Congressman Jerry McNerney meets with Mayor Bob Johnson on Thursday morning at Hutchins Street Square. (Brian Feulner/News-Sentinel)

McNerney chats with Lodi leaders; gets rundown of city's major issues

Congressman Jerry McNerney swung through Lodi on Thursday where he learned about the city's issues.

The newly elected congressman said he would return to Washington excited about bringing more passenger rails to the Central Valley. McNerney said he'd also try to allocate federal dollars for Lodi's groundwater contamination cleanup.

City Manager Blair King said he gave McNerney a presentation on a number of Lodi's issues including the groundwater contamination cleanup, transportation needs, homeland security funding and Community Development Block Grants.

"We didn't delve deeply into any of the issues," King said. "We provided a broad-brush look at the issues."

McNerney also met with Mayor Bob Johnson, Vice Mayor JoAnne Mounce and other senior city staff.

The democratic congressman said the meeting was educational.

"I got an initial understanding of what the city is facing," he said.

McNerney said he discussed the issue of bringing a commuter train to Lodi. The Altamont Commuter Express train is considering expanding service from the Bay Area to Sacramento with a potential stop in Lodi. McNerney, a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said he was "excited" about the idea of bringing more passenger rail service to the Central Valley.

"It's an issue that is very important to the committee," he said.

He also said it was a possibility that he could help the city obtain federal funds to help with the PCE/TCE groundwater contamination cleanup.

Johnson said the meeting was a good chance to get to know the congressman and introduce him to the issues.

"It seemed he had an interest in many areas of our concern," Johnson said. "He seemed cognizant of the issue of light rail and seemed interested in seeing that move forward."

McNerney, an alternative energy specialist, was also interested in Lodi Electric Utility's alternative sources of power such as geothermal and wind, according to Johnson.

King said the purpose of the introductory meeting was not to elicit promises from the congressman.

"We weren't asking for anything, and we didn't expect anything," he said.

McNerney, who defeated incumbent Richard Pombo in November, said he was looking forward to working with Lodi officials in the future. The congressman from Pleasanton said he would spend his weekdays in Washington and his weekends in his home district.

Contact reporter Matt Brown at mattb@lodinews.com.

First published: Friday, January 26, 2007