Civic Engagement & Transparency

Civic engagement and transparency in local government stand as fundamental pillars for fostering trust, accountability, and a thriving community. These principles empower residents to have their voices heard, enabling a clear view of how their tax dollars are being spent while ensuring public officials are held to the highest ethical standards. By promoting civic engagement and transparency, Trenton is dedicated to empowering residents with valuable information, encouraging citizen participation, and working tirelessly to create a government that operates openly, efficiently, and in the best interests of the people of Grand Traverse County.

  • Trenton is dedicated to fostering civic engagement and transparency in Grand Traverse County. Building upon the county's existing live-streaming of meetings, he plans to further increase accessibility by ensuring that recorded sessions are readily accessible online for those who cannot attend in person. Additionally, Trenton aims to streamline access to public records and information, advocating for policies that enhance citizens' ability to participate in local decision-making, ensuring that everyone's voice is heard, and that government actions remain open and accountable to all.

  • The City of Traverse City recently launched the City Academy, that educates residents of Traverse City on how their local system of government works. Trenton would advocate for the county to create a similar program that helps folks understand the big picture of how the county operates from day to day. This will foster a more engaged and informed citizenry, while hopefully inspiring a new generation of leaders.

Trenton will focus on:

Transparency Dashboard.

On October 4th, 2023, the Grand Traverse County Board of Commissioners approved a $96,500 contract with Novum Productions LLC to overhaul the county website and to create a “transparency dashboard” that will include information regularly sought by the public and to help track how the county is spending ARPA money. While Trenton is in favor of these improvements, the Board of Commissioners did not do their due diligence in seeking multiple proposals for this project, foregoing the norms of seeking services from vendors as a government entity.

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