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Around Town
Cities Mean Business: The Municipal Association Meeting in Charleston
July 21, 2008
I traveled to Charleston July 17-20th to attend the 68th annual meeting of the Municipal Association of South Carolina (MASC). The Conference theme was "Cities Mean Business" and various topics explored the ways in which South Carolina cities and towns serve as engines for our state's economic development. I attended sessions on the importance of compelling "Visioning" for city leaders, and the necessity for regional planning and marketing. I also went to workshops on the impact of aging "baby-boomers" on cities and saw demonstrations of new technology for managing city administrative matters. One especially exciting program considered city/public school partnerships to strengthen educational performance and featured Charleston's Mayor, Joe Riley.
My fellow Council members Sam Davis and Tameika Isaac-Devine also attended (Councilwoman Devine is on the MASC Board of Directors) and introduced me to municipal leaders from around the state. Mayor Bob Coble and Wales Garden resident and River Alliance CEO Mike Dawson were featured on a special panel that explored the development potential of our beautiful three rivers in transforming our area economy. A number of other District 3 residents were present as conference leaders, guests or vendors including Mary Greene, Georgianna Graham, and MASC administrators Reba Campbell and Melissa Carter
It was especially exciting to see the great diversity of South Carolinians holding municipal offices—young and old, black and white, male and female. Women generally have not fared well in statewide elective office, but they were a strong visible presence at this conference. My old Columbia College classmate Charlene Northcutt Herring, Mayor of Ridgeway, was among them, and it was great to catch up with her between sessions to learn of her experiences in municipal leadership.