Leadership heads to J’ville Day in Austin

Sun, May 18 2008

— By Cristin Ross
cross@jacksonvilleprogress.com
Jacksonville is special, and officials at the state Capitol know it.
That’s why today and Wednesday have been proclaimed “Jacksonville Day in Austin” this year.
The Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce’s Jacksonville Leadership Institute traveled to Austin this morning to visit the capitol and Cherokee County legislators Sen. Robert Nichols and Rep. Chuck Hopson.
“When we’re in session during the odd years, the group also gets to meet other legislators,” Hopson said.
Visitors will also get the chance to take pictures with Hopson and Nichols, too.
The visit gives Leadership Institute members a chance to see how municipal, county and state leaders all work together to keep Texas going.
“I’m very excited to see them visiting. I remember when we — the chamber and the city of Jacksonville — got the Leadership group going many years ago,” said Nichols, who is a also a former Jacksonville mayor. “When we first started the Leadership group there were lots of people interested in getting involved in the community, but there wasn’t any effort to pull them in.
“It’s important to inform our future leaders on how all the agencies of the govern-