By Larry Jones
February 12, 2007

Former Tennessee Congressman Harold Ford Jr. was the keynote speaker at the National Conference of Democratic Mayors (NCDM) January 25 meeting. Ed McElroy, president of the American Federation of Teachers also addressed the group.

At the start of the meeting Conference President Trenton Mayor Doug Palmer told mayors that he officially stepped down as president of NCDM last December when he assumed the role of president of The U.S. Conference of Mayors. At that time, Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin took over as the new NCDM President. During the meeting, Palmer officially passed the gavel to Franklin, who presided over her first meeting as the group’s president.

One of her first responsibilities was to elect a new vice president, a position that became vacant when she moved up. After careful consideration, the group elected Providence Mayor David N. Cicilline as the new Vice President.