Emily Swanson, Representative John Velis’s full-time Legislative Aide. (Submitted photo)
Good Morning Westfield! I hope you are all enjoying your Saturday and the Food Festival downtown. As the Representative is still in South Korea with the Army, I thought this week’s update would be a great opportunity to introduce myself. My name is Emily Swanson, and I am Representative Velis’s full-time Legislative Aide. This week, I want to give you a little insight into what goes on in a State Rep’s office behind the scenes and away from Beacon Hill.
First off, although many people assume that we operate mostly out of the Statehouse,the Rep and I actually spend the majority of our time in the district engaging with the community and working with constituents. Rep Velis sometimes has to travel to Boston 1-3 times a week for hearings and sessions, but I usually spend at least 4 days in Westfield in our office on Court Street. It can certainly be challenging to stay on top of two offices, but it’s important for us to be where constituents can easily find us, and that’s in Westfield. Anyone is welcome to stop by anytime!
Maintaining a State Rep’s office is a lot more than just researching and writing policy. While most of the newsworthy stories coming out about the State Legislature concerns bills and budgets, there is a lot more that we do on a daily basis that flies under the radar.
Constituent Services are a vital component of every legislator’s operation, state or federal, but are usually a part that very few people take advantage of. Constituent services take up most of my time and are the main part of my job as a Legislative Aide. The services we provide are wide-ranging. We assist people with everything from finding the right phone numbers for state agencies to managing casework when there’s a mix-up or misunderstanding with someone’s agency paperwork. If your issue doesn’t involve a state agency, we can provide referrals to non-profits in the area and help you to make contact with the right people to help solve your issue if we can’t do it ourselves. Of course, we can’t solve every problem, but we always try our best to help anyone who calls.
Other important parts of my job are community engagement and communications. I answer the phone calls made to our office and relay information directly to Rep Velis. Additionally,I keep an eye out for community events and help maintain the Rep’s calendar. A really fun part of my job is helping the Rep recognize constituents who have done something positive by sending congratulatory letters and news clippings. We have sent close to 2000 letters and postcards to students just this year for graduation, honor roll or dean’s list! Finally, we often meet with constituents who are working on projects to benefit the city and provide guidance and support where we can.
Please do not hesitate to reach out to us- whether it’s a question you have about MassHealth or another agency, ameeting that you are hosting in the community, or someone you want to recognize for their great work, we want to hear about it! Our office is located at 52 Court St (above Flowers By Webster), but the easiest way to reach us is at (413) 572-3920 or by emailing the Rep ([email protected]) or myself ([email protected]). We also hold weekly office hours on Thursdays from 11-12 at the Westfield Senior Center.
