By Rhonda A. Spears
January 13, 2003

The U. S. Conference of Mayors Executive Director, J. Thomas Cochran, recently presented Oklahoma City Mayor Kirk Humphreys and Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin with new 2002 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup trucks, called the "Mayor of Truckville, courtesy of the Chrysler Group of DaimlerChrysler.

The "Mayor of Truckville" campaign was announced at the annual meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors last summer in Madison, Wisconsin. The mayors, representing cities throughout the U.S., were invited to participate in a program where two mayors would each receive a two-year lease of a 2002 Dodge Ram pickup truck. Mayors Shirley Franklin of Atlanta and Kirk Humphreys of Oklahoma City were named as recipients of the trucks.

"The U. S. Conference of Mayors is pleased to partner with DaimlerChrysler to provide two leases for a Dodge Ram pickup truck for Oklahoma City and Atlanta," said Cochran. "Every additional resource is helpful to mayors and cities, especially during these difficult economic times when budgets are tight and cities are pinched."

During a press conference at City Hall in Oklahoma City, Mayor Humphreys announced that his new red Dodge Ram truck will be used by the city's Parks and Recreation Department in its operation and maintenance of the Bricktown Canal and N. Canadian River Lakes projects. "I want to thank the U. S. Conference of Mayors and Chrysler for providing this great truck," Mayor Humphreys said. "We are extremely proud of our visionary downtown redevelopment. The Parks Department will appreciate having a brand new truck to use for this phase of the ambitious River development project."

Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin received her new black Dodge Ram truck at a press conference outside Underground Atlanta. Mayor Franklin said, "As Mayor of Atlanta, I am pleased to add the Dodge Ram 1500 pickup truck, the 'Mayor of Truckville', to our fleet. I would like to thank the Chrysler Group and the U. S. Conference of Mayors for this gift to the City of Atlanta. We are sure it will get extensive use during its two years as Mayor."