By Dana Bykowski
February 6, 2006

Conference President Long Beach Mayor Beverly O’Neill welcomed mayors from across the nation to the 74th Annual Winter Meeting January 25. O’Neill gave a special welcome to new mayors who recently became members of the Conference. Under the guiding principle of Cities for A Strong America, O’Neill encouraged mayors to generate a dialogue over the next few days of the Winter Meeting that would generate new ideas and solutions to the issues facing cities across the nation.

“Innovative ideas come from mayors. Leadership is action and not just a position," remarked O’Neill at the opening plenary session of the Winter Meetings. “Together we must help communities prepare for the future through the use of the best practices that we take away from these meetings,” she said.

O’Neill touched on several key ways for mayors to continue to build up their communities. O’Neill encouraged mayors to build strong relationships with the private sector, as well as federal and state government agencies. O’Neill also encouraged mayors to use the metro economies report as an example of how metropolitan areas continue to drive the national economy, stimulating job growth, housing and economic security across the country.

During the past six months as Conference President, O’Neill has traveled the country, particularly throughout the devastated region of the Gulf Coast, and has witnessed first-hand the leadership, resources and energy mayors have put into their cities with the goal of making them a better place to live.

“Over the next few days, as leaders, we have an opportunity to build upon the knowledge and tools that we already have, taking back more solutions, greater resources and innovative ideas to our communities,” said O’Neill.