By John Lynds
With former East Boston Mayoral Liaison Claudia Correa taking on a new role at the city’s Inspectional Services Department, there has been a void left in the neighborhood when it comes to constituent services. While Neighborhood Service’s Deputy Director Tomas Gonzalez has been filling in since Correa’s departure in July, city officials have finally announced her replacement.
Last week, officials appointed Eastie resident Jesus Garcia as Correa’s replacement.
“I’m very excited to have Jesus (Garcia) join the Office of Neighborhood Services,” said Mayor Walsh. “East Boston is a neighborhood with a very civically-engaged population, and Jesus has demonstrated his commitment to providing excellent services to the constituents he serves.”
As the East Boston Liaison, Garcia will serve as the primary contact for constituents looking to connect with the Mayor’s Office.
Garcia’s first official day on the job was last Monday and he appeared before the Harbor View Neighborhood Association to introduce himself and provide his contact information so residents can begin contacting him as neighborhood issues arise.
“Today is my first day on the job and I’m very excited and a little nervous because I did so many things today in the neighborhood,” joked Garcia at the meeting. “I am honored to be named the liaison for East Boston by Mayor Walsh. Mayor Walsh has made listening and assisting East Boston residents a priority and I cannot wait to continue that mission in City Hall.”
Garcia added that he looks forward to working with all of Eastie’s residents and continue the work that Correa has done during her time as liaison.
Garcia, a native Spanish speaker, moved from Mexico to the United States in 2009 to work as Deputy Officer in the Department of Citizen Protection at the Consulate General of Mexico in Boston. In that job, he built nine years of experience in constituent services assisting immigrant populations in five New England states.
“Now I look forward to not only continuing to help that population in East Boston but the rest of the residents who live here,” he said.
Garcia received his Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (National Autonomous University of Mexico) in 2009. In his free time Garcia said he enjoys exploring his home neighborhood of Eastie, traveling, and experiencing the different cuisines and cultures in Boston.
“I live in Eastie and I think it a wonderful community,” he said.
Garcia is sure to become a familiar face at Eastie at numerous community meetings, special events as he works to encourage, facilitate and maximize Eastie’s input and participation in all aspects of city government. Dealing with service requests, mailings, and emergency responses Garcia will be on call 24-hours a day as part of the city’s Office of Neighborhood Services.