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Bost meets with local officials during regional listening tour

MARION - Congressman Mike Bost (R-Murphysboro) met with local officials and the Greater Egypt Regional Planning Commission on Tuesday afternoon in Marion.

The meeting was part of Bost's infrastructure listening tour across Southern Illinois during the Easter district work period. It included stops in Benton, Mt. Vernon, and Madison County.

Bost started the day in Benton, where he heard from local officials angling for federal funding help to complete an off-ramp on Interstate 57 that will lead directly to the city's industrial parks.

That access is now considered a high priority for local officials with the expansion of Mincon that has acquired the 4,000-square-foot facility that once housed the Bombardier boat manufacturing company.

That company closed its doors in 2012, leaving 300 or so employees without jobs.

Marion Mayor Anthony Rinella said the possibility of new jobs with Mincon, as well as new industry locating in the building, is a plus for the region.

"None of our communities can supply a whole workforce," he said. "That force is going to be spread out among the various communities of Southern Illinois. When things of that nature come to the region, the whole region benefits, not just one particular town."

During the Marion meeting that included mayor and officials from across five counties, Bost heard concerns, wants, and needs from the local leaders.

The expansion of Interstate 57 is an ongoing project that will affect several of those communities.

Carrie Nelson, the program engineer for District 6 of the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), provided a detailed account of the current expansion project between Johnston City and West Frankfort. She also gave an overview, including funding needs, for the continued expansion of Illinois Route 13 between Marion and Carbondale.

Nelson explained that the current work in progress from Giant City Road to Reed Station Road, is costly due to the number of bridges.

Bost was using the tour as an assessment of local needs and priorities as Congress prepares to create a federal transportation infrastructure bill. He welcomed input from all of those in attendance.

"We can all agree that investing in our infrastructure is vitally important to creating jobs and spurring economic growth in Southern Illinois," said Bost. "As a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I'll have a seat at the table for any major infrastructure legislation that makes its way through Congress. But it's absolutely essential that I hear from locals about our infrastructure needs. And that's exactly why I'm traveling across Southern Illinois over the next two weeks on my 'Infrastructure Tour' to receive updates from stakeholders in our local communities. "

Marion Mayor-elect Mike Absher attended the meeting but was focused on listening.

"I'm not the mayor yet," he said.

Rinella was not at the meeting. "I didn't get that memo," he said. However, he did say that Marion has several infrastructure needs, beginning with wastewater issues.

"Some of our biggest issues in Marion going forward are those you can't see like wastewater," he said.

Rinella said he hopes that grants or low-interest loans will be made available for work in that nature.

"Mike (Absher) and I have had several conversations and we'll have more. I'm not going anywhere and I'm here to help this city in any way I can."

Rinella added that, "things don't happen overnight. I hope people will give Mike a chance to get things done."

Absher said in listening to Bost's explanation of the infrastructure bill, he is "a little concerned."

"This really should be a bipartisan effort," he said, "and I'm not sure right now that is the case."

Absher said that Marion could take advantage of any number of opportunities to address infrastructure needs.

Leaders from across Southern Illinois met with Congressman Mike Bost (R-Murphysboro) at the Greater Egypt Regional Planning and Development Commission in Marion on Tuesday to discuss infrastructure needs for their communities. Holly Kee photo