Cindy Bass begins new era of accessibility for Eighth District residents

More than a dozen residents waited patiently inside Wired Beans Café in Mt. Airy Friday afternoon for their chance to chat one-on-one with Eighth District City Councilwoman Cindy Bass.

During Bass’ first “Coffee with the Councilwoman” event, Mt. Airy resident Nick Mulcahy said he was impressed with the neighborhoods-based initiative.

“She has to deal with her downtown City Hall responsibilities and yet here she is in the community having these meet-and-greets,” said Mulcahy, who has lived in the district for nearly a decade.

“There’s just a degree of responsiveness and organization that’s very impressive. It bodes well for the future,” he said.

Germantown resident Caroline Hairston agreed. She came to talk to Bass about police response times in her neighborhood.

“They’re going to help everybody out,” said Hairston. “She’s coming to the people and that’s very important.”

Afterwards, Bass said it’s critical to give Eighth District residents the opportunity to meet with her outside of City Hall.

“Most of the people that we saw today, we probably would not have seen. They probably would have just felt frustrated and alone on their issue and without support,” said Bass, who took notes throughout the event on an iPAD.

The first-time Councilmember will take these concerns into consideration as the first Council session of 2012 fast approaches.

Bass said she plans on introducing a handful of bills and resolutions on Jan. 26. Some of the measures will center on consumer protection and small business issues.

Bass launched the series of informal constituent meetings as she continues to look into possible locations for a district office.

” We’re working on it,” said Bass spokesman Joe Corrigan. ” It’s not a simple process.”

A Mt. Airy-based non-profit has offered to donate a space in that neighborhood. Corrigan said Bass is looking into whether accepting it would be ethical.

Bass said she plans on having another “Coffee with the Councilwoman” event in the next two weeks.