The Indianola, Norwalk, and Carlisle Chambers of Commerce partnered to host the Warren County Legislative Luncheon on Wednesday, hosted virtually for the first time. Attendees heard from the representatives of the three cities including Indianola Mayor Pam Pepper, Carlisle City Administrator Deven Markley, and Norwalk City Manager Luke Nelson.

Also speaking was newly elected Warren County Supervisor Darren Heater, newly elected State Representative Brooke Boden, and State Senator Julian Garrett, discussing and taking questions about local and statewide legislative priorities for 2021, and the effects the year of 2020 may have on the future.

Prior to President Trump’s supporters’ siege of the U.S. Capitol, Congresswoman Cindy Axne spoke at the meeting, discussing 2021 legislative priorities, including working with the rest of the Iowa representatives to be the voice for Iowans.

“We’ve got to work together, so when I held a meeting as now the Dean of the Iowa Delegation, the way we were able to get things done last term, was when Representatives Finkenaur and Loebsack and I were just relentless. Whether it was chasing the Speaker down on the floor to get the USMCA passed, whether it was bombarding the head of Ways and Means to pass the Biodiesel Tax Extender that had been laying there for three years, we made that happen. So our conversation was when we are competing against states like California with 40 representatives, New York 30, 27 out of Florida, I said to my colleagues we need to be the voice of 10 representatives to get what we need here in Iowa. We are all on board with that, and we will do everything we possibly can do to be as successful for our district as possible”

Senator Joni Ernst was unable to attend the meeting.