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Making their case

Local leaders display teamwork in nation’s capital

-Submitted photo
A delegation of Fort Dodge and Webster County leaders met with U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley, a Republican, during their visit to Washington, D.C. In the front row, from left, are Fort Dodge City Councilwoman Megan Secor; Sarah Rustvold, director of aviation at Fort Dodge Regional Airport; Vickie Reeck, representing Snyder & Associates; Astra Ferris, chief executive officer of the Greater Fort Dodge Growth Alliance; Grassley; Jesse Ulrich, president of Iowa Central Community College; Luke Hugghins, representing McClure Engineering Co.; and Jill Nelson, vice president of strategic initiatives at Iowa Central Community College. In the back row, from left, are Chad Schaeffer, chief development officer for the city of Fort Dodge; Fort Dodge Mayor Dave Flattery; Fort Dodge City Councilman Scott Davis; Webster County Supervisor Austin Hayek; and Jim Kersten.

Collaboration was the key as a group representing Fort Dodge, Webster County, the Greater Fort Dodge Growth Alliance and Iowa Central Community College visited Washington, D.C. to promote the community.

“We are collaboratively working together to grow our community,” Astra Ferris, chief executive officer of the Greater Fort Dodge Growth Alliance, said Wednesday evening in a phone interview from the nation’s capital.

In what is an annual event, the local delegation traveled to Washington on Monday. The group then spent Tuesday and Wednesday meeting with federal officials. The itinerary included meetings with Republican U.S. senators Joni Ernst and Charles Grassley and U.S. representatives Randy Feenstra, R-Hull, and Ashley Hinson, R- Cedar Rapids. The group also met with representatives of the departments of Transportation and Agriculture plus the Environmental Protection Agency.

An especially meaningful meeting was held at the U.S. Small Business Administration offices. The group met with former Fort Dodge resident Lisa Shimkat, who is the agency’s associate administrator of field operations.

Ferris said Shimkat has “such a powerful and pivotal role.”

The group also met with SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler. Ferris said it was the first time that a local group met with a Cabinet-level officer during a Washington trip.

The group will return to Fort Dodge today.

“What we bring to Washington is our optimism, our vision for the future, ” Fort Dodge Mayor Dave Flattery said. “I think they are all impressed with that.”

Webster County Supervisor Austin Hayek said the collaboration between local governments, the community college and the private sector “is the model that the rest of Iowa needs to be following.”

Iowa Central Community College President Jesse Ulrich described the trip as a “very productive couple of days.”

Ulrich said he asked the members of Congress to fully fund a form of student financial aid called Pell grants. He said nearly 90 percent of Iowa Central students are eligible for Pell grants.

He said he was happy to hear the members of Congress acknowledge community colleges as the “driving force” connecting students to in-demand jobs.

Flattery said the group learned about innovative initiatives for workforce recruitment and housing strategies.

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