Greg Carries More Weight at the Capital than He Imagined

• http://senatesite.com/blog/2009/02/lesson-learned-on-courtesy.html
• Welcome to The Senate SiteMonday, February 23, 2009
• Lesson Learned on Courtesy by Lyle Hillyard Senator, District 25
• Friday night, as I was leaving my Senate office, I was called by a local reporter for the Logan newspaper, The Herald Journal. This reporter’s publisher had been informed by a fellow publisher that I was frustrated with his paper and he wanted to know why. As we discussed the problem, I found out that the report resulted from my short interaction with the publisher of the Tremonton paper. He had come to the Capitol to visit with legislators about a bill that would change how legal notices are published and how it impacted his small rural paper. I had seen the note he left me during my time on the floor and when I had gone outside, I ran into my good friend Bonnie Miller who publishes The Record in Salt Lake, which carries an abundance of legal notices. She explained her concerns with the bill. I had never met the Tremonton publisher, and therefore did not recognize anyone else outside waiting for me so I went to an event in the Rotunda. As I was walking back to the Senate for an appointment (for which I was late), I ran into Rep. Ronda Menlove from the Tremonton area. She happened to be talking to the publisher who had been looking for me earlier in the day. Because I was late, I did not take adequate time to discuss with him but listened quickly as he told me his problem. Unfortunately, I am prone to make snide remarks and I made the comment, meant in jest, that when the newspapers are always beating up legislators, it is not easy for us to grant them what they want. This comment troubled the publisher, and he passed the word along to the Herald Journal publisher, and thus the call to me was made. As I drove home, I thought about that call. Here a man, even though not in my district, had taken the time and trouble to come to Salt Lake to talk about an issue that was very important to his work and, I expect, important to many of the rural newspapers. I was ashamed that I had not respected that effort and vowed that I would change. That night, I received several calls about issues that were likewise rather minor for the overall work we are doing. But as I changed my approach and began to respect them for taking the time and often overcoming the fear of calling a State Senator, I found that they had valuable information that I found helpful. Thanks to Charles of the Herald Journal and his call, I will really try to be more considerate and less busy. I think we all need to be considerate to our constituents and more accessible to the general public.