Trip to D.C. brings back important connections

CALHOUN & CLAY, Miss. (WCBI)- There’s an old saying “You never know until you ask” and that’s what drove some city and county leaders to attend a conference in the nation’s capital.

Now, they not only know what’s out there but also who to ask.

Last week, local leaders made a trip to Washington D.C. for a conference.

They came back with a wealth of information, but more importantly, they made valuable contacts.

“It was just an overview of what they can offer us and gave us names, phone numbers, and contact information. If we have a problem, they wanted us to be able to talk to a human. Somebody we can call and say ‘hey this is what we need in Calhoun County,’ and you have that contact. It was more of a personal, personable relationship,” says Sheriff Greg Pollan.

Representatives from several agencies, including the Departments of Transportation and Education, fielded questions and addressed local concerns.

“They were genuinely concerned about whatever topic that was brought up. Whatever we had and if they didn’t have the answer, you were allowed to meet with them off stage afterwards and say ‘hey this is what I need and this is what Calhoun needs,’ and they will put you in contact with an individual that would try to help you with your problem,” says Pollan.

One of those concerns was the importance of grants.

“Big thing with us is grants. Small rural counties like ours, we depend a lot on these grants, and they’ve dried up on the over the last year. We’ve really been lobbying trying to get more support, and we’re actually seeing it, and they’re telling us more support is coming,” says Sheriff Eddie Scott.

Both Sheriff Pollan and Sheriff Scott think the connections made will have a positive impact in their communities.

“I could pick the phone up now and call someone at the Department of Education where I couldn’t a week ago or in the Justice Department in DC, but now we have those numbers, and I can actually pick up the phone and call someone,” says Sheriff Pollan.

“There were some stuff that were available on the law enforcement side that I didn’t know about until I went and heard this. Basically, that’s what it was opening up avenues to rural America, and that’s what they portraying it as opening up a rural America to be able to talk to leaders and kinda get a pulse on what’s going on and what’s needed,” says Sheriff Scott.

Sheriff Pollan says the trip was a once in a life time experience that he will never forget.