By Joan Crigger
June 29, 2009

The Women Mayors' Caucus met and elected a new Chair and Vice Chair June 12, at the opening of the 77th Annual Conference of Mayors in Providence. Outgoing Chair Bowling Green (KY) Mayor Elaine Walker opened the meeting where the first order of business was the election. Current Vice Chair Hallandale Beach (CA) Mayor Joy Cooper was elected chair of the Caucus, while Miramar (FL) Mayor Lori Moseley was elected Vice Chair.

Following the election, Cooper thanked her colleagues and reminded the women mayors that the primary purpose of the Caucus was to increase the number of women in the leadership of the Conference.

Cooper then reviewed the issues that were selected by the women mayors to be priorities of the group: adult literacy and drop-out rates; incarceration and reintegration of women offenders; domestic violence; and at-risk youth. She then related her personal interest in domestic violence and suggested that the group survey the women mayors about best practices addressing domestic violence.

The group also discussed several resolutions that were to be considered by the Standing Committees.