Albany Area Chamber of Commerce meets with Congress in D.C.

ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - Albany city leaders are gathering in the nation’s capital.

They’re working with members of Congress to grow jobs in the community, but they need funding to do so first.

Albany and Dougherty County leaders headed to Washington, D.C. to ask for support and funding to create more jobs back home.

“That federal funding and that state funding is very important for us to start growing the industry back around us,” said Albany resident Richard Demott.

Demott’s concern is one the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce shares, which is how to create jobs and grow business.

“We’ve taken on infrastructure, transportation infrastructure specifically, with the passage of T-SPLOST, but we still know throughout the state and country, we need infrastructure upgrades,” said Albany Area Chamber of Commerce CEO Barbara Rivera Holmes.

Community leaders are meeting with state representatives this week to ask for funding, particularly for ways to expand transportation routes for trucks shipping goods in and out of the county, especially with new businesses, like the Georgia Pacific Lumber Plant, opening in town.

“Those investments impact every facet of commerce throughout the country,” said Holmes.

It’s even more than just showing members of Congress why they should invest in transportation infrastructure. It’s upgrading infrastructure throughout the city, like water sanitation and sewer systems.

“As our community strengthens, our partners grow,” said Holmes.

Something Demott said is just what the city needs to see business grow.

“The key is getting the grants and having somebody to write the grants and obtain the grants for us to do it,” Demott said.

Community members are meeting with representatives Tuesday until Thursday. They meet with Senator David Perdue on Thursday.

This is the largest meeting of Albany representatives in the event’s 15 year history. This is part of the city’s annual “Washington D.C. Fly In.”

Members of the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce and Marine Corps Logistics Base are meeting with state representatives.

Congress funds the military, so the base needs federal funding to expand and if the base can grow, it can create new jobs, as well.

“The Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany is one of our largest employers and they are actually critical to our national defense. So we take the role of advocating on behalf of the Marines here in Albany," said Holmes.

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