NATCHEZ — Three Natchez aldermen are headed to Washington, D.C., for a five-day conference to lobby for funds to complete a few city projects and in hopes of learning some innovative ways to better the city.

Ward 1 Alderwoman Joyce Arceneaux-Mathis, Ward 2 Alderman James “Rickey” Gray and Ward 6 Alderman Dan Dillard will be attending the annual National League of Cities’ 2012 Congressional City Conference, which starts today and goes through Tuesday.

Mathis said the conference will allow the aldermen to network with local officials from other cities, participate in educational workshops and lobby legislators for project funding.

“We talk to other officials about what’s working for them, what’s working for us, as well as problems we are facing in our communities,” she said.

The U.S. House of Representatives is not in session next week. Mathis said she and the aldermen will only meet with Sens. Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker to follow up on projects discussed by Natchez City Engineer David Gardner and Natchez National Historical Park Superintendent Kathleen Jenkins during their meetings with legislators last month.

Mathis and Gray both said they will ask legislators to ensure the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers funds earmarked for the North Natchez Drainage Project are not in danger of being cut.

“All earmarks are frozen,” Mathis said. “But that money is supposed to be locked down and safe for the city, and we just want to make sure of that.”

Mathis said she will also be seeking information about any grants or other funding to complete the North Natchez Drainage Project, Marblestone Road project and for other infrastructure improvements.

“We are the oldest city on the Mississippi River, so naturally our infrastructure is the oldest, and we need extra funding to make infrastructure improvements,” she said.

Gray said he will focus heavily lobbying to ensure budget cuts for the Emergency Watershed Protection and Community Block Development Grant programs have not affected funding of several projects in Ward 2.

“Right now we’re rehabbing Daisy Street with a CBDG grant, and every year they cut from CBDG,” he said. “We also have several places approved for EWP, but the funding has not trickled down yet.”

Mathis said the trip will be a great success if the aldermen can find any pocket of money to help complete the North Natchez Drainage Project and other big projects, as well as keep Natchez on the minds of legislators and learn innovative ways to better the various aspects of the community.

Mathis and Gray both said the networking and workshop topics range from infrastructure, housing and economic development to public education, neighborhood revitalization and diversity.

“If there is a community that needs diversity, it’s Natchez,” Gray said.

Mathis said she hopes to learn more about ideas discussed at past conferences, including health initiatives and citywide ethnic celebrations.

The aldermen will also be able to meet with federal department heads, Mathis said, to get information on which programs to look at for funding during these tough economic times.

“You never know what kind of programs are out there until you go learn about them,” she said. “That’s why it’s important to go on these trips.”

Gray said the annual trips helps maintain a good working relationship with legislators.

“You need to go regardless of if you need money or not,” he said. “Everything that’s done in government is based on relationships, and I think we have a good relationships with our legislators because of these trips.”

Temple Hendricks, the mayor’s administrative assistant, made the travel arrangements for the aldermen’s trip. Hendricks said the average daily cost of the trip for each alderman is approximately $505, which includes the conference registration fees, a few NLC-hosted meals and events, airfare and hotel costs.

The trip totals approximately $7,575, and Natchez City Clerk Donnie Holloway said the money for the trip will be deducted from the $10,000 the board allocated for travel expenses in this fiscal year’s budget.

Mathis said she will make a PowerPoint presentation at one of the aldermen’s meetings following the conference to highlight the information and ideas the aldermen get from the conference.