Two Thorsby leaders are about to finish up their trip to our nation’s capital to see if they can get in line for federal funding.

Mayor Dearl Hilyer and Council member Tara Jewell went to Washington this week with several Jemison city leaders to participate in the National League of Municipalities Conference. Hilyer hopes the training and the contact with national leaders will help the town obtain federal help.

“We’re going to meet with our two U.S. Senators and Congressman [Spencer] Bachus and represent the Town of Thorsby,” Hilyer said last week. “We hope that this will lead to additional funding for the town.”

For the first time, Thorsby has submitted a federal appropriations form. Some of the projects town officials hope for help with include a new water tank for the city, renovation of the old school for a community center, a new disinfecting system for the sewer and adding new sewer lines for the possibility of a new school.

When he meets with the state representatives, Hilyer said he will likely talk about some of these projects.

At the conference, Hilyer said there will be numerous classes for training and giving out important information to municipal leaders across the nation.

Hilyer decided to team up with Jemison officials on the Washington trip so he could go along with a group that has already been to the conference.

“We’re new to the process, and we just wanted to go along with people who knew what was going on,” he said. “Our Jemison friends have been great to help us through this process. We’re developing a good working relationship with our neighbors to the north.”