The mayor of Middletown, located in the heart of the United States, is in a quandary.  There is a cave at the edge of town. There have been emails and  letters sent to her office, and editorials in the local newspapers from people who are feeling threatened by the bats that live in the cave.
 

Are bats bad for the community?

OR...

Are bats good for the community?

People all over town are having arguments about the bats. Some are afraid of vampire bats coming to suck their blood, some believe they pose a health problem, and others think bats are just plain spooky to have around town.  Those people want to destroy the bats and close the cave up completely so other bats don't return.

Environmentalists are arguing for the bats, saying they pose no health concerns and in fact are good for the environment.

Mayor Maybee cannot make up her mind what to do about the bats.  She really wants to do the right thing for the community, but she is not sure who to believe, and therefore, she is not sure what to do about the bat problem.

Because she doesn't know what to do, she has contacted several consultation firms across the United States who have teams of experts who might help her make a good decision for the community.  They will help her to decide the Big Question: Are bats good or bad for the community?