On July 19 and July 20, a group of community leaders traveled to D.C. for the 2022 Council Bluffs Area Chamber of Commerce D.C. Fly-In. There was strong representation from throughout the community, with the City of Council Bluffs, Iowa Western Community College, Lewis Central Community School District, Methodist Jennie Edmundson, Google, and the CB Chamber all represented.
The trip was made possible by the generous support of Google, which has two facilities in Council Bluffs, one of which is one of their largest global data centers.
This was the first time in three years such a trip has been able to be made, so not only was it great to visit with Members of Congress from Iowa and Nebraska, as well as officials from the U.S. DOT, but it was an opportunity for local leaders to be together to discuss key issues and get to know one another on a more personal level.
Key policy issues that were addressed included the planning and construction of a multi-modal bridge and streetcar across the Missouri River and into Council Bluffs to connect to Omaha’s planned system, workforce and education issues impacting talent attraction and retention, the economy, specifically inflation, supply chain challenges, interest rates, and trade, immigration and refugee policy, and tech/antitrust issues.
All merit their own consideration and are important to the community, but a good portion of the conversation centered on the prospects of the construction of a multi-modal bridge and streetcar system in Council Bluffs. This is a major project and capital expense for the community, so educating our elected officials on both sides of the river, as well as the U.S. DOT, was extremely important.
As noted earlier, it was also especially important to provide our community leaders an opportunity to travel together and interact and get to know one another better, especially considering the challenges of the last few years. Since 2020, there are several new community leaders in Council Bluffs, several of which were on the trip, and making such opportunities available and continually being a conduit and making such resources available to our partners and key stakeholders is one of the foundations of the Council Bluffs Area Chamber of Commerce.
“Looking ahead to future trips to Washington, D.C., the CB Cha
mber is excited to build on the successes of this year’s trip and provide additional engagement and educational opportunities in the future,” says Drew Kamp, president & CEO of the CB Chamber. “The CB Chamber is committed to continuous improvement to meet the needs of our members and community and our Annual Trip D.C. Fly-In will continue to do just that with the generous support of our public, private, and nonprofit partners.”
Election Day
The next general election in Pottawattamie County is scheduled for Tuesday, November 8, 2022. This is the election in which federal and state officers, members of Congress and of the general assembly, county and township officers, and other officers will appear on the ballot.
The Council Bluffs Area Chamber of Commerce encourages all eligible voters to take advantage of your basic right to vote! This is your opportunity to vote for the individuals making the decisions that impact the vast majority of your tax dollars and government services.
The CB Chamber also encourages you to be an educated voter. Take some time to learn about the issues and the candidates running for office. As the election day gets closer, the CB Chamber will be hosting candidate forums and posting information for voters to learn more about the candidates. For details, please visit www.councilbluffsiowa.com.
On election day, polls are open from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM. You can register to vote at your polling place on Election Day.
Important Dates and Deadlines:
• 1st day to submit Absentee Ballot Request Forms – Tuesday, August 30, 2022
• Filing Deadline – Ag Extension, Soil & Water – Wednesday, August 31, 2022
• Absentee Ballots ready to be mailed – Wednesday, October 19, 2022
• Voter Pre-Registration Deadline – Monday, October 24, 2022
• Last Day to mail Absentee Ballots – Monday, October 24, 2022
In Pottawattamie County, the polls will be open on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Voters going to the polls on Election Day will be required to provide ID in order to cast a regular ballot. When requesting an absentee ballot or when voting absentee at the courthouse, voters are required to provide either their driver’s license or non-operator’s ID number or their four-digit voter PIN.
For additional information on elections in Pottawattamie County, please visit https://elections.pottcounty-ia.gov/ or contact the Pottawattamie County Auditor’s office at (712) 328-5700.
Address: 149 West Broadway, Council Bluffs, IA 51503
Contact Us: (712) 325-1000 | drew@councilbluffsiowa.com
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