grey-at-law

My Michigan legislative representative is freshman Shanelle Jackson, District 9. I have a concern that I would like to bring before her, to hopefully get her support of legislation that I favor. I could write a letter, but want more than a form letter response. I thought that seeing her in person at a public meeting in the district would be a good choice, as I can not conveniently visit Lansing.

For some reason this plan has not worked out yet. I have actually gone on four different occasions to a location that her staff (or a newsletter) told me that she would be present at a meeting. There turned out to be no meeting that day at that location. What is going on?

I started inquiring by phone last fall through her Lansing office. After a few calls, I was told that she would be at a meeting of the Berg-Lahser community group. I went to the location on the appropriate date, but I was told that there was apparently no meeting that month (August). Things were busy for me, and the legislature got involved in the budget battle, so I didn’t pester her office for another date at that time. Strikeout #1 with Shanelle.

I did sit down with my Senator, Tupac Hunter, District 5, at one of his regular “Talk time with Tupac” sessions at a local McDonald’s during this time.

In December I started calling Rep. Jackson’s office again. I was told of a Thursday Dec 13 block club meeting, and was promised a call giving location and time. I received no call, but received her newsletter which informed me that she holds coffee hours “every third Saturday of the month from 11:00 a.m. to noon at Motor City Resource Center Home of Blight Busters.” Being the third week of the month, I thought “how convenient”! So Saturday I went to the only Motor City Blight Busters headquarters I know of, on Lahser north of McNichols. The building was locked up, with no one around. Strikeout #2.

Since I did not get a call back after leaving a frustrated message on her office’s voicemail that Saturday, I have started keeping a log of every call I make to Rep. Jackson’s office, whether someone answers or not, and any results. January 9 I talked to a male staff member, and was told that there were no meetings scheduled in January. February 5 I talked again with the same staff member and was told that Berg-Lahser community group was meeting on the 12th. Great! But if you check weather records, February 12 brought the Detroit area a heavy snowfall during the evening drive time. I went to the meeting location just in case, but no, the building had closed, no one was around. Strikeout #3.

I did attend another of Senator Tupac Hunter’s “Talk time with Tupac” sessions at a different McDonald’s that Friday however.

I called Rep. Jackson’s office the morning after the snow-aborted meeting and the staff member I had talked with said that they had gotten delayed by the snowfall, as I expected. He told me that the Northwest District Community Organization had a meeting scheduled for the 28th at Bushnell Congregational Church. I know the location, and told him that I would be there. On the evening of the 28th, however, when I went to Bushnell Church at the appointed time, again the building was closed, no one around. Strikeout #4.

I called Rep. Jackson’s office the next morning, and talked to a different, female staff member. Since she was not up on these meetings, she told me that someone would call me back. She did call back that afternoon and told me that the male staffer I had earlier talked to would be checking the Representative’s schedule, and he would call me back next week, probably Tuesday. Today is Thursday. No call. I will call myself tomorrow, being the seventh day after being told to expect a call.

Is it supposed to be this hard to see to your Representative? Your mileage may vary. I am only one person with one story to tell. But what a winding tale it is.

This entry was posted on Thursday, March 6th, 2008 at 7:30 pm and is filed under Michigan, legislature. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.