Congressman Mike Bost spent most of his day Thursday in Centralia visiting with city, school, and one Hope United officials as well as veterans.
The first stop was a meeting with Public Works Director Jeff Schwartz to tour the existing water treatment plant and the site of the planned new facility. City officials, which also included Mayor Bryan Kuder and City Manager Kory Smith, were able to provide Bost with more valuable information about the project to replace the aging infrastructure that serves the community. They say it was an opportunity for him to see firsthand the reason behind the request for funding such as with Congressionally Directed Spending, IEPA loans, and STAG grants.
Centralia High School was the next step of the visit where Bost met with Superintendent Dr. Chuck Lane and school staff. He then engaged in discussions with students from several government and history classes which were a great opportunity for them to discuss current events and issues that are important to them.
The Congressman, who is the 15th Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, participated in a discussion with residents at city hall. The gathering included members of the Centralia Veterans Affairs Committee, DAR, and the American Legion. Bost listened to concerns and exchanged insight and resources about the support system in place for them.
Bost then visited One Hope United where he joined Kuder and Smith in a meeting with the organization’s leadership, learning about their ongoing efforts to provide support, services, and resources to vulnerable children and families.
Mayor Kuder expressed his appreciation for the Congressman’s visit, noting they are grateful for Congressman Bost’s support and commitment to Centralia. Kuder says his active involvement strengthens a great future for Centralia.
