Mayors Participate in Phone Conference with President-elect Obama’s Intergovernmental Transition Team
It wasn't the call from Gov. Paterson, but Mayor Byron W. Brown, along with members of the National Conference of Democratic Mayors, spoke via conference call with members of President-elect Barack Obama’s intergovernmental transition team.
Yesterday's phone conference included a detailing of President-elect Obama’s top priorities upon entering the presidency, as well as issues regarding the White House Office of Urban Policy, administration personnel matters and inaugural activities.
Participating members of President-elect Obama’s transition team were Michael Stautmanis, Director of Intergovernmental Affairs for the transition team, Nick Rathod, Deputy Director of Intergovernmental Affairs for the Transition Committee and Stacey Brayboy who serves as liaison for the National Conference of Democratic Mayors.
“It was an excellent opportunity to join mayors from across the country to discuss urban policy matters with key transition staff,” said Mayor Brown. “With the continuing economic challenges affecting cities from coast to coast, it was important to speak candidly with these representatives of President-elect Obama and begin a dialogue on federal urban policy issues that will impact cities like Buffalo.”
Approximately 50 mayors from across the country participated in the conference call, including mayors of Philadelphia, PA; Providence, RI; Macon, GA; Trenton, NJ; and Baltimore, MD.
“I appreciated the commitment of President-elect Obama’s staff to maintain an open line of communication with the country’s mayor’s,” said Mayor Brown. “As the nation’s centers of commerce, culture and education, it is critically important for the new Administration and the federal government to recognize the unique challenges faced by American cities, as well as the opportunities that are available for reviving our country’s economy through targeted investment in cities. We were certainly encouraged by Michael Stautmanis’s comment that ‘Help is on the way,’ and that the Obama Administration will actively seek the nation’s mayors’ input on policy initiatives.”
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