By Debra DeHaney-Howard and Katie Pirolt
February 2, 2009

Wahler Leads Discussion on Membership Recruitment, Retention Strategies

By Debra DeHaney-Howard and Katie Pirolt

The Membership Standing Committee met January 17 during the U.S. Conference of Mayors 77th Winter Meeting in Washington (DC). Piscataway Mayor Brian Wahler, Chair of the Membership Committee, provided an update on 2008 recruitment and retention activities. Wahler acknowledged the panel members' commitment and support of the Conference of Mayors over the past year. He said, "Maintaining and significantly expanding the Conference of Mayors membership is a high priority for the committee. Our goal is to have a strong and united voice in Washington on all of our priority issues, including our MainStreet Economic Recovery Plan."

Wahler emphasized the importance of participation as well as membership by construing the history and formation of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. He noted that the Conference was formed amid the Great Depression, as mayors came together to solve problems that were largely ignored by the Hoover administration. Wahler said, "Had those mayors not come together during such an economically difficult time, we may have not benefitted from things like The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), the Community Policing Act ("COPS"), or the General Revenue Sharing Act."

Committee members also discussed new strategies for reaching out to potential members. Some suggestions for recruitment include providing annual meeting discounts to mayors who recruit new members. Wahler suggested making a contest out of membership recruitment and offering recognition to those mayors who participate. He also brought attention to the number of non-member participants in the Main Street Economic Recovery Report and noted that this is "…a great an opportunity to recruit those non-member cities that participated in the survey."

Prior to Wahler's membership report, committee members heard from the Council for the New American City Director Dave Gatton, who briefed committee members on the U.S. Metro Economies: GMP-The Engines of America's Growth (June 2008) report. The semi-annual Metro Economies reports, prepared by Global Insight, contain information that is relevant and beneficial to mayors. Gatton told members that mayors can use the "Gross Metropolitan Product as a Share of Gross State Product" table to highlight their city. He said, "These figures can be highly advantageous to mayors who are advocating their city programs to the state legislature."

Wahler noted that these metro specific reports cannot be found at the state or federal Labor Departments. This information would be very costly for a city to obtain on its own, but very useful. Gatton further discussed possible strategies for disseminating these useful reports more frequently, adding to the many benefits of U.S. Conference of Mayors.

Wahler lauded the committee members for their continued commitment and support of the Conference's membership campaign, encouraging them to continue their aggressive membership efforts. Wahler concluded his report by telling members to continue to reach out to their neighboring cities in order to inform fellow mayors of the important work of the Conference and what the benefits their city would receive through membership.