As townships struggle with leadership voids and money woes, GOP candidate John James backs reform. Democrat Jocelyn Benson supports local control.
Ron French
Ron French is the senior enterprise reporter at Bridge Michigan, covering a wide range of topics including rural communities, federal policy impacts, education and public health. Born and raised in Indiana, Ron came to Bridge in 2011 from The Detroit News, where he was a project reporter, and previously reported for newspapers across Indiana. He graduated from Purdue University.
Rooted in Okemos, Ron has become a true Michigander — complete with a family cabin Up North.
Posted inMichigan Government
Michigan villages have a fix for shortage of officials. Townships can’t use it
Michigan’s rural communities are struggling to find people to hold public office. Lansing has been slow to help.
Posted inMichigan Government
Rural townships squeezed on all sides in Michigan, as money woes mount
From leaky roofs to crumbling roads, the signs of Michigan’s rural communities’ financial struggles abound. Will the state help?
Posted inMichigan Government
Survey: Michigan local leaders sour on data centers, want more regulations
Data center development has turned toxic among Michigan’s local government officials, with the majority saying the projects are a negative — and desperate for Lansing to do more.
Posted inMichigan Government
As crisis looms for Michigan rural townships, bills to help sit idle in Lansing
Small towns have trouble attracting leaders and are saddled with increasing responsibilities, but efforts to help struggle to even get a hearing in the Capitol.
Posted inMichigan Government
She investigated Michigan Indian boarding schools — and found her family
A soon-to-be published book chronicles a Michigan journalist’s journey to uncover her family’s history in the state’s notorious Indian boarding schools.
Posted inMichigan Government
Other states shrink local governments. Michigan law preserves archaic ‘mess’
Michigan has more local governments and puts more tasks on them than most other states. Other states have shrunk government, but Michigan law makes mergers or dissolving extremely difficult.
Posted inMichigan Government
Facing money woes, Michigan villages mull extreme solutions: ceasing to exist
Michigan has 252 villages. Some are older than the state and want to disband. Experts say that should set off alarms in Lansing.
Posted inMichigan Government
Rural Michigan in crisis: Too many governments that too few want to lead
Many of Michigan’s nearly 1,500 townships and villages are run by part-time retirees in their 80s who are begging for help. The system is frayed and, without reform, communities could falter. Lansing isn’t coming to rescue.
Posted inMichigan Government, Quality of Life
Michigan preps for an American birthday party muted by political divides
Michigan towns will host big fireworks and dramatic readings of the Declaration of Independence. But amid partisan divides, some aren’t in the mood to celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary.