By Larry Jones
July 4, 2011

National Conference of Democratic Mayors President Southfield (MI) Mayor Brenda Lawrence welcomed mayors to the group’s June 18 business meeting where special recognition was extended to newly elected Democratic mayors. Lawrence told those in attendance she was especially pleased to welcome Mayor-Elect Alvin Brown, who recently won the mayor’s race in Jacksonville (FL) and is scheduled to take office on July 1. She pointed out that he is the first Democrat elected in Jacksonville in 20 years and the city’s first African American mayor.

Charlotte Mayor Anthony Fox told mayors he is excited his city was chosen to host the 2012 National Democratic Convention and that he wants to involve Democratic mayors in the early stages of planning to help ensure a great convention.

Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz, chair of the Democratic National Committee, provided the keynote address discussing plans for the 2012 presidential election, as well as plans to support Democratic candidates for mayor in cities across the nation. She told mayors that President Obama is committed to seeing that every city is prepared to face the 21st Century successfully.