By Betsy Levinson
betsy@theconcordbridge.org
Several town officials attended “Third District Day” in Washington D.C. late last month, including a visit with Rep. Lori Trahan.
For Town Manager Kerry Lafleur, the focus was on the upcoming 250th anniversary of the Concord Fight in 2025.
“This event will be celebrated around Patriots Day on April 21, 2025,” she wrote to Trahan. She noted that, in 1975, then-President Gerald Ford attended “as well as hundreds of thousands of visitors.”
One member of the contingent, Economic Vitality Manager Mimi Graney noted that the practice of inviting leaders from the district to D.C. for the day was halted during the pandemic “so this was the first gathering in several years.”
“For me, new to working in this community, it was helpful to connect with local leaders of a diverse congressional district that stretches north to Haverhill, Haverhill, Lawrence and Lowell, west to Fitchburg and Gardner, and as far south as Marlborough.”
Lafleur thanked Trahan for helping to “secure and protect critical federal dollars that benefit the region and residents, businesses and tourists in Concord.” The federal government doled out pandemic relief funds, known as ARPA, to the town, as well as passing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act “and we value your fight to preserve these funds for the towns in your district.”
Graney said Trahan is a member of the Committee for Energy and Commerce. She learned about the importance of the CHIPS and Science Act and the Inflation Reduction Act.
“Catching my ear was discussion about the advancement of tech hubs,” said Graney. “Concord could be an appropriate place for second stage tech companies as it will represent an opportunity within this region’s commercial eco-system that is well suited to our local workforce and commercial spaces. Also of interest was newly redefined grants for multi-modal transportation projects to aid local infrastructure needs and support Concord’s commercial centers.”
Lafleur said the town intends to use future ARPA funds to purchase and install an electric vehicle charging station at the public safety building, conduct energy audits for municipal buildings, conduct a feasibility for the public works campus to evaluate its aging infrastructure, and accelerate the town’s work in building energy audits to lower the town’s carbon footprint.
“Our primary goal was to reignite relationships and like any relationship those take time,” said Graney. “As a next step we’re looking forward to scheduling a site visit with the congresswoman’s staff to town later this year.”
