For a fresh look at the proposed changes to Wellesley town government , plan now to attend a public panel discussion, "Town Government:  Why Chang e," hosted by the Wellesley League of Women Voters, to be held on Wednesday, September 30, from 7-9pm in the Wakelin Room of the Wellesley Free Library.   The event will feature a presentation by Michael Ward, Director of Municipal Servic es for the Edward J.Collins, Jr. Center for Public Management at the  McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Glob al Studies of UMass/Boston.  Representatives from neighboring towns will also speak about how changes to their town governments have impacted their communities, and where potential challenges may arise.   Members of the audience will have an opportunity to ask questions and engage in discussion. The program is free and open to the public.

Michael Ward works on a variety of municipal government projects, including municipal performance management efforts, organizational studies, research projects, regionalization and service-sharing work, and charter reform. He co-founded and currently manages the Collins Center's Government Analytics  Program and has led the New England StatNet program since it moved to the Center. Ward has worked for local government in Massachusetts and New Mexico, and holds a Master in Public Policy degree from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Amherst College.

The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization encouraging informed and active participation in government. It influences public policy through education and advocacy.  For more information about the Wellesley League of Women Voters, please visit lwvwellesley.org.