Local officials participated in a town hall video conference with Michigan Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist on Thursday.

Among the local business, education and government officials participating in the meeting were Alpena Mayor Matt Waligora, Presque Isle farm owner Molly Stepanski, Alpena Community College President Dr. Don MacMaster, Laurie Sauer, director of the Area Agency on Aging, and Alpena Area Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Adam Poll.

The meeting provided Gilchrist an opportunity to share some of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s proposed budget priorities for the 2021-22 fiscal year.

The proposed budget is for $67.1 billion. A new budget must be passed before Oct. 1, or the state government is forced to shut down.

Gilchrist explained how Alpena and the surrounding communities would benefit from funding proposed for education, infrastructure, and support for small businesses that have been hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gilchrist also answered several pre-screened questions from local officials about those topics. He also responded to an unexpected question from Poll.

Not all of the local officials who took part in the event believe it fully addressed the issues that were discussed.

Gilchrist talked about how proposed funding would help people who are unemployed or are seeking a career change.

He said programs like the Michigan Reconnect Program and the Future for Frontliners are critical in helping people find better jobs, or change careers.

Both programs make it easier and more affordable than ever for adults with some or no college experience to earn a postsecondary degree or skills certificate.

MacMaster said the school has already benefited from the Future for Frontliners program, which is available for workers who worked on the front lines with COVID-19. He said the school saw a 6% increase in enrollment.

MacMaster said he is hopeful the proposed $70 million in one-time support for costs related to COVID-19 is designated to help higher educational facilities offset the cost of safety modifications of campuses.

MacMaster said he is pleased that the Whitmer administration is reaching out to people in rural parts of the state to learn more about what is needed to address issues in those areas.

“I appreciated the outreach to find out what people want and need,” MacMaster said. I respect them for doing that. We are very much in favor of the Reconnect and Frontliners program and pleased to see the budget has more money for them.”

Waligora was expecting more from the meeting. He said Gilchrist really didn’t provide any new information on issues or offer any solutions to problems in the topics discussed.

“This event never should have been sold as a town hall,” Waligora said. “It was an invitation-only roundtable and I didn’t feel any of our questions got answered. He just bounced around them. It wasn’t a discussion at all and I’m disappointed.”

Poll asked Gilchrist when restaurant and tavern owners could expect to have remaining restrictions relaxed or removed. He also asked when more emergency funding could become available to them.

Gilchrist said if Whitmer’s proposed budget is passed, more money would be available to the small businesses. He also said the restriction rules are being evaluated daily.

Poll snuck in a last-second question when he asked if Whitmer would consider or adopt a proposed plan from the Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association that uses a set of metrics that it claims will allow the businesses to open safely.

Gilchrist was non-committal in his response and added that the State has its own set of metrics that it uses in the decision making process.

Poll said it was unfortunate that his questions weren’t answered directly, but added that he was glad there was an open line of communication between the governor’s office and Alpena.

“I appreciate the opportunity to talk to the Lieutenant Governor and look forward to additional ones,” Poll said. “I hope they adopt a metric-related plan that businesses understand, so they can open according to its criteria.”