JACK BERGMAN

ESCANABA — Residents of Delta County plan to have a town hall meeting — even if U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman won’t be there.

The meeting is a response for what a group of organizes say is Bergman’s failure to spend time in the First Congressional District he represents in Congress.

“With Rep. Jack Bergman failing, again, to return home to speak to his constituents during the most recent Congressional recess, U.P. citizens are taking it upon themselves to host a 1st District Town Hall on Thursday, March 6. It will give citizens a chance to express their questions and concerns about the first few months of President Trump’s second term, and Rep. Bergman’s actions during that time,” organizers stated in a news release.

The event will begin at 7 p.m. Eastern time Thursday at the United Steelworkers Local 21 Union Hall, 1201 Sheridan Road in Escanaba. An individual can sign up to have a maximum of three minutes to ask questions or make statements to an empty chair representing Bergman.

After each citizen speaker, there will be a 10-second pause to represent Rep. Bergman’s “answer.” Organizers said Bergman and his staff are invited to attend the event, and will have the opportunity to answer questions if they are there.

Bergman, R-Watersmeet, had town halls April 19 and 20, 2017, early in his first term. Local media referred to the crowds as “tough.” He hasn’t had a town hall in his district since.

At past town halls Bergman had in Escanaba, police and police dogs were present. Those who attended were also not able to ask questions directly to Bergman. Questions Bergman responded to were chosen by a third party.

“Many representatives, including Republicans, went back to their districts to talk in person with their constituents about Elon Musk, massive federal job cuts, threats to Medicare and Medicaid, attacks on our most vulnerable populations, and other issues that have come out of the start of President Trump’s second term,” said Teresa Ross, an Escanaba retiree who is among the organizers of the event. “Yet when First District citizens need to hear from Rep. Bergman about what’s happening, as usual he doesn’t face the people he represents.”

In the past week, constituents in Pennsylvania and Kansas also have had citizen-organized town halls when their Congressional representatives did not. All of these have been organized independently of each other.

While the USW hall is the venue for the Escanaba event, the union is not a sponsor or organizer. All organization for the event is led by independent citizens. All media and the public are welcome to attend.