State Senator Paul Mark Opens District Office on Tyler Street
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — State Sen. Paul Mark has chosen Tyler Street as the home of his district office, as an accessible, central location to hear from constituents.
Over the weekend, the space at 773 Tyler St. opened to the public. Combined with the fixed location will be roving office hours throughout Berkshire, Hampshire, and Franklin counties.
For Mark, being there for all 57 cities and towns that he represents is a high priority.
"I think that it was important for people to know that I'm a senator for the entire district," he said.
"And so I want Pittsfield to know it's first among equals, it's an important place, it's going to be a focal point, and I also do all of the roving hours because I want all of the small towns and North Adams and Great Barrington to know that no region is going to be forgotten by me," the new senator said.
"You're going to be able to access me and we're going to do our best to try and help you out."
The office is right next to a building formerly used as a union hall, which is symbolically appropriate to Mark's origins working a unionized job for Verizon. It is also in the immediate area of revitalization efforts on the General Electric property and streetscape renovations to the Tyler Street corridor.
The structure itself has been renovated into new apartments and office spaces over the past few years. Accessible parking and walkability are important features to the senator.
"Easily 60 percent or more of the work we do is actually constituent service work, so people coming in here when they're having a problem with getting their license reinstated, or trying to find money to help with the heating bill," he said.
"Personal stuff that isn't glamorous but is really kind of the day-to-day work that we end up focusing on and I don't know that everybody realizes that."
Mark will provide constituent services at Great Barrington Town Hall on the first and third Monday of the month from 9 to noon, at Adams Town Hall on the first and third Tuesdays from 9 to noon, and at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts alumni offices at 228 E. Main St., North Adams, on the first and third Tuesdays from 1 to 4 p.m.
In addition to the rotating office hours, he will be visiting every community for coffee and conversation-type events.
About two months into the legislative term, there are about 50 bills filed and Mark believes he is the co-lead on more House bills than any other senator. These include environmental rights bills, works rights bills, and bills that try to get funding back to the area.
"Which I think is important in terms of the collaboration between the senate and the house," he added about the pieces of legislation. "And was one of the things I really thought was important when I was running."
While waiting for committee assignments, legislators are now looking over the bills to see what they would like to co-sponsor.
Mark will chair at least one committee and was asked to be the Senate chair of the Oral Health Caucus.
The office's telephone number is 413-464-5635.
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