Congressman Bob Gibbs to institute community office hours throughout the district
Congressman Bob Gibbs (R), 18th District Representative, has instituted a program to give constituents an opportunity to address issues and voice concerns without traveling to the district office in Zanesville, which officially opened Jan. 31. Instead, field representatives will be available throughout the district during monthly community office hours to provide constituents with the same assistance they would receive had they traveled to the Zanesville office, including help with Medicare, Veterans Affairs, Social Security, Internal Revenue Service issues, and matters regarding federal legislation.
“As we thought about how to provide the highest quality assistance to residents in all 16 counties, it made sense to go against the status quo,” said Gibbs of the unprecedented remote office hours. “Rather than having three physical locations that would still require my constituents to travel up to an hour to visit, I am sending my staff out into each community.”
In an effort to reduce spending, Gibbs will not open district offices in Chillicothe and Dover, as his predecessor, Zack Space (D), had done.
“The 18th District is literally the size of New Jersey, which, in the past, has left constituents feeling like they didn’t receive the services they needed from their member of Congress,” said Gibbs. “Now people in more remote areas will have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with members of my staff at locations that are more convenient for them.”
Darrell Kick, field representative for the northern eight counties of the 18th District, said the program will operate for three months, setting up mostly in public libraries, and then will be evaluated to determine whether counties need greater or fewer community office hours.
He will be available during these meetings once a month to hear the concerns of constituents face-to-face, document their issues or requests, and take the issues back to the Zanesville office for investigation and follow up. Because of the size of the district, this will help constituents in rural areas access the services of the district office. He will also be available for scheduled meetings for those who need to meet outside of designated office hours, such as community development organizations who are investigating funding through grants.
Kick said he enjoys meeting people from the community and encourages them to come to the community office hours with their concerns, whether requesting flags for a veterans event at a cemetery, or asking questions regarding unpaid Medicare or Medicaid claims. Constituents can talk, fill out privacy release forms, and be assured that their issue will be addressed and a response will be received. He said there is no concern too large or small to bring to community office hours.
“We had one fellow in his eighties whose important documentation has been destroyed by fire. The doctor who delivered him, all of his records burned in a fire. He joined the military, getting signatures from all of his neighbors to prove who he was, and that government office burned down. Now he would like to travel out of the country and is unable to get a passport because there’s no documentation that he exists,” said Kick. “We’re trying to help the man.”
Upcoming community office hours will be held for Holmes County residents April 5, from 2-5 p.m., at the Holmes County Library, 3102 Glen Dr. in Millersburg; for Coshocton County residents March 30 and April 27, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Coshocton Public Library, 655 Main St. in Coshocton; and for Tuscarawas County residents March 17 and April 21, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Tuscarawas County Library, New Philadelphia Branch, 121 Fair Ave. NW, in New Philadelphia.
The outreach schedule and other community forums, such as Town Halls, will be posted in local newspapers, on Congressman Gibbs’ official website at http://www.gibbs.house.gov/community-office-hours, on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube pages, as well as via his e-mail newsletter, which can be requested at http://www.gibbs.house.gov/contact-me/newsletter.
Kick can be reached by phone at 740-452-2279, by e-mail at darrell.kick@mail.house.gov or by mail at 1166 Military Road, Suite B3, Zanesville 43701.
“As we thought about how to provide the highest quality assistance to residents in all 16 counties, it made sense to go against the status quo,” said Gibbs of the unprecedented remote office hours. “Rather than having three physical locations that would still require my constituents to travel up to an hour to visit, I am sending my staff out into each community.”
In an effort to reduce spending, Gibbs will not open district offices in Chillicothe and Dover, as his predecessor, Zack Space (D), had done.
“The 18th District is literally the size of New Jersey, which, in the past, has left constituents feeling like they didn’t receive the services they needed from their member of Congress,” said Gibbs. “Now people in more remote areas will have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with members of my staff at locations that are more convenient for them.”
Darrell Kick, field representative for the northern eight counties of the 18th District, said the program will operate for three months, setting up mostly in public libraries, and then will be evaluated to determine whether counties need greater or fewer community office hours.
He will be available during these meetings once a month to hear the concerns of constituents face-to-face, document their issues or requests, and take the issues back to the Zanesville office for investigation and follow up. Because of the size of the district, this will help constituents in rural areas access the services of the district office. He will also be available for scheduled meetings for those who need to meet outside of designated office hours, such as community development organizations who are investigating funding through grants.
Kick said he enjoys meeting people from the community and encourages them to come to the community office hours with their concerns, whether requesting flags for a veterans event at a cemetery, or asking questions regarding unpaid Medicare or Medicaid claims. Constituents can talk, fill out privacy release forms, and be assured that their issue will be addressed and a response will be received. He said there is no concern too large or small to bring to community office hours.
“We had one fellow in his eighties whose important documentation has been destroyed by fire. The doctor who delivered him, all of his records burned in a fire. He joined the military, getting signatures from all of his neighbors to prove who he was, and that government office burned down. Now he would like to travel out of the country and is unable to get a passport because there’s no documentation that he exists,” said Kick. “We’re trying to help the man.”
Upcoming community office hours will be held for Holmes County residents April 5, from 2-5 p.m., at the Holmes County Library, 3102 Glen Dr. in Millersburg; for Coshocton County residents March 30 and April 27, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Coshocton Public Library, 655 Main St. in Coshocton; and for Tuscarawas County residents March 17 and April 21, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Tuscarawas County Library, New Philadelphia Branch, 121 Fair Ave. NW, in New Philadelphia.
The outreach schedule and other community forums, such as Town Halls, will be posted in local newspapers, on Congressman Gibbs’ official website at http://www.gibbs.house.gov/community-office-hours, on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube pages, as well as via his e-mail newsletter, which can be requested at http://www.gibbs.house.gov/contact-me/newsletter.
Kick can be reached by phone at 740-452-2279, by e-mail at darrell.kick@mail.house.gov or by mail at 1166 Military Road, Suite B3, Zanesville 43701.
Published: March 13, 2011
