Democracy Forum 7/19/19: Town Government: Take 2. Listeners have spoken!

Democracy Forum

Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine Engineer: Amy Browne This month, back by popular demand, we’ll talk more about practicing politics and democracy at the most personal level, in local government. What are the characteristics of the towns that have the most civic participation? How can community members help create a culture of inclusion and civic engagement in their own towns? What can go right; and what can go wrong? Guests: Susan Clark, is coauthor of Slow Democracy: Rediscovering Community, Bringing Decision Making Back Home. She serves as Town Moderator of Middlesex, Vermont. Dick Thompson, an experienced moderator for the Towns of Palermo, China, Vassalboro, and others, Dick conducts moderator training for the Maine Municipal Association. To learn more about this topic: Slow Democracy: Rediscovering Community, Bringing Decision Making Back Home, Susan Clark and Woden Teachout, 2012. Citizen’s Guide to Town Meeting, Maine Municipal Association. For the People, by the People: What I saw when I participated in one of the truest forms of democracy, Amy Crawford in Slate May, 2013. Americans Aren’t Practicing Democracy Anymore: As participation in civic life has dwindled, so has public faith in the country’s system of government, Yoni Applebaum in The Atlantic October, 2018. We all should care more about local elections, editorial in the Bangor Daily News, July 6, 2019. I’ll take the problems of local politics over the Washington chaos any day, Roger Bowen op-ed in the BDN, May 21, 2018. More citizen education from the Maine Municipal Association here and tips on how to get involved in local government here. The all-volunteer team at the League of Women Voters – Downeast who plan and coordinate this series includes: Starr Gilmartin, Maggie Harling, Ann Luther, Maryann Ogonowski, Pam Person, Leah Taylor, Linda Washburn FMI re League of Women Voters of Maine: www.lwvme.org

The post Democracy Forum 7/19/19: Town Government: Take 2. Listeners have spoken! first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.