(Left) Charles Brunner, new representative of the 96th District, with insurance agent Dan McCarthy. (Right) Joel Johnson, Clare, will represent northern Bay County, Clare, Gladwin and Arenac in the 97th District. Mayor Brunner to Resign Monday Night, Shannon, Newsham Seen Possible Picks
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Mayor Charles Brunner's resignation letter will hit the city commission Monday night.
Brunner, 58, heads for Lansing soon as the new state representative of southern Bay County, succeeding term-limited Jeff Mayes.
Current commission president Chris Shannon, the First Ward commissioner, is slated to be appointed as signatory on official city documents.
"It is with mixed emotions that I am resigning from the office of mayor effective November 30, 2010," Mr. Brunner wrote, adding: "My door will always be open."
Steady, deliberative Shannon, and popular, well-connected former mayor Kathleen Newsham, vice president of the commission, are considered by some observers as possible successors to Mr. Brunner.
Brunner attended three days of orientation in Lansing last week, meeting twice with newly-elected governor Rick Snyder, a Republican who is succeeding two-term Jennifer Granholm, also term-limited.
"I had a favorable impression of him and he has great ideas including how to deal with the Michigan Business Tax," said the new state representative.
Brunner's opinion comes as a positive sign he will be cooperative despite being a strong supporter of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Virg Bernero. Brunner and Bernero collaborated on several trips to Washington to "save" the auto industry, an initiative in which both were leaders.
He described the three days of training as a "lovefest."
Brunner sees next year as "brutal" in terms of state and local finances. The state is facing a "tough" $1.6 billion budget deficit and many unemployed without positive word that Congress will vote to extend jobless benefits, said the mayor.
Cities especially are facing tough times ahead because of declining state revenue sharing and the perception that locating in Michigan is not a good business decision, Mr. Brunner said. "I'm tired of people saying they don't want to locate in Bay City because we have highly successful companies that love it here. Yes, we have building inspectors that do their job, but so does every other city and county in the country."
He noted that next year in Lansing will be interesting because there are 61 new legislators in the House of 110 members, while on the Senate side 12 Democrats contend with 24 Republicans.
The northern part of Bay County, as well as Clare, Gladwin and Arenac Counties, are represented by Republican Joel Johnson, former farm elevator operator from Clare.
Mr. Johnson, a graduate of an agriculture certificate program from Michigan State University, was owner/operator of a small, local farm, has worked for large corporations, small corporations and local cooperatives, is a former board member of Michigan Agri Business Association, former board member of Clare County Farm Bureau and has worked with state and federal lawmakers on behalf of agriculture.
Rep. Johnson replaces former 97th District representative Tim Moore, of Farwell, who resigned in August to take a job as principal of Farwell Elementary School.
Brunner is retired from Midland Public Schools as a high school teacher. He earned master's degrees in business education and school administration and a bachelor's degree in business and marketing education from Central Michigan University; and an associates degree in business administration from Delta College. He is also a graduate of Bangor Township John Glenn High School.
Brunner has served as Bay City Mayor since 2007 and is a former 9th Ward Bay City Commissioner from 2001-2007. He was Bay City Commission President in 2006.
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