by Ed Somers
December 14, 2000

It has been announced that, as he has done in past years, President Clinton will invite the mayors to the White House during the Winter Meeting. On Tuesday, January 16, 2001 the mayors will go to the White House and present President Clinton The United States Conference of Mayors Award for Distinguished Public Service. The event will take place in the early afternoon, with mayors needing to be at the White House by 2:00 pm. Immediately following the event, there will be a reception for the mayors in the White House.

Conference President H. Brent Coles of Boise and Past President Wellington E. Webb of Denver nominated President Clinton for the Conference's highest award, and the Executive Committee voted to approve the nomination.

The United States Conference of Mayors Award for Distinguished Public Service was established by the Executive Committee of the Conference to honor individuals for "outstanding and meritorious public service" to the nation's cities. The first award was presented to General George C. Marshall at the White House by President Harry Truman and Conference President Mayor W. Cooper Green of Birmingham on November 25, 1949.

Since then, fifteen awards have been presented. Recipients have included Mayor David Lawrence of Pittsburgh; Mayor Richard J. Daley of Chicago; Mayor Jerry Abramson of Louisville; Mayor Richard C. Lee of New Haven; Mayor Art Holland of Trenton; Senator Hubert H. Humphrey; Lawrence Spivak, founder and producer of NBC's Meet the Press; and John J. Gunther, former Executive Director of The United States Conference of Mayors.

If you have not already registered but plan on attending the Winter Meeting, please contact Carol Edwards with the Conference staff at (202) 293-7330. Only pre-registered mayors will be invited to the award ceremony.

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