Internship Location: Town of Berry, WI
Organization Type: Municipal Government
Policy Areas: Municipal Governance
I was fortunate enough to win an election in April of 2022 to the Town Board in the Town of Berry, WI. The Town of Berry is my hometown in northwest Dane County that encompasses nearly 36 square miles of area, however, it is a township of only over 1,000 residents. The governance of this large area resides solely with the five-member town board, and without any executive like a mayor. Members of the town board are also elected “at-large” and represent the whole township rather than individual wards. This summer, I began to understand the realities of being an elected official, engaged with residents on issues of local interest, met with officials at other levels of government, and even brought forward proposed ordinances of my own. Being elected to office brings a unique level of responsibility as you have to balance your own judgment alongside the interests of constituents when making decisions. And unlike most internships that last only a semester, I hold a two-year term. I am looking forward to tackling the township’s biggest policy issue of rural infrastructure with the expansion of broadband access and finding funding to rebuild our crumbling roads alongside my fellow board members.