A chair reserved for U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil at a Janesville town hall Wednesday night will be empty.
A group of local volunteers organized the event and invited Steil to participate.
Edie Baran, one of the organizers, says Steil declined the invite. She says the volunteers hoped to give First District voters a chance to raise questions and concerns with their congressman.
Some of the organizers have been gathering weekly in front of Steil’s office in downtown Janesville and calling for the congressman to make an in-person appearance with constituents for weeks.
Steil has pointed to a series of telephone town halls, including one on WCLO’s “Your Talk Show” at the end of March, as evidence he has been responsive to people in his district.
Doors at the First Congregational Church at 54 S. Jackson St. open at 6 p.m. Wednesday with the town hall scheduled to run until 8:30.
Baran says a recording of the town hall will be sent to Steil’s office.
