Pasadena Mayor Helps Set Course for League of California Cities in 2014

The League of California Cities held its final 2013 Board of Directors meeting Nov. 7–8 in Newport Beach, Calif., where the focus was on setting the organization’s strategic goals for the coming year. The officers and directors also discussed the culmination of the 2013 legislative session Sacramento as well as federal issues affecting cities.

Mayor Bill Bogaard participated in the meeting as Past President of the Board.

Mayor Bogaard recently completed his service as President of Board of Directors for the League of California Cities, having begun serving as a Board member six years ago. The League is a statewide association founded in 1898 to advocate on behalf of California’s cities at the state and federal levels and to provide education, training and best practices for city officials.

“California cities are facing challenges even as we come out of the Great Recession. The League of California Cities Board of Directors plays a critical role in shaping statewide policies that affect local governments and being at this table is an opportunity to represent the City of Pasadena. The issues before us are some of the most critical to our community and I value the League’s ongoing efforts on behalf of all cities,” Mayor Bogaard said.

In the course of the two-day meeting, the League’s officers and directors met with other members of the League’s leadership who represent the organization’s professional departments, policy committees, regional divisions, and diversity caucuses. This larger group held a special session to establish the following organizational goals for 2014:

• Provide New Options for Infrastructure Investment and Economic Development;
• Expand Reform of Pension and Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) Policies to Better Contain Long-Term Costs; and
• Build Effective Partnerships to Help Respond to Growing Community Needs.

League Executive Director Chris McKenzie noted the hard work and important roles of the Board and other League leaders, saying “It is a powerful thing for an organization like ours to come together and strategically identify how to be most effective in our advocacy for local control and authority.”

“The process we went through this week establishes a substantial agenda for 2014 that will be accomplished through engagement of city officials from throughout California. The League has been a voice for California cities for 115 years because the cities of this great state are extremely
Committed,” McKenzie said.

For information about the League of California Cities, visit www.cacities.org. For information about the City of Pasadena, visit www.cityofpasadena.net or follow the City on Twitter @PasadenaGov.