A town hall meeting is planned at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, June 20, in the auditorium of the Presque Isle Middle School.
On stage will be Troy Jackson, former president of the Maine Senate and gubernatorial candidate, Aaron Frey, Maine attorney general, and Matthew Dunlap, Maine state auditor. They will be here to answer questions, listen to concerns and discuss the future of Maine and the nation.
“It has been a long time since our representatives have come to northern Maine to listen directly to our questions and concerns,” said George Gartley, vice chair, Aroostook County Democratic Committee.
The town hall meeting has a long American history, especially here in New England. As a matter of fact, the first town hall meetings in New England occurred in the early 1600s, Gartley said. These meetings were a way for settlers to make decisions about community issues and preserve local self-governance. Town meetings preserved local autonomy, giving residents a direct role in decision-making. These early town halls established a tradition of citizens and their elected representatives meeting regularly in person in a town hall setting.
Regardless of their party affiliation, every Maine politician serving in Washington, D.C., is facing criticism as constituents continue to demand to hear from their respective members of Congress. Town halls are being held, whether the politicians agree to attend or not, and in response to recent actions at the federal level, groups throughout Maine are holding “empty chair town halls” to voice their concerns.
All are welcome to attend.
