By Eric Stock
WASHINGTON – Local leaders are making their 10th annual visit to Washington to lobby for federal dollars for various projects, But this ‘One Voice’ has never been louder.
Mike O’Grady, Vice President of the Bloomington-Normal Economic Development Council, told WJBC’s Scott Laughlin, a record 39 leaders are on this trip.
PODCAST: Listen to Scott’s interview with O’Grady on WJBC.
“It is one voice,” O’Grady said. “We’ve picked three projects and we have labor, we have education, we have government and we have business on this trip.”
The three projects are completion of Hamilton Road in Bloomington, improved mental health services in McLean County and school programs for science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).
The group met with multiple members of Congress on Thursday; U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill.; U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill.; U.S. Reps. Cheri Bustos, D-East Moline; Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville; Adam Kinzinger, R-Channahon and Darin LaHood, R-Peoria.
The group has secured $25 million for local projects in the decade since it was founded.
“I think we’ve been fairly successful,” O’Grady said.
Much of that funding was for Normal’s Uptown Station. Funds have been secured for Lexington water treatment system and a business incubator.
O’Grady added there’s additional benefit for those who make the trip to Washington.
“When they come back to the community those connections are valuable as businesses and or government need to talk,” O’Grady said. “It opens that door and creates those opportunities for all of us.”
Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].
