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Fort Dodge, Webster County leaders to visit DC to lobby

A delegation of Fort Dodge and Webster County leaders will return to Washington, D.C., this week to continue working with federal officials on projects important to the area.

The group will depart Tuesday, spend Wednesday and Thursday in the nation’s capital, and then return Friday.

While in Washington, the group will meet with members of Congress, their aides and representatives of some federal agencies.

Topics to be discussed include the possible construction of an intermodal hub on First Avenue South downtown, Environmental Protection Agency grants, and the renewal of the Higher Education Act to benefit programs at Iowa Central Community College.

Since about 2000, local leaders have been annually traveling to Washington. Former U.S. Rep. Tom Latham, a Republican, encouraged Fort Dodge officials to have a presence in the capital.

“Over the past decades we have built some great relationships with not only the elected delegation but the staff,” Mayor Matt Bemrich said.

“So when things are moving very quickly, we know who to reach,” he added. “The No. 1 thing is to continue to foster those great relationships.”

Having such relationships is important when trying to secure federal money for local projects, according to the mayor.

Bemrich said keeping in touch with members of Congress and their aides can “best facilitate getting the dollars that our community and region sends out there and getting them back here and putting them to work.”

These individuals will represent Fort Dodge and Webster County in Washington, D.C., this week:

• Fort Dodge Mayor Matt Bemrich

• Webster County Supervisor Mark Campbell

• Webster County Supervisor Nick Carlson

• Fort Dodge Councilman Neven Conrad

• Fort Dodge City Manager David Fierke

• Kelly Halsted, economic development director of the Greater Fort Dodge Growth Alliance

• Jim Kersten, vice president of external affairs and government relations at Iowa Central Community College

• Fort Dodge Councilwoman Lydia Schuur

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