State Sen. Jeff Irwin holds coffee hour in Manchester

State Sen. Jeff Irwin (right) and State Rep. Carrie Rheingans’ liaison Ryan Bartholomew (left) visited Manchester to listen to constituent concerns on Saturday at the library.

by Marsha Chartrand

About 10 constituents attended to hear updates from Lansing from Sen. Jeff Irwin and Rep. Carrie Rheingans in the Village Room on the lower level of the Manchester District Library. Unfortunately, Rep. Rheingans was taken ill with Covid last weekend and was unable to attend, but her staff liaison Ryan Bartholomew was able to fill in well.

Irwin discussed the state budget “season” that has been ongoing since Gov. Gretchen Whitmer presented her initial budget in February; the budget project will be under oversight until June. Bartholomew talked about the importance of transparency in the state House and Senate.

Other topics on Saturday’s docket included voting rights issues, car seat standards, home health care and better wages for those working in the field, affordable housing, and schools, particularly the crisis in the Ann Arbor Public Schools.

Irwin and Rheingans both hold semi-regular coffee hours at local libraries in their districts. Join them on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/jeff.irwin.1806; https://www.facebook.com/crheinga) to learn more about upcoming events.

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.