The City of Hagerstown will join a coalition of private and public entities hiring a lobbyist in Annapolis for the 2007 session of the General Assembly.
The City Council voted 4-1 Tuesday to contribute $3,000 toward the hiring of Michael V. Johansen, who has been asked to focus on four things - funding for the agricultural commercialization program, protection of state funding for a central booking facility, reform of the prisoner release program and funding for library expansion.
"We need people to set up the meetings, take us around and help us craft the message we need to articulate for each of these four," Hagerstown-Washington County Chamber of Commerce President Brien Poffenberger said.
In 2006, the Hagerstown-Washington County Chamber of Commerce, Hagerstown-Washington County Industrial Foundation Inc. (CHIEF), Greater Hagerstown Committee and Washington County Commissioners partnered to hire Johansen and lobby for four other projects.