June 2017 Column - Outreaches come in many forms to bring county government closer to residents

Since becoming a Legislator, I have hosted community outreach meetings in various formats. Some events end up with just one person stopping by, and others have included dozens of residents and multiple hour discussions. At these outreaches, I try and keep the topics to County issues, but inevitably we end up discussing state and other issues. It really doesn’t matter what we talk about; the important take away is that a dialogue with residents has been created.

 

Just recently, I stopped by the Aurora Senior Center and while there, I spent time talking with members of the line dancing class who convinced me to join for a few steps. At nearly every community event I attend, I hear questions or requests for information. I have found that being present in the community helps me stay more closely connected to the concerns and issues occurring throughout my district.

 

I also try to attend town board meetings, and want to thank the boards in my district for allowing me to speak at their meetings.  This is a great way to provide updates from the county. I also meet with residents on site frequently, especially for road or drainage concerns in order to see the issue firsthand.  Last year, I met with town supervisors and residents in a front yard on Maple Road to discuss steps to take to finally get the County Executive to fix the roadway. I was very pleased that we were successful, and Maple Road work has started.

 

In my experience, I always have great dialogues at these outreaches.  People come, share ideas, ask questions, and get to know me.  While they are extremely beneficial, they rarely come without some level of frustration. Often times, the topic of Erie County’s infrastructure arises, and many people are unhappy with the status quo. Recently, I was discussing one particularly bad road with a resident, and when I told him the road would be fixed this year, he flatly said “I would expect so. It HAS to be done.” I understood his assessment completely. It is frustrating that many major thoroughfares in my district and throughout the southtowns, have been ignored by the administration. I know the DPW engineers and crews work very hard to keep your roads safe, but they can only do the work they are assigned.

 

For every question, concern of issue brought up in an outreach, I work with county departments and offices to ensure residents receive a timely response. In many cases, we are able to meet the residents’ expectations and provide what they need collaboratively.

 

 

In short, there are many different opportunities to talk with me about what’s going on, and, I do my best to address each concern brought my way.

 

My next District Outreach Meeting will be held 6 p.m. Thursday, June 29 at Aurora Town Hall, Southside Municipal Center, 300 Gleed Ave., East Aurora. I am also always available to meet with someone at their convenience, and look forward to each opportunity. If you’d like to discuss any county issue, please contact my office to arrange a meeting. I can be reached at 858-8922 or joseph.lorigo@erie.gov