Coffee and conversation set at Maritime Museum
By Barb Pert Templeton
For those who’d enjoy a more personal chat with their local senator close to home an event at the Maritime Museum in Algonac should be of interest.
On Monday, Dec. 8 from 1 to 2 p.m. State Sen. Kevin Hertel, D-MI, District 12, will be at the Algonac-Clay Maritime Museum for a Community Conversation. The event is free and open to the public.
There aren’t any specific subjects Hertel tries to center on at these local visits but instead he said the conversations are shaped by the folks who show up at the event and what they might like to discuss.
“I’ll provide a brief update on what I’ve been working on in Lansing,” Hertel said. “With it being the end of the year, I like to reflect on what all we’ve done this past year. From securing critical funding for our communities and passing legislation to address our opioid crisis to celebrating the grand opening of the Algonac community pool, it’s been a busy year.”
The Algonac Maritime Museum is located at 1117 St. Clair River Drive in Algonac.
Hertel is currently serving his first term in the Michigan Senate. His current committee assignments according to his website include Appropriations, Energy and Environment, Regulatory Affairs, Transportation and Infrastructure and Veterans and Emergency Services.
He previously served in the Michigan House of Representatives from 2016 to 2022,
Blue Water Healthy Living caught up with Sen. Hertel to pose a few questions about the Coffee and Conversation events his office regularly hosts in communities he serves.
Blue Water Healthy Living: What is the idea behind the ‘Coffee and Conversation’ event?
Senator Kevin Hertel: With these events, we try to cut through all of the political noise we too often hear and focus on what actually matters to the folks in our community. At a time when government can feel distant or impossible to navigate, we want to make our office as accessible as possible. If someone has a question, needs help with a state department, or just wants to share what’s on their mind, we’re here to listen and help.
BWHL: Why do you feel local visits are important?
Hertel: To me, the kinds of conversations we have at these events are more than just helpful — they’re essential. Community input plays a fundamental role in shaping the decisions I make in Lansing. Whether I’m in a committee meeting or casting a vote on the Senate floor, I carry these discussions with me and let them guide my work.
BWHL: How often do you host these public events?
Hertel: We try to host at least one or two coffee hours every month, as much as our schedule allows. Our staff also hosts regular office hours throughout the community — in Harper Woods, St. Clair Shores, Mount Clemens, and New Baltimore — where folks can tunities to share their thoughts on a specific issue or seek assistance navigating a challenge they’re experiencing with a state department.
BWHL: Is there a ‘typical’ turnout in terms of numbers?
Hertel: Turnout varies depending on the time of year and where we’re hosting them in the district, but we always have a good crowd come out. Sometimes, as few as 15-20 people, though some of our largest coffee hours, we’ve had 60 or more folks stop by.
BWHL: How do you decide on the locations for the events?
Hertel: The 12th Senate District covers quite a bit of land as it runs from the Grosse Pointes all the way up the shoreline of Lake St. Clair to Algonac and Harsens Island. To ensure we’re engaging with folks from across the entire district, we rotate where we host our office hours.
BWHL: What are the three top issues you continue to address in the State Senate, and how do they affect constituents in Algonac and the surrounding area?
Hertel provided this list.
1. The Rising Cost of Living: As everything from rent and groceries to fuel rises, it’s becoming harder for families to make ends meet. From my first day in the Senate, I’ve been focused on lowering costs for families across our community. The very first bill I introduced was to repeal our state’s retirement tax, helping nearly 500,000 seniors save $1,000 annually. I’ve also worked to pass historic tax relief for working families, eliminate taxes on tips and overtime, make smart investments to lower housing and child care costs, and more.
2. Protecting Lake St. Clair: Lake St. Clair is vital to our region. It generates over a billion dollars in economic activity annually, provides drinking water to millions of people, and provides our families with unmatched recreational opportunities. But as we see an increasing number of extreme weather events strain the capabilities of our aging infrastructure and send pollution into the water, it’s important for all of us to work together to ensure the health of Lake St. Clair. That’s why, throughout my time in the Legislature, I worked on a bipartisan basis to secure nearly $100 million to build up our region’s crumbling water infrastructure.
Sen. Kevin Hertel recently kicked off the holidays at a Santa parade in Grosse Pointe.
3. Making Health Care Accessible and Affordable: When you’re sick, you should be able to see a doctor without breaking the bank. But for too many families across our community, they either delay or forego care entirely because of the price tag. And folks
in rural communities face additional barriers as they often have to travel farther than most to access care. To lower health care costs and make essential services more accessible, I’ve worked as Chair of the Senate Health Policy Committee to champion legislation to codify the Affordable Care Act into state law, secure critical investments to expand access to behavioral health care, temporarily protect Michigan from devastating Medicaid cuts, and more.
