John Broughton gave some insight into the world of Lansing Township government, his role and the future of the township government. Broughton is on the Board of Trustees in Lansing Township.
Broughton has been a member of the board since 2012. He is currently serving his third term and is planning to run again in the next upcoming election.
Spartan Newsroom Miles Oates spoke with Broughton recently on his role and responsibilities.
Oates: How long have you been a trustee in Lansing Township?
Broughton: “Around 2012. Before that I was on the township planning committee. I have been associated with the township for about 16 or 18 years.”
Oates: When you started off as a trustee in Lansing Township what was that like?
Broughton: “A lot to learn, I was on the Waverly School Board for 12 years and I was president of the Waverly School Board for the last four of those years. Everything looks different when you are behind the table. Out in front of the table it’s hard to get a clue. The learning happened quickly. I had good colleagues and I asked lots of questions. I had enough business experiences… I adapted pretty quickly.”
Oates: How long was it until you settled into your role?
Broughton: “Probably a good two years because there were many things to learn. There is a learning curve, but after the second year I really felt confident.”
Oates: Is this the job field you always thought you would end up in?
Broughton: “When I was a high school senior, I was elected supervisor for a day, and I went to a township board meeting, had lunch and did a speech. So, it was kind of preordained that someday I would be in local government.”
Oates: Is this something that you always wanted to be a part of or was it something that once you got into, you loved it and stuck with it?
Broughton: “I wanted to be involved in township government, so I started off on the planning commission until there was an open spot on the board of trustees. I was elected for that seat, and I’ve been on the board ever since.”
Oates: What is something interesting that goes on in your everyday work life that people might not know about?
Broughton: “We get reports from people like the Capital Area District Library, CATA (Captial Area Transportation Authority), and community service people. Nothing real spectacular, but I find it interesting.”
Oates: Have you had any bizarre events occur during your time as a trustee in Lansing Township?
Broughton: “Not really anything specific, but we have had some meetings that have been bizarre.”
Oates: How was it operating during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Broughton: “It was difficult, we did a lot of things on Zoom for a while. It was hard to connect with people, the dialogue was a little stilted, but we weathered it and eventually were able to start meeting in person with a lot of precautionary measures.”
Oates: Would you ever have people show up to the meeting with interesting ideas?
Broughton: “The view from the front of the table is a lot different once you get behind the table. So, my perspective on things said at the meeting may have been a little different from the person who was presenting them in front of the table.”