MISCELLANEOUS

THE HONORABLE PAUL HELMKE
Mayor of Fort Wayne
President of The United States Conference of Mayors, 1997-1998

WHEREAS, Mayor Paul Helmke of Fort Wayne has served as President of The United States Conference of Mayors from June 1997-June 1998; and

WHEREAS, his tenure has been marked by notable and outstanding accomplishments, some of which include:

• Focusing national attention on brownfield revitalization, helping to educate the American public as well as the United States government on what a brownfield is and why it is critically important to revitalize these abandoned and blighted urban properties;

• Leading the development and publication of the first-ever national brownfields survey, which shows the existence of brownfields in every Congressional district;

• Bringing the Conference of Mayors and the Federal Home Loan Bank system together for the first time, from which a joint task force has been formed to encourage private investment in urban economic development, with emphasis on brownfield revitalization;

• Convening the first-ever city-county advisory committee of 50 mayors and county officials for the Joint Center for Sustainable Communities, which led to the ground-breaking "Metropolitan Economies" report that concluded that metro areas are America’s economic engines;

• Commencing a political alliance between the Conference of Mayors and NACo’s Large Urban County Caucus, which was instrumental in reauthorization of ISTEA;

• Appointing the first Task Force on Sub-Saharan Africa, which began its activity with the historic Summit on Africa at the Winter Meeting;

• Establishing the Best Practices Center, through which model programs are being shared among mayors; and

• Working to build a strong partnership with General Colin Powell and his organization, America’s Promise; and

WHEREAS, Mayor Helmke has worked tirelessly and with great affability, intelligence, and dedication during his year as President; and

WHEREAS, his many accomplishments have contributed strongly to ensuring that the Conference of Mayors continues to be an important force in American politics for the issues that deeply affect the nation’s cities;

WHEREAS, The United States Conference of Mayors appreciates and is in awe of the voluminous body of historical information and lore contained in the mind of Mayor Paul Helmke, including the origins of the city of Fort Wayne,

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that The United States Conference of Mayors thanks Mayor Paul Helmke for his magnificent service to this organization and for his vision, which has brought into being so many significant new initiatives during this past year; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the mayors of this nation wish Mayor Helmke and his family well, both now and in the future, respectfully and warmly saluting him as a local elected official who himself exemplifies a "Best Practice" of what a mayor should be, what a mayor can accomplish, and how a mayor can truly make a difference in urban America, both at home and nationally.