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By NOAH WORTHAM | Staff Writer

ALABASTER – Local residents had an opportunity to meet their congressman as Gary Palmer and his staff hosted a Meet and Greet event at Alabaster City Hall on Monday, Aug. 7.

During the Meet and Greet, residents could speak face-to-face with Palmer and ask questions and share their opinion on current events.

“We try to bring the entire Washington staff down every year,” Palmer said, “I think they need to meet the people they work for and then see what’s going on in the district. It gives them a better sense of connection to the people that are contacting our office.”

Palmer expressed that this was not a one-off occurrence and that he takes the time to consistently speak to residents when he is out and about.

“I’m very transparent about meeting people and answering their questions about issues,” he said. “I don’t want to be a politician— if you ask me a question I’m going to give you a straight answer. So, I try to maintain that approachability.”

Palmer said that, before he ran for office, one of the things he didn’t like about public officials was that there wasn’t much of anything public about them and that it was almost as if they were in a different category.

“I’m privileged and honored to be able to represent people,” he said. “I’m no different than anybody else—I cut my own grass. And I think there are a lot of people who are in office that think more highly of themselves than they ought sometimes. I don’t ever want to be in that category.”

Palmer spoke on the importance of Meet and Greet events.

“I think it’s extremely important for people to have an opportunity to have access to you,” he said. “The whole thing with our founders, about the House of Representatives, was that it would be the government closest to the people at the federal level.”

Palmer’s work at the local level doesn’t end there as he also meets with the local mayors of the district.

“Really, the government closest to the people at the local level (are) the mayors and the city council,” he said. “One of the very first things I did, when I took office, was set up a quarterly lunch with all the mayors in the district, so I could get to know them but also so they could get to know each other. And that has maybe been one of the best things that we’ve done.”

Palmer will hold another Meet and Greet event at the Trussville Civic Center from 6-7:30 p.m. on Aug. 9 in Trussville. Those interested in learning more about Palmer may visit his website at Palmer.house.gov.