Congress of Cities

Below is a copy of a written report that I submitted with the City Council regarding the National League of Cities Congress of Cities. It was an information packed gathering and I was also named to be the Vice Chair of the First Tier suburbs committee:


Councilmember Rushton
Council Report
November 15, 2011
Congress of Cities nlc Conference
Summary
From November 9-12 I attended and represented West Valley City at the National League of Cities Congress of Cities in Phoenix Arizona. This year’s conference was actually offered four concurrent conferences to provide more in-depth exploration of the most pressing challenges facing cities. The conference(s) focused on Economic Development, Green Cities, Infrastructure and Families. The conference at the Phoenix Convention Center began Wednesday and ended at the Arizona Science Center Saturday evening. It featured a large number workshops and mobile tours.
The seminars I attended this week included “Local Land Use Planning Solutions for Livability” and “Partnerships for Success: Building and Strengthening Partnerships in your Community and
Region” among others. I also participated in the First Tier Suburbs Committee where I was appointed to serve as Vice Chair for the coming year. Additionally, I gathered materials on numerous best practice solutions and innovations in order to share them with executive staff for informational purposes.

conference highlights with local interest:
1. Participated in a mobile walking tour of Civic Space Park.
This park is an urban park designed with sustainable features. Some of the design techniques generate power, keep the park cool, and capture rain water.
2. Participated in the Developing Downtown Density workshop where I was able to compare
Fairbourne project with similar projects and how to best turn downtown districts into a denser economic engine.
3. Was invited to a reception hosted by Waste Management to introduce our partnership and new CNG fleet to delegates from Western States.
4. Other delegates from Utah cities gathered for a caucus dinner with representatives from the Utah League of Cities and Towns.
5. Attending a screening of a documentary called “A Crack in the Pavement” which took a look at the changing economic and political climates in relation to municipalities funding infrastructure. Would like to arrange a viewing for a future study meeting.