Hemminger, Saffo and Dusch named officers during Coalition’s annual meeting
For Immediate Release
December 20, 2022
Contact: Beau Mills
(919) 637-0873
(RALEIGH) –The N.C. Metropolitan Mayors Coalition, a bipartisan group established by the mayors of the state’s larger cities, reelected Chapel Hill Mayor Pam Hemminger as its Chair, Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo as Vice Chair and Concord Mayor Bill Dusch as Treasurer during its annual meeting last week in Winston-Salem. Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughan rounds out the Coalition Officers as the Immediate Past Chair.
Joining the Officers on the Executive Committee as at-large positions are Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines, Statesville Mayor Costi Kutteh, Fuquay-Varina Mayor Blake Massengill, Mooresville Mayor Miles Atkins, Apex Mayor Jacques Gilbert and Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin.
“I look forward to our work together in the coming year. Through the Metro Mayors Coalition, our cities have an opportunity to learn and share with each other. As the centers of our state’s population and the economic engines that create jobs and opportunity, it is our responsibility to work with each other and with our local and state partners to make sure we maintain the infrastructure and quality of life we need to continue to grow and make our state and our cities great places to live, work, study and play,” Mayor Hemminger said upon being named to the post.
The mayors were joined at the annual meeting by many city managers from the member cities. Discussions centered around common challenges such as affordable housing, transportation, public sector workforce shortages, civic engagement and effective ways to grow the working relationship with state and federal government partners.
“The Metro Mayors discussions last week focused on working with each other, with the business community, and with the General Assembly, as well as the Governor and his Cabinet. It is clear that we are committed to finding common ground to address the challenges we face and work together to keep moving our cities and state in the right direction. That’s what our citizens expect, and the Metro Mayors Coalition is a helpful part of finding that common ground for the future,” said Blake Massengill, new Executive Committee member and Fuquay-Varina Mayor.
Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines hosted the gathering and organized a local tour that demonstrated the public-private partnerships in the city that improve infrastructure, affordable housing, economic development, entrepreneurism, and arts and entertainment.
The elected officers and executive committee will lead the Coalition’s collaboration with state and federal officials and other stakeholders as they advocate for policies that create high quality jobs, effective transportation networks, affordable housing and public safety.
Mayors gathered for two days at the Cardinal Hotel in the Historic RJ Reynolds Building in downtown Winston-Salem
Download PDF: Press Release_Metro Mayors 2022 Annual Meeting and 2023 Officers
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The North Carolina Metropolitan Mayors Coalition, founded in 2001, is comprised of the mayors of the state’s larger cities, that are at the center of the metro regions that drive the state’s economy and growth – regions that are home to combined have over 4 million residents and over 85% of the state’s Gross State Product. The Coalition, an affiliate of the NC League of Municipalities, is a non-partisan, mayor-driven organization that focuses on issues of special interest to our larger cities and metro regions in a fast-growing and urbanizing state. The Coalition members work with each other and federal and state officials to promote policies that encourage high quality of life, job creation, protect local revenues, invest in public infrastructure, and keep our cities safe.
