Hispanic Elected Officials Gather in San Antonio for National League of Cities Conference

Washington, DC– Members of the Hispanic Elected Local Officials (HELO) will gather in San Antonio, Texas, for the 2009 National League of Cities’ (NLC) Congress of Cities, November 10 – 14 to discuss innovative solutions to many of the issues facing cities.  The economic crisis, immigration, public safety, workforce development and improving the lives of families and children are all topics that will be addressed.

HELO, an NLC constituency group, will also elect their next president during the HELO Membership Networking Breakfast on Thursday, November 12.

WHO:  Hispanic leaders from across the country

WHAT: National League of Cities’ (NLC) Congress of Cities

WHERE: Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center

WHEN: November 10-14, 2009

For media registration and a preliminary schedule, visit: http://www.nlc.org/pressroom/cocpress.aspx.

HELO Activities

Wednesday, November 11; 2:00pm-4:00pm

• Combined HELO Nominating Committee Meeting and HELO Board of Directors Meeting

Thursday, November 12; 7:30am-9:00am

• Hispanic Elected Local Officials Membership Networking Breakfast Meeting
  • Includes election of 2010 officers

General Sessions

Thursday, November 12; 8:45am-11:00am

·         Michael Strautmanis, Chief of Staff to the Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Relations and Public Engagement

·         Julian Castro, Mayor, San Antonio, Texas

·         Ronald O. Loveridge, Mayor, Riverside, Calif., NLC 1^st Vice President

Friday, November 13; 8:30am-10:30am

·         Kathleen M. Novak, Mayor, Northglenn, Colo., NLC President

·         William Freund, Chief Economist Emeritus, New York Stock Exchange

·         Presentation of NLC Awards for Municipal Excellence

Saturday, November 14; 8:30am-10:30am

·         James Mitchell Jr., Council Member, Charlotte, NC, NLC 2^nd Vice President

·         Ed Begley Jr., Actor and Environmental Activist, Los Angeles, Calif.

Saturday, November 14; 12:15pm-2:00pm

·         Kathleen M. Novak, Mayor, Northglenn, Colo., NLC President

·         Doris Kearns Goodwin, Author and Historian, Boston, Mass.

Workshops of Note

Thursday, November 12; 1:00pm-2:30pm

·         Do More with Less: Integrating Traditional and Innovative Approaches for Free Tax Preparation

·         What Citizenship Means for Cities

Thursday, November 12; 3:00pm-4:30pm

• Intelligence-Led Policing

Friday, November 13; 11:00am-12:30pm

• Promising Approaches to Prevent Youth and Gang Violence

• Top Plays of the Day: Great Ideas for Children, Youth, and Families

Friday, November 13; 2:30pm-4:00pm

• Health Care Reform: What does it mean for cities?
• Innovations in Workforce Development

HELO was established in 1976 to serve as a forum for communication and information exchange among Hispanic local elected officials and other local leaders interested in issues impacting the Hispanic community. HELO members provide guidance to the NLC Board and its policy committees on major public policy issues affecting the Hispanic and Latino communities.

The National League of Cities is the nation’s oldest and largest organization devoted to strengthening and promoting cities as centers of opportunity, leadership and governance. NLC is a resource and advocate for 19,000 cities, towns and villages, representing more than 218 million Americans.