OTTUMWA, IA — Greater Ottumwa Partners in Progress (“GOPIP”), working in conjunction with the League of Women Voters of Ottumwa (“LoWV”), are proud to announce a joint Community Legislative Forum on May 6th, 2023 from 9:30 am until 11 am. The event will be held at the Ottumwa Community School District Board Room located at 331 E. Main St., with parking available immediately behind the building. The public is invited and encouraged to attend. Legislators that plan to be participating are Representative Hans Wilz, Representative Austin Harris, as well as Penny Vacek, Regional Director for U.S. Senator Charles Grassley. This is the first of two scheduled events for 2023, with the second forum being planned at the Indian Hills Community College campus in the fall.
The League of Women Voters of Ottumwa have historically held legislative forums in Ottumwa. For those that have attended in the past, several changes in format will be immediately noticed. The most noticeable change will be that the forum will be livestreamed. This will allow those who are not able to attend in person the opportunity to still be informed and hear from their elected officials. Additionally, for all those attending physically and virtually there will be an opportunity to ask questions during the open question portion of the forum. Both GOPIP and LWV believe that it is critical to utilize technology to meet the voters where they are, in order to help them become informed about the issues that will affect them. Another key factor in the decision to livestream the event is to get student involvement in the political process. As GOPIP Executive Director, Marc Roe, highlights, “It is paramount that we find innovative ways to connect our up-and-coming voters to their elected officials. With time constraints of our active youth and addressing how the new generation interact, livestreaming is an obvious answer. We are excited that the Ottumwa Community School District and Indian Hills Community College have agreed to host these two forums, along with assisting in the youth involvement from an educational standpoint. As one of the key areas of focus for GOPIP is legislative advocacy, we’re excited to be working with the LWV to help take these forums to the next stage and engage the public we have never done in the past.” LWV’s focus on education for the voting process and on specific topics is important for the voter.
GOPIP will serve as the moderator for the forum, with the theme focused on economic development, workforce development, housing, taxes and funding mechanisms. Attendees can expect brief opening statements from the Legislators, and questions from the moderator for the first half of the forum. Attendees will then have the opportunity to communicate directly with the Legislators with questions specific to the topic of economic development. Those attending virtually will have the ability to submit their questions as well.
Greater Ottumwa Partners in Progress is a business engagement and economic development organization whose mission is to collaboratively advance the prosperity of the Ottumwa region. Their vision is to cultivate and help sustain a vibrant and thriving region through collaboration, leadership, innovation, communication and advocacy with integrity. LWV is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization working to protect and expand voting rights and ensure everyone is represented in our democracy.
For questions about the event or to seek accommodations, please contact Greater Ottumwa Partners in Progress at 641-682-3465.
