Staying connected to my constituents
By State Rep. Denis Guyer
I represent the Second Berkshire District of the Massachusetts House. The district encompasses 21 towns spread across three counties and precinct 1B in Pittsfield. The district is roughly the size of the State of Rhode Island and is geographically the largest in the Massachusetts House. Meeting with constituents in such a varied and widespread area does have its difficulties. My constituents in Northfield, for example, are almost one and a half hours away from Dalton. In order to better serve my constituents, this year I changed the way my district office conducts business. Instead of having one district office in Dalton, I have teamed up with local officials in four of my towns to house my district office at their town hall one day a week. On Monday my office is in Dalton, Tuesday is Richmond, Wednesday is Shelburne Falls and Thursday is Lanesborough.
The response to this idea has been very positive. The number of constituent contacts I have had in the four months since this program has been instituted have skyrocketed. My office is now serving more people, more quickly.
Representing a district that has both urban and very rural senior constituents can be challenging, and the types of problems faced by my constituents can sometimes vary. For example, the need for Meals on Wheels for the seniors, who live in more rural areas, is a priority, while a senior constituent in Pittsfield may be more worried about crime in her neighborhood. A constituent in Ashfield may be interested in the senior farm-share program, while a constituent in Pittsfield could be concerned with funding for the senior center. But initiatives such as the district office idea keep me on top of whatever concerns or issues my constituents are having.
State Representative Denis E. Guyer's district office schedule: Monday: Dalton Town Hall: 9-4, Tuesday: Richmond Town Hall: 9-4, Wednesday: Shelburne Town Hall: 9:30-4 Thursday: Lanesboro Town Hall 9-4, District Cell: 413-358-2254. District Aide: Stephanie Gravalese. To contact the Office of State 2nd Berkshire District, call 413-358-3354 or visit www.denisguyer.com.
