About Me
My name is Garner Moffat and I serve as your Superior City Council District 3 Council Member. I currently serve on the Superior Planning Commission, the Douglas County Historical Society Board, The Community Development Block Grant Committee, and The Superior Library Board. I have been endorsed by the Douglas County Democrats and I over 20 years experience with nonprofit organizations and a Bachelor's Degree from St. Scholastica in Organizational Leadership. I have also taken extensive college coursework in Community Development, Downtowns, Housing Policy, Land Use and Zoning, etc. My wife and I own a unit at the historic Roosevelt Terrace on Ogden and 21st Street which we've been begun restoring. I have the passion, knowledge, and drive to make Superior a better place for all and I appreciate you letting me serve you as a community-minded nerd.
With deep thanks,
-Garner
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My Detailed Responses to the 2023 Superior Telegram Questionnaire:
Name: Garner Moffat
Address: 1702 N. 21st St (The Historic Roosevelt Terrace)
Family: Wife: Alison (Dean at Northwood Technical College), Daughter: June (11)
Business/employment: Work with community nonprofits; Board Secretary Douglas County Historical Society and Board Clerk North Shore Community School. My previous work experience is in hotel and restaurant executive management primarily with some additional work experience with property restoration and management, the basis of all of this is guest satisfaction and a strong calling for servant leadership.
Education: Bachelor's in Organizational Leadership from the College of St. Scholastica, as well as significant coursework in Community Development and Urban Planning at St. Cloud State University
Government or civic experience and organizations: Currently serve as a Superior Plan Commissioner, Board Secretary Douglas County Historical Society, Board Clerk North Shore Community School, and Roosevelt Terrace Condo Board Vice President. Previously served: Superior Community Development Block Grant Committee, Douglas County Democrats Delegate to State convention (2x), Election Worker for City of Superior, Deputy Clerk for Lakewood MN, Duluth Planning Commission Vice President, Duluth 2040 Comprehensive Plan Update Committee, Lincoln Park Small Area Plan Committee, Lincoln Park Business Group President, Visit Duluth Board Member, DFL Precinct captain, Twin Ports Interchange Advisory Panel, St Cloud Charter Commission President, St Cloud Neighborhood Coalition President, St. Cloud Neighborhood University Community Council President, St Cloud Neighborhood & Preservation Association Board, St Cloud Mayoral Salary Task Force, etc.
What do you hope to accomplish as a city councilor?
Many things, but they primarily fall under two categories; building community health and building community wealth. If we can make decisions that do both of those things, or one without compromising the other, we can make a big impact on the lives of each resident for the better.
What would you like to see the city focus on or make a priority in the next two years?
While this is only a one year term, I am very excited about supporting the work on the municipal fiber optic network, I also want to work with planning staff on drafting new zoning codes this year through my work with the plan commission. I have dozens of policy, ordinance, and program ideas which can be implemented in partnership with staff and the council as we have capacity to move forward. I anticipate running again next year to continue focusing on these goals and the betterment of our city.
What are the biggest issues facing the city?
Health issues and declining city wealth are the root challenges; affordable housing, economic development, environmental concerns, fair wages, lack of neighborhood cohesion, school budget shortfalls, equity issues, and everything a city does eventually relates to one or both of those issues.
The Election is April 2nd, 2024
Turnout will be very low, so your voice will speak volumes.
Register or request an absentee ballot today at:
If you plan to vote in person on Election Day:
Our Polling Place is Central Assembly of God, 3000 Hammond Ave
If you have election questions, you can also call our City Clerk's Office:
Our Focus on the Future:
Building Community Health
There are a lot of ways we can improve health in our community. Mental and physical health go hand in hand and we can't have one without the other.
Support for mental health service access:: We should strengthen our advocacy for better state resources in our immediate community and look for ways to add professionals to respond to community emergencies and work on long-term solutions, not just handling crisis triage.
Designing complete streets: that allow safe access for pedestrians, bikes, and busses to coexist.
Increasing access to parks: and outdoor adventures for members in every neighborhood. And supporting organizations like the YMCA to provide community classes and training.
Protecting our natural resources: We need to demand clean air and clean water. We will not sacrifice the needs of our children to avoid making decisions today. Our budget and policies should take the environment into account.
Rental Inspections: Everyone deserves a safe and healthy place to call home. We need to start inspecting housing for unsafe conditions and working in a reasonable time table to get any unsafe things fixed.
Zoning for Health: our cities, including Superior, were originally designed to provide for neighborhood-based planning where residents could live, work, shop, and play. We can get back to creating those places where residents can walk and get to know a neighborhood. This lowers crime and creates neighborhood pride and support systems.
Building Community Wealth
Building community wealth contributes to reducing stress, which improves mental and therefore physical health. There are many ways to help our residents build sustainable generational family wealth.
Home ownership: the down payment assistance program needs to be reworked to provide more help to more residents, many of whom could be paying less money a month by owning instead of renting a home. Community classes on home finances, ownership, and home maintenance training exists already in neighboring cities, and we can partner to share curriculum and trainers. Ownership can also be done in multi-family condo associations: not everyone wants a single family home. This opens up building generational wealth to a large untapped segment of the population as more community members live as single adults or don't want to handle exterior and snow maintenance.
Standing up for living wages: every worker has a right to form a union and collectively bargain, and we need to keep fighting the so- called "right to work" policies that create poverty.
Supporting Small Local Businesses: working to grow them with our economic development investments, large corporations and outside owned companies only exacerbate the flight of wealth from our community.
Protecting our natural resources: They create recreational quality of life for residents, and provide clean water and air for us. I support our parks, sustainable forestry, and efforts to help make our environment even better for our children.
Education: assisting our schools with resources to create future community leaders and reduce brain drain. The city can create stronger partnerships with our colleges to get our students started with a testing center to get community members access to free online college coursework and certification training., followed up with "last dollar" scholarships and coaching to get members of the community into high ed and higher paying job possibilities. There are many options here to partner with others and grow our skills which will grow our wealth.