Issues Watch returns Sept. 30 to discuss Michigan rural government crisis

The Sept. 30 virtual discussion will cover the crisis looming for Michigan’s rural townships
Panelists includes experts and elected officials
Participants can ask questions of Bridge Michigan reporters during the discussion on Zoom

Bridge Michigan’s Issues Watch returns Sept. 30 for a virtual discussion about challenges facing rural governments in Michigan, including a leadership crisis so acute that one recent survey found three-quarters had trouble finding people to fill elected or appointed offices.

The discussion from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. continues a year of virtual events that explore priorities readers told us matter through Bridge Listens, our listening effort to identify Michigan’s most important issues and hold candidates responsible for addressing them.

Bridge’s Justin Hinkley and Ron French will moderate the discussion about how Michigan puts more responsibilities on local communities, the population exodus outside of rural areas and financial strain on communities.

Guests include Linda Paradiso, Houghton Township clerk, Robby Fischer, Houghton Township supervisor, Debra Horner, senior program manager at the Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP) and Sarah Lucas, director of the Office of Rural Government for Michigan.

The forum is the sixth in the Bridge Listens series, including discussions on the state of democracy,, the economy, the environment, healthcare and K-12 schools.

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How to join this live Zoom discussion

You will receive details on joining the Zoom discussion after you register with Eventbrite. On the day of the event, we will email you a reminder and a link to the Zoom.

To learn more about how to join a Zoom meeting, read this. Zoom is free to use. You can use the video call function on your computer, tablet or phone, or you can call into the meeting using the conference line function.

Member support allows us to offer engagement opportunities like this Issues Watch series. To regularly receive advance notification of what our nonprofit newsroom is planning and receive member-exclusive benefits — such as free Bridge event tickets, copies of our bimonthly Bridge Culture Club selections and more — become a Bridge Club member today.

We look forward to seeing you on Sept. 30.

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