Mayor Ron Littlefield has been chosen to serve on the advisory board of the United States Conference of Mayors. The selection was made during the final session of the group’s 77th annual meeting this week.
Mayors from across the nation gathered for four days in Providence at the Rhode Island Convention Center to discuss and debate policy issues that impact urban America and metropolitan areas.
“It was an honor to be nominated and I look forward to serving in this capacity,” said Mayor Littlefield. “The U.S. Conference of Mayors is influential in setting national policy. President Obama has made urban policy a major component of his administration. The U.S. Conference of Mayors can serve as a resource as we continue to grow in population and build upon our position as a regional leader.”
The advisory board consists of mayors who are members of the Conference of Mayors who have been active in the organization in advocating policy on Capitol Hill and to the dministration. The Advisory Board also represents the nation in diversity.
Mayor Littlefield and the city of Chattanooga were honored at the conference as a finalist for the 2009 Mayor’s Climate Protection Award for establishing a local climate action plan and included in the USCM Best Practices guide. The awards program recognizes mayors for innovative practices in their cities designed to increase energy efficiency and curb global warming. An independent panel of judges determined the winners from a pool of 140 applicants.
Chattanooga was also recognized with a city livability honorable mention for Go!Fest. The city livability program honors mayors and their city governments for developing programs that enhance the quality of life in urban areas.
The USCM is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. There are 1,139 such cities in the country today, each represented in the conference by its chief elected official, the mayor.