Should Washtenaw County Have a Local Currency? March 3, 2010

Think Local First recently received a grant from the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority to research local currency models and conduct community charrettes to determine if there is interest in developing a local currency model in Washtenaw County.
They have asked us to answer three questions relating to local currencies.

1. Would the Washtenaw County community embrace a local currency?
2. If yes, what local currency model would the community like to see put into place?
3. Would the new currency system encourage community members to support local independently owned businesses at a higher rate?

We are holding three community input meetings that are open to everyone who is interested in learning more about this project. They will be an informal opportunity for community members to learn more about different types of local currencies models already in place around the world. The meeting format will allow participants to view informational materials at their leisure, ask questions, and finally to cast a ballot for the option that they feel best meets the needs of the community.

Here is the meeting schedule:

1. Tuesday February 23, 2010 at the downtown branch of the Ann Arbor District Library in the Multi-purpose room in the lower level at 343 South Fifth Ave., Ann Arbor.
2. Thursday February 25, 2010 at the Ypsilanti Senior Center, at 1015 North Congress, Ypsilanti.
3. Wednesday March 3, 2010 at the Vitosha Guest Haus Inn, (the former location for the Unitarian Church) at 1917 Washtenaw Avenue, Ann Arbor.

All meetings are open to the public between 6 and 8 PM. Participants should feel free to stop by anytime as it will be an informal setting that allows them to move at their leisure. We recommend that they plan to spend at least 45 minutes of their time to thoroughly understand the process and should arrive by 7:15 PM for all of the three meetings.
Think Local First will compile the data obtained from the meetings and present it to the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority, interested parties that provide email addresses, and it will be published on our website at www.thinklocalfirst.net in late March.
For further information please contact Ingrid Ault at (734) 730-6905 or at [email protected].

Official Website: http://www.thinklocalfirst.net