Mason City/Clear Lake delegation on ground in Washington on annual lobbying trip

WASHINGTON — A delegation of Mason City and Clear Lake community and business leaders is on the ground today in Washington DC as part of an annual lobbying trip to meet with federal lawmakers and officials.

The group is made up of 17 local leaders representing the cities and Chambers of Commerce of Mason City and Clear Lake, as well as the North Iowa Corridor Economic Development Corporation, Visit Mason City and Main Street Mason City.

Mason City mayor Bill Schickel says they’ll be meeting with north-central Iowa’s congressional delegation of Senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst, as well as Representative Ashley Hinson.  “Trade policy, you know we want to stay on top of that, see how that will be impacting north Iowa. Also, community project funding, we’ve got a number of things we want to be talking with them about that. Housing, we’ll be sharing what we’ve been doing with housing here in Mason City and north Iowa, and also looking for their support in that area.”

Schickel says the delegation wants to make sure federal leaders understand the priorities of north-central Iowa. “This is just really a chance for the great north Iowa delegation to tell the tremendous story of things that we have going on here in north Iowa, to let them know we are here, and to thank them for their service as well.”

The delegation will take a tour of the White House on Friday morning before returning to Iowa later on Friday.