My Response to Questions from the local Press

1. Efforts to expand downtown parking have been frequently been discussed by council in the past year.  What it the best, most cost-efficient way to do this? 

Extra parking has been discussed to support the WALLY train proposal, a Disneyland type project that I oppose and the other candidates support. WALLY is a complete waste of money, requires tax increases and is unaffordable.  Remove WALLY from the discussion and we can talk sensibly how much extra parking is really need for the future. Right now the other candidates support spending a half a million dollars, yes that right $500K of YOUR tax dollars to bury underground utilities in a very small private back alley for a powerful developer. They are spending all this money for looks alone.  It is the biggest waste of our tax dollars I have ever seen serving on Council

I strongly oppose this misuse of our tax money. This project should be a funded through the DDA like every other parking lot project.  That is why a DDA exists, to fix downtown infrastructure. Several years ago, Council raised property taxes to fund the road program. Now, instead of giving us our money back, they are taking it to make a little alley look pretty for a few businesses.  Since the city has to borrow money for this project, I proposed putting this bond, (just like schools) to public vote, but Manor and Proctor are in bed with a developer who already got a tax break. So next time Council says the budget is tight; it’s because someone lobbied hard to take your money to improve their property value, not the public at large..

2 .  Recreation is also a key issue with the potential disbanding of the neighboring SELCRA Authority. What must the Howell Recreation Authority do to assure its own future?

The Recreation Authority is seriously in need of new leadership. The current Director is a political patronage appointee with no recreation management experience, has been publicly rebuked by the Board for violations of policy and cited by the State for a budget deficit. The Rec Authority reputation has been damaged and the public lacks trust in its ability to function well. We need professional leadership with recreational experience to restore trust. The Rec Board is now waiting to see if I get reelected before they propose a tax increase.  They may need a tax increase or more money from the member governments, to remain solvent, but for gosh sakes; they need to get their house in order first to plan for a better future.

 3. What other issue(s) are most important to you.
Mini-circles. The public hates them and want them gone. We are a national joke with trees growing in the middle of the street over a sewer system. The only reason they remain is Steve Manor loves them; in fact he has three of them on his street, more than any other area of town. Gee how did that happen? I have fought for years to get them removed; we had the votes, but when the Mayor Campbell and Councilman Schlittler left council this year, the last supporting vote from Mayor Proctor, switched to support Manor’s mini-circles. As long as Manor is on Council mini-circles will remain in Howell. I even sponsored a resolution to put their removal to a public vote, but that too was blocked by Manor. Mini-circles can be removed for very little money, but remember, our tax money has now been budgeted to bury utilities for a developer.

My Campaign Flyer that is hitting the mark!

Dear voter,

I am writing you this letter, because for this election I am not able knock on doors and get your thoughts on how City Council should spend your tax dollars. I am temporarily working on a construction project at a nuclear plant that has me working 12 hours a day 6 days a week until the end of October.

About Doug:

I, my wife Ann and son Ryan have lived in Howell for over 35 years.  Howell has always been my home and we all know it’s the best place to live in Michigan. As a council person I have always taken the position I am just a city resident running for Council to assure your tax dollars are spent wisely and with common sense.

I served on Council from 1987 to 1999 and as Mayor-pro tem. After some time way, four years ago I figured it was time in bring some common sense back to Council. So I ran on a platform of reforming our government after watching the city become involved in lawsuits, plant trees in the middle of the street, and become a national joke with the car damaging mini-circles. The citizens of Howell agreed change was needed and over whelming voted yours truly and others in as new leadership. The old Council people that put in the mini-circles, lost 3 major lawsuits costing us millions of dollars, and approved a city manager employment contract with a huge poison pill provision were either voted out or came in last place.

The work is not done so I am running again for reelection. Serving the public is a privilege as a Councilmember who must always remember they are elected to serve the public, and never take citizens for granted or abuse their responsibility.

While on Council over the last four years I have sponsored many council resolutions to fix our streets, improve parking off street parking and remove the mini-circles. I even proposed a public referendum on removal of mini-circles. Unfortunately, some on Council are more interested in amassing power than representing the people. This election now we are witnessing those running for Council more interested in defending City Hall that us, the people.

Manors Mini-circles:

All my proposals to fix the city have been blocked by Steven Manor. It’s a known fact that Mr. Manor has more mini-circles on his street than any other in town (how did that happened?) and the only person to get a free concrete driveway approach during the street program.  That is not mistake but an abuse of power. Mr. Manor is the former president of the Howell Teachers Union, a fact he would like to hide, and believes your tax money is his to spend. In fact 2 years ago when Council found thousands in extra money to remove the mini-circles it was Manor that proposed giving this extra money to city employees to supplement their existing labor contract. This year the city budget ended with thousands of surplus dollars, but none of it will be returned to you. Mr. Manor, not one to refuse a perk of the office accepted a trip to Asia compliments of a local business. He is now supports the spending half a million dollars of your taxes (and water/sewer) money to bury utilities in a small alley for a local developer.  This is the biggest waste of our tax dollars I have ever seen while serving on Council. So who does is he really represent?

Candidates for this election are now more concerned with  businesses rather than representing you  Their statements the in newspaper this week support this as they say nothing about improving your streets, removing mini-circles  or returning the extra taxes they raised on you several years ago. Your tax money is their play money.

Make your vote count:

You may have noticed the other candidates now are running as a slate. Three against one.  Why? Manor wants 100% of control of City Council. Get rid of independent thinking. Get rid of the one person that questions how wisely our tax dollars are spent.

I proposed an advisory referendum on phasing out the mini-circles. Engineer estimates say it can be done for very little money. Since the Mayor and Manor have chosen to block an advisory vote, the only way you can tell Council to remove the mini-circles is to undervote in this election. This means vote for only one candidate. You do not have to vote for three, you can only vote for one if you wish.   By voting for the one candidate that as voted against tax increases and has fought hard to remove the min-circles; you can actually multiply your vote.        A single vote for Doug Heins will supercharge your vote!

Transparency:

I have pushed to make the city safe and transparent. For example last year I asked the city for information about a downtown development. Not getting all the facts, I filed a Freedom of Information Request. I was then charged the most money in the history of Howell by the City Manager. What is wrong with a city government that hides information from a Councilperson and then illegally charges me hundreds of dollars? If this is how you wish your city to run vote for the other candidates.

 

If you wish to continue me to continue fighting for common sense and transparency please support me with your vote.      Thanks, Doug

Because so much is at stake I am asking for your VOTE on NOVEMBER 2nd

My resolution that City Council voted down - Why have the engineers involved when Council knows better

WHEREAS, the public has the right to enjoy the use of their property and have continuously expressed their concern about the design of the street improvement program which reduced street widths and eliminated parking.

 

WHEREAS, it is not the intent of Counsel to discriminate and deprive property owners in Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the street program the opportunity to enjoy the same rights and enjoyment of having parking off the street as currently provided in other areas of the City

 

WHEREAS, after construction, numerous proposals for improvements of parking and elimination of rutting were proposed by City Engineers in meetings with residents

 

WHEREAS, there is no written record or council resolution prohibiting property owners from constructing their own improvements in a city Right of Way

 

WHEREAS, the City is not opposed to residents performing their own improvements providing such improvements provide percolation, do not impede storm drainage, and meet written engineering design standards

 

WHEREAS, a citizen shall have the right to install a gravel parking pad or other edge improvement in the Right of Way when such modification will not significantly interfere with the management of storm water beyond the 10 year rainfall standard

 

WHEREAS, as Council has not in the past prohibited its residents the right to modify and install additional off street residential parking in Right of Ways when such an application is submitted

 

WHEREAS, Council has previously not passed any laws, resolutions or policies that prevent residents from allowing them to improve street edges and adding off street parking in any residential Right of Way in the City

 

WHEREAS, the narrowing of streets in Phase 1 and Phase 2 has creating yield condition in residential areas and has forced vehicles to veer off the road and rut the edges of streets.

 

WHEREAS, as the public inherently wishes to protect their vehicles by parking out of traffic lanes and property owners have the right to determine if their parked car shall act as a traffic control device

 

WHEREAS, it is recognized the streets in the Phase 1 project had unforeseen design problems with street width and swale depth that were corrected in Phase 2.

 

WHEREAS, the people can have the opportunity to apply for Right of Way modifications to provide additional parking that follow written accepted engineering design standards.

 

WHEREAS, any denial for improvement shall be in writing and specifically state the lack of engineering guideline for such denial.   

 

WHEREAS, the public has the right to appeal any denial of any application for improvement in the Right of Way, such reconsideration shall be appealed to the Zoning Board of Appeals

 

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Council shall allow residents the right to apply for modification of street Right of Ways in the areas known as Phase1 and Phase2 so they may improve and correct parking and rutting fronting their property.

My Speech to City Council on the 2015-16 Budget and Mini-circles

I represent those in our town that want the mini-circles gone. 

 Last April a majority of Council voted to remove the mini-circles, this action was delayed due to end of year bids that were above estimates.  Everyone knows that when you bid road work before winter end the cost goes sky high so it made sense to defer the project until this spring.

City staff told us the cost would be around $2 to 3 thousand per intersection and it can be even lower if city workers remove them.  In fact one city worker told me Give me a jack hammer and I’ll have one out in a day. I even have a spreadsheet from our engineer HRC that says they would be $1800 to remove.

When Council made the motion to remove the mini circles, it was major metro news. I’d say the ratio of Thank You’ s was 10 to one in favor of removal.  No one likes to waste tax dollars but sometime you have to admit a mistake and correct it.

The one thing I heard was make sure we have the money to do it right. Well I believe we have more than enough money in this year’s budget but City Hall has refused to acknowledge the majority vote to remove and left it out of the upcoming budget. In fact the last time I checked the vote to remove still stands, it has not been repealed.

Council raised the garage tax a few years ago citing lack of funds. Well the economy is picking up, tax revenue is up and now we have the funds.  

The City has been conservative in budgeting. The state recommended undesignated fund balance (or extra cash) is 15% of operating funds.  Howell has been at 20%. This year we are about 22% percent or 1.4 million unbudgeted dollars. (Compare this to schools that reserve only 5% of cash on hand.)

If this year’s budget is approved there will be an extra $180,000 above the 20% undesignated fund balance. That’s a lot of extra unbudgeted taxpayer money to hold on to that could be put to use.

I believe there is so much extra money left over in the undesignated funds we could pull all the Mini-circles and have plenty to spare.

I have been told by the Mayor I should have brought this up at the study session. 

I ask who’s responsibility is it to remind the City Manager to put it in the budget?

Is it my role to be the ONLY person to remind the city manager of the council vote to remove?

And why would I bring up the subject when we were missing several council members at both budget sessions? We never had a whole council at either study session.

Yes I did waited, as I believed we needed to see if there would have enough money in the city budget

And now I believe we do we have more than enough money in the city budget and I believe the still city wants us to remove them.

Council can no longer cry poor and say we don’t have the money to remove even one single mini-circle.  If fact we don’t even have to spend all the money at once, we can budget to take them out over time. I would definitely start with removing the ones at four way stop sign intersections as they make no sense.  

The City just bought a new $17,000 mechanical beach rake for goose poop, which by the way was $7000 under budget. That’s a lot of money for something that benefits a few during the year when the mini-circles impact everyone every day. Recently bids to repave the parking lot at the Bennett Recreation Center were $16,000 under budget. That is also extra money saved that could be used. So where did it go?

 The mayor proposed taking down the old building by Paige field and now I see an extra $20,000 which was not discussed at the budget session and is not in the work session minutes. Why was this been added to the budget when it was never discussed at the budget session?   If we can add money for this we can add money to remove the mini-circles.

What has more impact all the citizens of this town? A beach rake pooper scooper, an fenced old building off or the unsafe mini circles?    

The bottom line is the city can remove them without any impact to the proposed budget. 

The city also has millions of dollars tied up in vacant property which I have been pushing to sell since I’ve been on Council.   Its’  hard to look the public in the eye and say we are land rich and cash poor, in reality we are rich land and cash rich.

Removing the mini-circles this year is not even close to being a budget buster

The city budget is about 15.5 million this year. For example if we budget money to remove one at $2500 that is about is .02% of the city budget which is such a minuscule amount it’s a blip on to the total budget.   

They damage vehicles, the trees in the middle are dying or have been cut down, and the roots grow into the sewer below. I keep asking the City what to you do when the trees get bigger and all I get is a blank look. Is the city going to waste more money to replace the dead and missing trees and root out the sewer system? 

 I’ve personal witnessed an ambulance blow a rim after hitting one and watched a school bus hop over the circle curb at West and Clinton. How much more damage to our vehicles need to be done before they come out? You can see the tire marks and scrapes on the curbs so that tells you they are not a safe design.   

Last year’s Council vote to remove still stands and last time I checked we are a government of laws not men. If Council believes the majority of the city likes them, then let’s have a referendum and debate their real value and impact on our City reputation. Surveys done during the second and third year of the street projects told us residents were overwhelming opposed, so they did not go in.  I’d say the same still holds true for the ones installed.  

The town believes and I believe the mini circles are a cancer to the face of Howell.

The excuse we don’t have the money is gone, so it’s time to listen to the people and budget money to get them out.