Do earnings and poverty levels have anything to do with citizenship? How has welfare affected the role of citizens? Does the power of small town government get lost in the bureaucracy of big government? These questions were addressed by guest speakers at the 2003 annual Maine Town Meeting. Attorney Merton Henry welcomed the group and Facilitator Kathy Hunt from the University of Maine introduced speakers, Dr. Michael Katz, Dr. Ann Acheson, and Christopher Spruce.

Spruce of the Sunrise County Economic Council in Machias, Maine explained the Small Town Empowerment Project, which assists local leadership by engaging rural Maine communities in the legislative process. Spruce explained the problems and challenges inherent in small town government’s inability and lack of expertise in dealing with state government. The Empowerment Project establishes a direct line of information about bills before the Legislature and provides more input from citizens in helping to create laws and policies more reflective of the needs of rural constituencies.