Today, Mayor Sly James convened a meeting of the Missouri Mayors United for Progress (MMUP) to discuss important legislative issues facing municipalities, tactics for increasing citizen engagement and to formalize the organization’s articles of incorporation.
“We have taken another critical step toward building a coalition of leaders that will be able to effectively persuade the state legislature to pass legislation that allows mayors to serve their people, rather than prevent them from governing,” Mayor James said.
MMUP is a bipartisan organization formed to promote policies and legislation that recognizes the importance of cities to the state economy and culture. The group also discussed plans to interview statewide candidates for office and to continue to work on increasing citizen engagement in their respective communities.
Mayors in attendance:
- Mayor Debra Hickey, Battlefield
- Mayor Karen Best, Branson
- Mayor Jo Anne Smiley, Clarksville
- Mayor John Gwaltney, Edmundson
- Mayor Greg Stidham, Fayette
- Mayor Tom Schneider, Florissant
- Mayor Robert Koerber, Hermann
- Mayor Bob Lourwood, Ironton
- Mayor Carrie Tergin, Jefferson City
- Mayor Sly James, Kansas City
- Mayor John Burroughs, New Florence
- Mayor John Olivarri, Osage Beach
- Mayor Terry Epps, Pine Lawn
- Mayor John Smedley, Plattewoods
- Mayor David Slater, Pleasant Valley
- Mayor Kathy Rose, Riverside
- Mayor Ken McClure, Springfield
- Mayor Sally Faith, St. Charles
- Mayor Len Pagano, St. Peters
- Mayor Steve Clark, Weatherby Lake
Also present:
- Dan Ross, Missouri Municipal League
- Richard Sheets, Missouri Municipal League
- Shanon Hawk, Armstrong Teasdale
- Bill Gamble, KC Lobbyist
- Sam Panettiere, KC Lobbyist
- Pat Kelly, Municipal League of Metro St. Louis
- Joni Wickham, Kansas City Chief of Staff
- Alderwoman Rhoda Gwaltney, Edmundson
- Alderman Garrett Elliott, Lohman
- Julie Smith, Recording Secretary
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