MILL SPRING – Foothills Regional Commission was thrilled to host its fifth annual Legislative Breakfast on Monday, Jan. 24 at Tryon International Equestrian Center with more than 70 people in attendance.
The event offers local leaders an opportunity to connect with state and federal representatives and discuss the region’s most pressing topics. After a welcome from Foothills Board Chairman Fred Baisden, NC House Speaker Tim Moore (District 111) kicked off this year’s gathering with comments on how the state budget and pandemic relief funds will serve Western North Carolina — specifically in the areas of economic development and infrastructure.
Mr. Moore’s legislative message was followed by ones from NC Senator Ted Alexander (District 44), NC Representative Kelly Hastings (District 110), NC Representative Jake Johnson (District 113), NC Commissioner of Labor Josh Dobson, and Jordan Barnes, NC Regional Representative for US Senator Thom Tillis, with many of the officials speaking about monies coming to the region in support of broadband, workforce development, and other important projects. A brief period of discussion followed the messages.
Although the crowd was somewhat smaller than previous legislative breakfasts, Chairman Baisden said the event was a success, with representation from every body of government in the Foothills region.
“These events are important because our legislators get to see the people that they represent firsthand and they get to hear back from the people from the communities about what their issues are and what they need help with, as well,†Mr. Baisden said. He added that the breakfast also gives legislators and local representatives a chance to share the ways they have confronted common problems, learning from others’ experiences and building upon them in order to better serve their own communities.
