Residents listen
closely during an
informational ses
sion held at
Winston Lake
Family YMCA
last week. The
gathering was
held to educate
constituents on
redrawn congres
sional lines and
the transition
process.
Easing the
congressional
district transition
process in Forsyth
Foxx, Adams staff
members offer
information
BY TEVIN STINSON
THE CHRONICLE
Last week the offices of
U.S. Reps. Alma Adams
and Virginia Foxx held a
joint informational session
to educate constituents on
redrawn congressional
lines, the transition process
from the 12th District to
the 5th District, and the
duties of a congressional
office.
Earlier this year, a fed
eral court forced the N.C.
General Assembly to
redraw congressional lines
because the court said they
had been drawn in 2010 in
a discriminatory way. The
redrawn lines forced
Forsyth County out of the
12th District, which is rep
resented by Adams, and
into the 5th District under
Foxx. To jumpstart the
informational session held
in the heart of the new 5th
district, at the Winston
Lake Family YMCA,
Adams' district director,
Keith Kelly, spoke for
Adams when he said it has
truly been a pleasure serv
ing the people of Forsyth
County.
Next, Adams' manager
of constituent services,
Kay Tembo, and staff
director Josette Ferguson,
discussed the duties of a
congressional office.
Tembo said the office is
like the customer service
agents for the government,
handling cases dealing
with federal agencies.
"We handle cases with
various departments like
the Department of Labor,
Department of Education
and Veteran Affairs,"
Tembo continued. "Some
of the most popular cases
we handle deal with Social
Security, disability, and
immigration."
Ferguson, who works
out of Adams' Greensboro
office, assured those in
attendance that although
they are changing districts,
the process for filing a case
won't change. She said
Foxx's office handles case
work the same way Adams'
does.
"They do the same
thing we do. That's why it's
important that we have a
budding relationship," she
said. "You may hear that
Congresswoman Foxx'
office isn't going to give
you the same treatment as
Congresswoman Adams
office, but they will do the
same thing.
"We are passing you
along to another set of
hands that can do the same
thing," Ferguson said.
Representing the set of
hands that will take over
congressional duties for
everyone in Forsyth
County next month was
Foxx's district director Bob
Meek. As he stood before
the gathering of mostly
Democrats, Meek said
Foxx's office will fight for
the rights of everyone,
Republicans and
Democrats.
"We don't care who you
voted for, where you came
from or whatever you think
politically. If ybu live with
in our district, you deserve
first class service and we
will give you first class
service."
Meek also provided
information on how Foxx's
office is run and how they
will handle pending cases.
He mentioned that
Foxx has an office in
Clemmons and in Boone,
with three representatives
working at each office. The
authority to look into per
sonal information does not
transfer when lines are
redrawn and districts
change. As a result, Foxx's
office will be sending out
letters to constituents in the
area with pending cases
asking if they want their
cases transferred.
"That authority doesn't
get transferred automati
cally when you have a dis
trict change. You have to
reauthorize us to look into
your personal informa
tion."
Meek, who is a
Vietnam Veteran, said
many of the cases they
receive from the area deal
with Social Security. He
said the office will work to
ensure those cases are han
dled as soon as possible.
"We always try to expe
dite cases," he said." If any
of you have ever had a
Social Security case, you
know it seems like you
may be dead before they
resolve it. We don't want
that to happen, so we push
for those cases to be
resolved."
Redrawn lines will
increase District ? 5 from
four partial counties to six
whole counties. Meek said
the office is busy making
sure everything is in place.
Foxx's Clemmons office is
open Monday through
Friday from 9 a.m. to 5
p.m.
Following the meeting,
a number of people said
they were still concerned
with Foxx's ability to rep
resent the entire county. In
response. Meek said very
soon Foxx will be seen at
community events con
necting with the people.
"Congresswoman Foxx
enjoys attending communi
ty events and connecting
with the people she
serves," said Meek. "Soon
you will see her at every
event that is held here in
Photos by Tevin Stinson
US. Rep. Virginia Foxx's district director, Bob Meek, left, and US. Rep. Alma
Adams' district director, Keith Kelly, discuss the transition process from District
12 to District 5 during a recent informational session at Winston Lake Family
YMCA.
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