Councilor Josh Zakim speaking with Beacon Street resident Carol Geyer at Panificio Bistro and Bakery on Charles Street during his office hours on Friday morning.
City Councilor Josh Zakim estimates that 90 percent of the issues that Beacon Hill constituents bring to him during his monthly office hours can be resolved with a phone call.
“It’s a nice forum for people to talk about parking, traffic, public safety and other issues we’re working on,” Zakim said. “There are usually no overarching concerns that I hear from constituents, though. It just depends on the day.”
Zakim holds office hours throughout District 8, but he said Beacon Hill and the West End are consistently the two busiest locations for these forums: As a direct result of feedback from his West End office hours, Zakim will sponsor a special meeting of the Committee of Transportation, Public Infrastructure, Planning and Investment at City Hall on Oct. 29 to address street traffic in that neighborhood.
During his Beacon Hill office hours at Panificio Bistro and Bakery on Charles Street on Friday, Zakim fielded several questions regarding the stabbings of two Park Rangers on the Boston Common three days earlier.
“I just talked to Commissioner [Christopher] Cook from the Boston Parks Department about the incident,” Zakim said. “It was a terrible situation, but the ranger is recovering, and the individual was arrested right away.”
Zakim added, “In a big city, you can’t prevent everything, so it’s the response that’s important.”
Zakim hopes his office hours continue to provide an inviting environment for constituents to voice their opinions to the city.
“Even though City Hall is close, coming here is a more comfortable way for people to interact and address their concerns,” Zakim said.