By Chrystal Blair
Michigan News Connection
Some Michigan mayors are out of the office this week – but still working for their cities.
They’re at the 92nd meeting of the United States Conference of Mayors, with more than 200 from across the nation gathering to tackle some of the most urgent issues facing their communities. They’re discussing infrastructure investment, housing and homelessness, and public safety.
After the recent mass shooting in Rochester Hills that wounded nine people, including two children, at a splash-pad event, the city’s Mayor Bryan Barnett said the tragedy has shifted his priorities at this year’s meeting.
“This terrible intersection of mental health and gun violence is where my focus and attention is – both in bringing healing to my community and trying to understand how we can be more effective moving forward,” he said. “And I don’t think there’s any better group of people in America that understands personally and professionally, really, than America’s mayors.”
In preparation for the November election, the mayors are also expected to address their priorities for the next administration. This year’s conference runs through Sunday.
Rochester Hills, a community of nearly 76,000 residents, was rocked by the shooting, and Barnett shared how his colleagues from around the country showed support.
“I’ve had almost 70 mayors reach out to me personally, many of them having their own stories about mass shootings,” he said. “In the aftermath, they’ve proven to be incredibly helpful.”
High-ranking administration officials and key leaders from both the public and private sectors are at the conference, including representatives from FEMA and the federal departments of Transportation and Justice.
Barnett said being the kind of leader who sets a good example for his community is important to him.
“One of the reasons I love being mayor is because I’ve seen so many of my colleagues, and hopefully myself as well, exhibit a different kind of leadership,” he said. “The kind of leadership that says, ‘OK, we’re not going to point fingers, but instead we’re going to try and just get things done. Move the ball down the field.'”
As the presidential election approaches, Barnett said, there will be a lot of loud, angry rhetoric – but he’s convinced America is looking for a different kind of leadership.
