August 5, 2019
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
As your state senator, it’s very helpful for me to hear directly from you, but I know it can be difficult to come to Olympia during the legislative session. Our 12th District is so large, there is also no convenient central meeting location in district. That’s why I look forward to hosting my third annual “listening tour” in a few weeks. It provides me an opportunity to hear directly from you as I begin to look ahead to the next legislative session in January 2020. My listening tour for this year begins September 3 and ends September 7. Details about the tour and how to participate are below.
Like my past listening tours, this fall will bring me to all four counties in our district – Chelan, Douglas, Grant, and Okanogan. I’ll be returning to several communities, such as Leavenworth, Cashmere, Quincy, Wenatchee, Pateros, Twisp, and Chelan, and am looking forward to several new locations, including Rock Island, Mansfield, and Mazama.
What has worked well in the past is meeting directly with constituents or stakeholder groups in separate appointments, so that tradition will continue – these are not town hall meetings. During past listening tours, meetings included individuals, employers, local governments, and community groups. If you are interested in scheduling an individual or group appointment, please send an email to brad.hawkins@leg.wa.gov or phone my legislative office in Olympia at 360-786-7622. The appointment calendar can fill up and drop-in visits aren’t always possible, so please contact us in advance so we can get you on the schedule – we’d welcome the opportunity to hear from you. Here are the listening tour locations and appointment time blocks:
 Hosting a listening tour allows me to hear ideas that can be turned into successful legislative action. As examples, a suggestion by Leavenworth officials to dispose of brush and yard clippings resulted in a bill that became law in 2018. A funding request related to the Saddle Rock trail in Wenatchee became reality when it was included in the state capital budget two years ago, and a road paving project to a popular fishing location in Okanogan County was recently funded and will be completed in the coming months. All were ideas presented by constituents during past listening tours. In addition to legislative ideas, I also collect helpful insight and comments that prepare me to make better decisions to represent you in Olympia.
As we have done the previous two years, I have invited my legislative staff, communications staff and issue specialists to join me on the tour. It’s helpful to have these resources available when visiting your communities. Sometimes we have the answers you are seeking but if we don’t, we’ll track them down and follow up with you. It’s a great opportunity for the staff to hear directly from you about issues of interest in our district, so I hope you’ll consider visiting with us.
Chelan Butte community hike Sept. 7 at 9 a.m.
 The Chelan Butte community hike will provide beautiful views of Lake Chelan.
One of the highlights of our district listening tours is the community hike at the conclusion of the week. In 2017, we hiked up Saddle Rock overlooking Wenatchee; the 2018 tour wrapped up with a trek on Patterson Mountain near Winthrop. This year’s community hike will take us to the top of Chelan Butte. The hike will be Saturday, September 7, starting at 9 a.m. If you’ve never hiked Chelan Butte, the trailhead is on the edge of the city of Chelan. The trail offers stunning views of Lake Chelan and the surrounding area. Chelan Mayor Mike Cooney, representatives of the Lake Chelan Trails Alliance, and other local officials will join us. Everyone is invited! No appointments or RSVPs are needed. Please remember to bring sunscreen and water.
Directions to the community hike
 I hope to see you during the listening tour.
Thank you again for the opportunity to serve as your 12th District state senator.
Sincerely,
Brad Hawkins
State Senator
Brad Hawkins
12th Legislative District
E-mail:
brad.hawkins@leg.wa.gov
Website: senatorbradhawkins.org
107 Newhouse Building
- P.O. Box 40412 | Olympia, WA 98504-0412
(360) 786-7622 or Toll-free: (800) 562-6000
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