ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Mayor-Elect Ken Welch was among several mayors who met with President Joe Biden Tuesday, as well as members of his administration.
Welch reported the meetings went well and expressed optimism about securing federal dollars for St. Petersburg.
"It was a very productive day,” said Welch, who takes office Jan. 6. “I met with several secretaries and the President and Vice President. And the thing was, we are at a very unprecedented time in our country, we have unprecedented challenges, but also this abundance of funding to help meet some of those needs.
ABOVE: Watch Tuesday interview with Mayor-elect Ken Welch
“In St. Pete for example, infrastructure, we've got a 3 billion dollar integrated water master plan to fix our pipes and our plants so that we don't pollute our waterways."
Welch, who also met with Vice President Kamala Harris and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, said federal funds could help to not only upgrade the city’s aging water system but also address affordable housing needs.
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St. Petersburg’s next mayor is on his way to the White House.
Mayor-elect Ken Welch is heading to Washington, D.C. on Tuesday to meet with Biden Administration officials.
He is among 10 other newly elected mayors who’ve been invited to meet with cabinet secretaries to discuss key issues like the American Rescue Plan, the infrastructure law and the Build Back Better agenda.
"It's crucial that we are able to leverage those resources to help build our infrastructure in St. Petersburg, so we’re excited about that," Welch said.
He went on to say, "I believe we need to partner at every level whether it's state or national and make sure that we bring those resources down. Thankfully, I have a bit of a leg up as a Biden delegate during his election so we’ve got those relationships and we want to build on that."
Welch is set to be inaugurated on Jan. 6, replacing term-limited Mayor Rick Kriseman.
He defeated Robert Blackmon in the November election.
Spectrum Bay News 9's Trevor Pettiford spoke with Welch about the trip. Use the video player above to watch.