Today, U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter announced he will host his first government in the grocery of 2011 on Feb. 19 at the Safeway on the corner of Colfax and Garrison in Lakewood.
This will be the first government in the grocery meeting hosted by Perlmutter since the tragic shootings last month in Tucson, AZ.
In the wake of that shooting, Perlmutter and many other politicians were taking a wait and see approach to future public gatherings. Perlmutter had told the Colorado Independent on several occasions that he wanted to continue his grocery meet-ups but wanted to also take every reasonable precaution.
Perlmutter stated, “Over the past few weeks, my staff and I have met with Safeway, other grocery stores and law enforcement in our district, and we are taking the appropriate and responsible precautions to move forward with our Government in the Grocery program and consider the safety of everyone involved. Government in the Grocery is about being available to listen to the hardworking people in the 7th CD in a less formal setting to talk about the issues on their mind. This kind of access is essential to the fabric of our democracy. Safeway has been an outstanding partner in this program since day one, and they are providing a valuable service to our communities by allowing us to hold these office hours in their stores.”
“Our stores are a gathering place for communities in neighborhoods and cities across the nation. Our role as a neighborhood store makes us a natural setting for these types of events. We’ve recently spent a significant amount of time evaluating our company policy surrounding these programs. Safeway periodically hosts events for community organizations, elected officials, and other groups within our neighborhoods. After careful consideration, we have decided to continue allowing elected officials to meet with their constituents at our stores,” said Kris Staaf, Safeway director of public affairs.
Since taking office in 2007, Perlmutter has hosted more than 70 grocery store one-on-one meetings with constituents at grocery stores around the district.
The event will run from 10 am until noon.
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