By Joan Crigger
July 14, 2008

The Women Mayors met June 20 to hear pointers on moving into leadership positions within The U.S. Conference of Mayors. Bowling Green (KY) Mayor Elaine Walker, Chair of the Women Mayors, opened the meeting and introduced former Lincoln (NE) Mayor Helen Boosalis, the first woman president of the Conference. Boosalis’ daughter, Beth Boosalis Davis, has just written a book about Boosalis’ time as mayor, which was distributed to all the mayors attending the Conference. Boosalis thanked everyone for their interest in the book and indicated she was delighted to be in Miami.

Walker turned the meeting over to Hallandale Beach (FL) Mayor Joy Cooper, Vice Chair of the Women Mayors, who led a task force on leadership for the group. Cooper had worked with USCM CEO and Executive Director Tom Cochran to design a power point on leadership, and turned the meeting over to him.

Cochran briefly summarized the leadership situation at USCM and asked former Long Beach Mayor and former Conference of Mayors President Beverly O’Neill to relate her experience about working her way up to President of the Conference. O’Neill related how she made a decision early in her mayoral tenure to be involved and participated regularly in the Jobs, Education and Workforce Standing Committee. She also mentioned base closures that had taken place in Long Beach and her involvement in USCM/BRAC meetings as they were essential to what was happening in her city. O’Neill said she had never attended a USCM meeting without learning something new.

Cochran presented the leadership power point, which he interspersed with significant pointers about becoming involved in the Conference. He stressed participating in standing committees and task forces, as well as talking to those mayors in the USCM leadership. An interesting discussion followed the presentation.

Another item high on Walker’s agenda was to determine which issues women mayors might want to focus on as a group. Women mayors had submitted issues of concern to them in response to a letter from Walker. After much discussion the group decided to address Adult Literacy, the High School Drop-out Rate, Incarceration and Reintegration of Women Offenders, and Domestic Violence. They believe these are all interrelated issues.

Walker indicated that she would bring experts on these issues to the next meeting in January.