Submitted by Jim Fisher 8-26-2009.  

"I did not ask that at the forum. I do believe that some of the councils decisions were not really that important to making Port Huron better. One comes to mind is the Alcohol in the park ordinance. I feel that some areas are going to be  fine for this, as people have always drank small amounts for family reunions or picnics, and never had a problem unless they became unruly or drunk and the police had to get involved. But making this ordinance really didn't make our parks any more used or contributed to our economy more by enacting it.

By and Large most of the work done by the current council has been worthwhile  except in some limited cases, I would agree to the decisions. I don't however agree with the manner in which the council treats people sometimes, as they seem uninterested and somewhat bullying at times, even making fun at others expense. Remember its not who you are but how you carry yourself, is how you will be remembered."

The current city council drastically reduced the pay for the new city manager compared to the previous city manager, would you favor reducing the pay  level for department heads and eliminating severance pay when they quit?  Submitted by Chad Noetzel 8-12-2009.

"I am in favor of re-evaluating all departments budgets which includes supervisors and department heads salary and benefits. I do not believe that in a city where unemployment is at such an incredibly high number, people who make a living off of the tax payers should receive unacceptable high pay and benefits.

This does not go to say that I feel that employees don't deserve good pay for good work. But governmental employees should understand that when private sector jobs are in the toilet, they can  not continue to live as if the economy was skyrocketing. As a personal note, the employer that I work for has already told us that we will not get a pay raise for next year and we will pay more for our benefit package. We also will lose one vacation day. This is mirrored all over the private sector, while government has not kept pace. Lets remember that government is payed for by tax payers, and should reflect that."

1.  What strategy should the city employ for economic development?

"Each City Council member should personally and with our new development officer for Port Huron, seek out new high tech green industries and bio tech firms. We could partner with SC4 and our regional universities to establish Port Huron as a magnet for these new, growing industries. With our great infrastructure and resources here, including a sewage and water treatment plant that has the know-how on dealing with industrial waste water, public safety departments specially trained in handling hazardous materials situations, our location on the water and our access to major highways that lead to Canada and Mexico, we are superbly set up for bringing these business here."

2.  What should be done to pay the debt from the sewer separation project?

"By encouraging industrial and residential growth that would cause our systems to be used more. If that cannot be accomplished, then budget cuts and reductions will have to be made. In a city that includes an awful lot of working families, unemployed people and seniors on fixed incomes, residents cannot afford the former council's proposed increases. Until the city gets back on its feet, we cannot expect our residents to use their mortgage and food money to have a basic right of water.

3. After economic development, what is the biggest issue facing the city?

"The amount of rental housing in Port Huron is way too high. I am not against renters. I believe that our residents that rent their housing are very important to Port Huron. They work here, shop here and pay taxes here. But, I know quite a few who have lost their houses to foreclosure and would like to be homeowners again. By encouraging new tech-based industries to settle in Port Huron, I believe we can get a "neighborhood feel" again. It's a fact that higher home ownership in a city decreases crime and makes for less apathy toward one another."

4. What would you do with McMorran Place if you had the final say?

"I think McMorran should be run by a private/public partnership, maybe SC4. They could use the facilities for their basketball and volleyball games, as could Port Huron High School vs. Port Huron Northern High School -- that would be a lot of fun. But I really believe that proper use is dictated by profit with some nonprofit community-based use would run the facility better. I don't think with decreasing city income and unemployment, the taxpayer can continue to subsidize McMorran much longer."