Thomas is currently serving his seventh term in the Iowa House. He serves as the Ranking Member of Economic Growth and Rebuild Iowa committee, and holds positions on Agriculture, Veterans Affairs, and Ways and Means committees, as well as the Transportation Committees and Infrastructure and Capitals Appropriations Budget Subcommittee.

Thomas graduated from Valley Community School in Elgin and entered the United States Air Force. After serving our country, Thomas returned his family to Iowa to start a small business in Wadena. Thomas and his wife, Rosemary now live on the family farm west of Elkader. They have three grown children and four grandchildren. Thomas attended Upper Iowa University in Fayette with a Bachelor of Science in Public Administration. In recent years, Roger was a business consultant for Iowa Workforce Development in Decorah.

Due to redistricting required every ten years by the United States Census, Representative Roger Thomas and Representative Andrew Wenthe were placed in the same legislative house district. Representative Wenthe has decided not to seek re-election. Thomas is familiar to the new district having already previously served the people of Fayette for two terms.

The following will be the ranking members for the 2011 legislative session, which begins on January 10:

• Agriculture – Rep. Helen Miller
• Commerce – Rep. Brian Quirk
• Economic Growth/Rebuild Iowa – Rep. Roger Thomas
• Education – Rep. Nate Willems
• Environmental Protection – Rep. Phyllis Thede
• Ethics – Rep-elect Dan Kelley
• Government Oversight – Rep. Janet Petersen
• Human Resources – Rep. Beth Wessel-Kroeschell
• Judiciary – Rep. Kurt Swaim
• Labor – Rep. Bruce Hunter
• Local Government – Rep-elect John Wittneben
• Natural Resources – Rep. Curt Hanson
• Public Safety – Rep. Bob Kressig
• State Government – Rep. Vicki Lensing
• Transportation – Rep. Jim Lykam
• Veterans Affairs – Rep. Jerry Kearns
• Ways & Means – Rep. Dave Jacoby

The new campground at the north end of the Volga River was funded by a $1.5 million infrastructure appropriation. The 42 new campsites all have electricity and water while 34 have sewer connections as well.  Each campsite has a fire ring and picnic table.  The camp pads are level and 11 are paved, pull through sites.

The project began when roads for the campground were built in 2005.  In 2008, the legislature approved $750,000 to develop the campground and another $750,000 was provided in 2009 to complete the project.

For more information on the Campground visit: http://www.iowadnr.gov/parks/state_park_list/volga_river.html