CITY LEADERS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY, INCLUDING SOME IN OUR AREA, SPENT SOME TIME IN THE NATION'S CAPITAL FOR A SPECIAL CONFERENCE. 40-29'S LAKYRA BANKS JOINS US TONIGHT WITH MORE ON WHAT LOCAL LEADERS LEARNED AND WHAT THEY HOPE TO BRING HOME WITH THEM. ((LAKYRA ON CAM)) LEADERS FROM SPRINGDALE, BENTONVILLE, AND FORT SMITH SPENT A WEEK IN WASHINGTON D-C- ADDRESSING ISSUES THAT ARE IMPACTING THEIR CITIES. CITY OFFICIALS FROM NORTHWEST ARKANSAS HAD THEIR OWN PRIORITIES AT THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES CONFERENCE. SPRINGDALE MAYOR- DOUG SPROUSE- SPENT TIME ADDRESSING PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERNS IN THE CITY. <> "We have we have really made an effort to make sure that our first responders are appreciated there. They're as well paid as we can possibly pay them. We give them good working conditions and try to attract and retain those those public safety employees." MEANWHILE- THE DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION FOR THE CITY OF BENTONVILLE, DEBBIE GRIFFIN- HIGHLIGHTED THE IMPORTANCE OF INFRASTRUCTURE. <> "At the city level, our leaders are looking at affordable housing and the solutions that we can. And workforce housing, because I think that's you know, that's something that has to be addressed as we continue to grow." GRIFFIN AND SPROUSE SAY THEY SPENT TIME WITH MEMBER OF THE ARKANSAS CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION LEARNING THE BEST WAYS TO NAVIGATE THOSE ISSUES. "a lot of the things that we heard about were grant opportunities and funding opportunities at a federal level. We did have one afternoon where we got one on one time with our Arkansas congressional delegation, and that's invaluable. Time to talk about what's happening in our area, our district, talk about the opportunities for federal grants." BOTH OFFICIALS SAY NORTHWEST ARKANSAS SHAPES UP NICELY WHEN COMPARED TO OTHER CITIES ACROSS THE NATION- BUT THERE'S STILL WORK THAT NEEDs TO BE DONE. "I'm very proud of the way Northwest Arkansas has changed." <> ""think some of the problems that we're dealing with are pale in comparison to some things that people are dealing with in other areas. So I think we're super fortunate in northwest Arkansas, but still a lot of work to be done." ((LAKYRA ON CAM)) FORT SMITH CITY ADMINISTRATOR CARL GEFFEN AL