By Joan Crigger
July 16, 2007

The Women Mayors met early on the first day of the 75th Annual Conference of Mayors on Friday, June 22. At the top of their agenda was the election of a new Chair and Vice Chair. The Women Mayors’ Caucus was left without a Chair when former Kansas City (MO) Mayor Kay Barnes left office in May.

The election was presided over by former Chair Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin. Following a lively discussion of possible candidates, the Women Mayors elected Bowling Green (KY) Mayor Elaine Walker as Chair and Hallandale Beach (FL) Mayor Joy Cooper as Vice Chair.

Immediately after the election, Franklin turned over the gavel to Mayor Elaine Walker. Walker gave a brief overview of her thoughts for the coming year. One of the primary items on her agenda is an increase in the number of women mayors in the Conference of Mayors leadership. The Women Mayors meet next in January at the Annual Winter Conference in Washington, D.C.