The timing for the local port authority's annual Washington, D.C., fly-in Feb. 12 couldn't have been better this year for local officials to push potential uses for stimulus money.

"It's certainly one of the things we're talking about, as well as learning more about," said Rick Platt, executive director of the Heath-Newark-Licking County Port Authority.

Heath Mayor Richard Waugh took his list of projects with him.

"It gives you the chance to see the person eye to eye and explain your case," Waugh said. "We have a lot of projects that deserve a closer look."

That's the main purpose of the whole trip: to get local government officials face to face with federal legislators who make decisions that affect the local jurisdictions.

"Our No. 1 mission is just to keep up the contacts," Platt said.

Platt said the port authority started the annual trip three years ago because funding for specific local projects kept getting diverted elsewhere.

"It was started out of a crisis situation," he said. "We realized we needed to be more proactive, and we couldn't wait to see members of Congress when they came to us."

Local officials on the trip, along with Platt, are Waugh, Licking County Commissioner Brad Feightner, Licking County Chamber of Commerce president Cheri Hottinger, port authority board members Ron Sheldon and Tim Weisert, and port authority operations assistant Bill Wright. The following people also went, representing companies in the Central Ohio Aerospace and Technology Center: Mike Emmelhainz of Boeing, Mike Cadenhead of Bionetics and Al Bonacci of Atlantic Inertial Systems.

The group visited U.S. Reps. Zack Space (D-18th district), Pat Tiberi (R-12th district) and Steve Austria (R-7th district), who represents Fairfield Township and Perry County. They also visited staff members of Sens. George Voinovich and Sherrod Brown.

Platt said the group also met with two congressman who represent districts in the Cincinnati area -- one who serves on the state's transportation committee.

Waugh said that if an issue comes down to a vote, he hopes the legislators would remember the conversations they had with the local people.

"If we get funded for one (project), that's great," he said. "If we get funded for two, we'd be ecstatic. If we get funded for three, we'd throw a party."

Platt said the group flies in during the morning and returns home late at night. They do a lot of walking during the trip, but it's worth it, he said.

"It ends up being a long day with a lot of walking, but it's a very productive day, as well," he said.