As a member of the Santa Barbara City Council, it’s important to be in the community where people can communicate with me directly, in a comfortable setting.

Eastside residents are concerned about traffic and pedestrian safety, library and recreation services for families, and the vitality of the Milpas Street business corridor. I’ve done office hours there for a couple of months, and people talk about various things: how their kids are doing in school, bus service, etc.

Sometimes their concerns are outside of my authority, but I can listen and be supportive, and direct them to the proper agency.

Being in the library on Mondays is especially gratifying as the council this year restored funding to reopen the Central and Eastside libraries on Mondays.

Today, Christmas Eve, the library is closing at 4 p.m. because of the holiday, so my hours are 2 to 4 p.m.

In the future, I will hold office hours the fourth Monday of the month. My regular hours will be 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. (the library closes at 7 p.m.). That way, working people can find me after business hours.

The 2013 dates will be: Jan. 28, Feb. 25, March 25, April 22, May 27 and June 24.

I can be reached at cmurillo@santabarbaraca.gov or 805.564.5322.

— Cathy Murillo is a member of the Santa Barbara City Council.