TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATIONS

ESTABLISHMENT OF A MAYORS’ NATIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS ADVISORY BOARD

WHEREAS, During this period of explosive growth of new technologies in telecommunications and for other purposes mayors are challenged to find ways to use these new capacities to deliver better city government services and facilitate the deployment of new technologies and services for other public activities, concerning both businesses and residents; and

WHEREAS, mayors are just beginning to tap the vast potential of these capabilities to improve government operations, to stimulate economic development, to create jobs, to further the performance of transportation systems, to improve the quality of public education, to promote public safety, to increase access to new information resources throughout their communities and to build "Smarter Cities;" and

WHEREAS, mayors have not organized in ways that allow a thorough review and discussion of these opportunities and challenges and have not tapped the vast potential of public and private entities engaged in the development and application of telecommunications and other technological services and systems; and

WHEREAS, mayors are uniquely situated to examine federal and state policies and other practices for ways to improve decision-making and investment in the application and deployment of new technologies and services; and

WHEREAS, to accomplish a more expedited and thorough review of such issues, the Conference of Mayors needs to build additional capacity and take other actions to facilitate efforts by mayors and their cities in applying new technologies, most notably telecommunications capabilities, for community -building,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that The U.S. Conference of Mayors calls for the establishment of a Mayors’ National Technology and Telecommunications Advisory Board to be comprised of member mayors, technology company leaders and public and private service providers of public education , transportation and priority city services and interests and national community leaders; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that The U.S. Conference of Mayors work through its Mayors Business Council to develop private sector support and tap other resources to advance initiatives by this Board; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this board be directed to prepare best practices for Conference members, to convene forums with mayors, business leaders, policy-makers and other such sessions to identify methods to facilitate local efforts to apply and deploy technologies and related services by cities, other public service providers and the private sector, and work with member cities to develop similar boards at the local level to identify specific opportunities and limitations regarding the broader use of technologies and related services; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Board convene periodic sessions during the Conference’s Annual Meeting or at other member meetings to report to Conference members on its findings and recommendations on such matters.