Washington trip could be worth millions

Wed March 07 2007
Posted Mar 7, 2007
11,416

By JULI PROBASCO-SOWERS REGISTER STAFF WRITER Spending city money to send Johnston officials to Washington, D.C., to meet with legislators could bring in millions of dollars for community projects, city leaders said. Mayor Brian Laurenzo and council members Mary Davis, Richard Tingley and Paula Dierenfeld, and one or two staff members, may take part in a June 6-8 trip set up by the Greater Des Moines Partnership. Johnston leaders estimate the trip will cost $1,750 per person. The per person cost of the three-day trip covers plane tickets, meals and hotel rooms. Money for at least three people to go on the trip is included each year in the budget, but there is money for more to go if needed, City Administrator Jim Sanders said. If Laurenzo can work out his schedule, this will be the fifth time he has taken part in the event. "We go out with a very aggressive agenda," Laurenzo said. "The Johnston delegation meets with both of our senators and at least three out of five of the congressional delegates. We do that to have the one-on-one time to update (lawmakers) on projects...and plant seeds for future project funding." The city leaders will need to decide soon who will be going because there are a limited number of seats on the chartered plane, Sanders said. Johnston leaders would fly as part of a 200-person contingent from Des Moines and the surrounding suburbs. Once there, they will take part in 1days of back-to-back meetings with congressional delegates about Johnston community needs. They plan to meet with Sen. Tom Harkin and Sen. Charles Grassley as well as Rep. Leonard Boswell and Rep. Tom Latham. Laurenzo said the Northwest 70th Avenue improvement project is an example of how the trips help Johnston. Crews are making the street a four-lane divided roadway with turn lanes from Merle Hay Road to Northwest 86th Street. Sanders said to date, $10 million of the approximately $18 million price tag has come from federal money. "We have been meeting annually with the congressional delegation...and then when the last highway bill reauthorization came through, we were able to get $7 million from that bill for the Northwest 70th project," Laurenzo said. He said the roadway project is important on a regional and state level because Camp Dodge, the state headquarters for the Iowa National Guard and homeland security, is along Northwest 70th. The highest priority for this year's Johnston contingent will be securing support for the northwest transportation study, Laurenzo said. Money is needed for work on the study, which includes the cities of Johnston, Grimes, Urbandale and Polk County. The transportation plan will look at issues such as how congestion can be eased where Iowa Highway 141 meets Interstate Highway 35/80, the mayor said. "We'll also be talking about the Northwest 70th project as it continues toward 141," Laurenzo said. A local trail project that will connect a pedestrian/bicycle path to the Neal Smith Trail will be discussed with congressmen as well. Laurenzo said the trip is very tightly scheduled. City and partnership officials work for months in advance with the congressional delegation to get time slots for meetings. "This is a working trip - not that there aren't benefits that come with it," Laurenzo said. "I have found that the camaraderie...we have with the other communities represented there is a great benefit when we get back home. It builds cooperation and the rapport with these other mayors, council members and chamber people, which leads to regional cooperation throughout the year."