1999 City Livability Guidelines Make Application For Awards Easier Than Ever Conference of Mayors and Waste Management Celebrate Tenth Anniversary of Collaboration on City Livability Program

By Kay Scrimger

The United States Conference of Mayors-Waste Management 1999 City Livability Awards Program opened in early February with the mailing of the application and guidelines to mayors of cities of 30,000 or more.

"We encourage you to participate in the City Livability Awards Program by selecting one or more of your city government programs, or "best practices," that have improved the quality of life for your community and its residents," said Conference of Mayors President Deedee Corradini of Salt Lake City. "By sharing your ideas, programs and policies, you help all of us meet our continuing challenges as mayors.

In the words of John E. Drury, Chief Executive Officer of Waste Management, "Waste Management, together with The U. S. Conference of Mayors, has brought well-deserved national recognition to mayors and cities for their innovations in developing programs designed to enrich the cities and communities we live in. What better way to fulfill our strong corporate commitment to quality of life than to honor mayoral leadership for their development of these programs."

City Livability Awards honor mayors and their cities for outstanding programs that contribute to the quality of life of their citizens. Participating cities will submit an initial application of 500 words, due on Friday, March 26, which briefly describes their program, and indicates when and why it was created, how it has improved the quality of life of the community, and why it is outstanding or innovative.

From these initial applications, about 20 finalist cities in each of two population categories will be selected. These finalist cities will then submit a more detailed application, due on April 23. An independent panel of judges will select the winners in late May. Award winners will be announced on June 14 at the 67th Annual Conference of Mayors in New Orleans.

The 20 City Livability Awards are presented in two population categories -- ten Awards to cities of less than 100,000 people, ten for cities of 100,000 ore more.

Every municipality in the United States is eligible to nominate one or more city government programs in any policy area, regardless of whether the municipality has applied for or received a City Livability Award in previous years. All programs initiated by the city government are eligible, including those developed and implemented in cooperation with private sector and/or community group participation.

Albany Mayor Gerald D. Jennings, recipient of the First-Place City Livability Award for cities over 100,000, said, "The progressive and exciting revitalization Albany is experiencing has been greatly enhanced by receipt of this prestigious award."

University Heights Mayor Beryl E. Rothschild, who received the first-place award for cities under 100,000, stated that, "The City Livability Award has created new momentum and energized us to continue leading the way in promoting racial tolerance, and we were deeply honored to receive it."

1999 City Livability Time Lines

• March 12, 1999: Initial 500-word applications due.

• March 26, 1999: Announcement of 40 finalist cities.

• April 23, 1999: Finalist cities' applications due.

• June 14, 1999: Announcement of Award-winners at New Orleans Annual Meeting.