Town hall plan Oceana

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Community Internet: Oceana County Town Hall Plan

Organizing a town hall in Oceana County, Michigan to begin building community momentum around regenerative infrastructure and tokenized investment in Internet technologies is a visionary approach. Here’s a step-by-step strategy for planning and hosting an effective town hall that balances accessibility with ambition, ensuring stakeholders feel heard, empowered, and excited about what’s possible.

🏛️ Step 1: Set Clear Community-Centered Objectives

Purpose (to guide messaging)

Primary Goal: Facilitate open discussion about improving Internet infrastructure for both agribusiness and farmworkers’ healthcare.
Long-Term Vision: Introduce the potential of community-owned, tokenized infrastructure (without heavy jargon) to create shared prosperity.
Short-Term Focus: Gather input, identify champions, and build a coalition of stakeholders.

📅 Step 2: Logistics and Local Outreach

Venue & Time

Choose a familiar and neutral location (e.g. Oceana County Community Center, local library, or church basement).
Schedule in the early evening or weekend to accommodate workers and families.

Promotion Channels

Partner with local institutions: Farmworker coalitions, FQHCs (e.g. Baldwin Family Health Care), agribusiness associations, schools, and churches.
Use flyers, Facebook groups, local radio, and trusted community messengers (especially bilingual outreach).
Provide transportation, childcare, and translation if possible.

👥 Step 3: Design the Meeting Agenda

Keep it non-technical, inclusive, and participatory.

Suggested Town Hall Flow

Welcome and Purpose (10 min)
- “We’re here to listen and explore how to bring better Internet to Oceana County in ways that support farming and healthcare.”
Community Voices (15–20 min)
- Invite pre-identified local voices (farmers, nurses, community org leaders) to briefly share stories or challenges.
Vision Without Jargon (10 min)
- Share how other towns have built their own Internet (like “10 feet at a time”) and how investments could come from local people—not just corporations.
- Explain how sensors, telehealth, and shared ownership can make farming smarter and healthcare more accessible.
Small Group Input Sessions (30 min)
- Break into groups to answer prompts:
  - What would better Internet allow you to do?
  - What community needs should we prioritize?
  - Who else should be part of this conversation?
Next Steps & Sign-Ups (10 min)
- Share how to stay involved (email list, follow-up meetings, working groups).
- Invite volunteers for deeper planning or pilot programs.

🧩 Step 4: Strategic Follow-Up

Build Community Trust and Capacity

Identify connectors: individuals who bridge groups (e.g. bilingual advocates, co-op leaders, health workers).
Follow up 1-on-1 to deepen relationships and explore investment interest or pilot participation.

Document Insights

Capture stories, pain points, and suggestions from breakout sessions.
Summarize key themes to inform phase two planning: deeper education on tokenization, Lorawan, sensing networks, fiber investment, etc.

🌱 Step 5: Plan Phase 2 — Deepening Engagement

This phase comes after the first town hall builds trust and piques interest.

Educational Workshops (Invite Only or Open)

Focus on cooperative ownership, tokenization explained simply, investing in real-world assets, and examples of regenerative digital infrastructure.
Use models like “Buy a foot of fiber”, “sponsor a sensor”, or “track air quality in your orchard” to make tokenization tangible.

📘 Messaging Tips (Initial Town Hall)

Do say: “What if we could own the networks we rely on, just like we own our homes or farms?”
Avoid: Technical blockchain or token jargon at this stage.
Emphasize: Local control, sustainability, opportunity to invest, and long-term community benefit.

🤝 Final Thought

This town hall is the first seed. The goal is to listen, connect, and empower. By positioning Community Internet as a platform cooperative and a community partner—not a top-down project—you build lasting alignment and a base ready to co-create a new local digital economy.

Would you like help designing the slide deck, handout, or breakout session guides for this event?