By Ed Somers

More than 300 mayors will gather in New Orleans on June 11-15 for the 67th Annual Conference of Mayors.

The meeting will be presided over by Mayor Deedee Corradini of Salt Lake City, President of The U.S. Conference of Mayors, and hosted by New Orleans Mayor Marc. H. Morial.

Mayor Corradini has dedicated her year as President to issues relating to AmericaÕs youth, and this theme will be carried through-out the New Orleans meeting. The mayors will continue their national dialogue on school violence and kids from 2:00 to 8:00pm, and will discuss related issues including gun violence, drug control and youth fitness.

In addition, the mayors will focus on top concerns such as "The State of the Cities," international trade and development, brownfields cleanup and redevelopment, breast cancer awareness, local parks, public schools, city livability, aviation reauthorization, housing and community development, Y2K and the 2000 Census.

Over the course of the meeting, the mayors will meet with Vice President Al Gore, Sen. John McCain (AZ), Housing and Urban Development Secretary Andrew Cuomo, Attorney General Janet Reno, Fannie Mae Chairman Franklin Raines, Sen. Mary Landrieu (LA), Federal Emergency Management Agency Director James Lee Witt, Office of National Drug Control Policy Director Barry McCaffrey, Rep. Charles Rangle (NY), President of the National Association of Home Builders Charles Ruma, Treasury Under Secretary James Johnson and many other top public and private leaders.

President Bill Clinton is still a possible participant in the meeting.

The policy committees of the Conference will meet on Saturday, June 12 to consider new resolutions, which will be presented to the entire membership for consideration on Tuesday morning, June 15.

Other meetings in New Orleans will include the Women Mayors, The Mayors Business Council, major league sports franchise cities, Amtrak mayors, the Urban Water Council and the Republican and Democratic mayors.

Task force meetings will include Gun Violence, Welfare-to-Work, Electric Utility Restructuring, Immigration, Sustainable Communities, Solid Waste, Brownfields and Mayors and Bankers.

Workshops will be held on community policing, affordable housing, the Treme Renaissance/CDBG, "I Can Learn," and Internet commerce and taxation.

A Mayors and Kids Power Walk and Run will be held on Saturday, June 12, and an inaugural breakfast will be held on Tuesday morning, June 15 for the President-Elect.

Mayors will participate in a Habitat for Humanity/Home Construction, and there will be an orientation session for new mayors.

An informative and exciting tour and event schedule has also been arranged by Mayor Morial which will highlight the very best of New Orleans.