By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
A delegation from the greater St. Joseph area has returned from a trip to Washington, D.C. in which members lobbied for various interests in the region.
St. Joseph Deputy Mayor, Randy Schultz, says a big push was lobbying for new cargo planes for the Air National Guard 139th Airlift Wing. Schultz points out the base at Rosecrans Memorial Airport trains pilots from throughout the country and around the world at the Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Center, using the new “J” model C-130s.
“We train everybody in the world how to fly the C-130s and the J models. We don’t have the J models, yet. So, that’s why we’re out there pushing pretty hard for the last three years,” Schultz says during an appearance on KFEQmmunity. “That does two things. That keeps our base modernized, but then it also gives our base longevity to stay.”
The 139th generates up to $220 million in economic activity for the greater St. Joseph area.
Schultz says the delegation didn’t receive any promises, but did get some positive signs when it met with the leader of the Air National Guard. Schultz says the head of the Air Guard does notice the region speaks with a unified voice.
“He sees us coming and he’s always amazed how we all are one unit, one group, one voice.”
Along with area political and business leaders, the delegation includes education officials representing the St. Joseph School District and Missouri Western State University along with North Central Missouri College in Trenton.
Education and transportation are big points of interest, according to Schultz.
“They’re all out there, too. Lobbying (for) things they can help us with,” Schultz says. “It’s either infrastructure, money, things like that.”
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