MUNICIPAL CONGRESS MEETS

"Human Needs in the Changing City" was aptly set as the theme for the now concluded 34th annual American Municipal Congress in San Francisco. Speakers from various business, civic and professional backgrounds stressed the need for cities to realize their responsibilities in such areas as youth and aging, mental health, recreation and cultural activities. The newly created problems of metropolitan areas, increased population and resultant dispersal, slums and blight, and congestion in the central city were all pointed to as problems in which the human element is often overlooked.

Keynote speakers Roy W. Johnson, vice president of General Electric Company; Catherine Bauer Wurster, noted planning and housing authority, and Mayor Ben West of Nashville emphasized that cities should give concurrent attention to our human needs while developing their physical resources. They were unanimous in stressing the need tor political leadership.

Political Leadership Needed

As Mr. Johnson pointed out, "The plain fact is that our cities are not fulfilling their primary function— serving the needs of their people. To catch up in meeting the demands for basic community services ... is going to require leadership of a kind that transforms plans and programs into action." Mrs. Wurster felt that planning "is only a tool for long term political decisions. The big ideas that will galvanize the public . . . have to come from the elected leaders."

Examples of programs now in effect and ideas for others were outlined by Judge William G. Long, Seattle Superior Court; William C. Fitch, Department of Health, Education and Welfare; Dr. Leonard J. Duhl, National Institute of Mental Health; and Joseph Prendergast, executive director of the National Recreation Association.

The structure of metropolitan government was discussed by Norman Prichard, Chairman, London Metropolitan Borough's Standing Joint Committee, and O. W. Campbell, Dade County Manager, Florida. Mr. Prichard explained that the London County Council provides such services as education, planning, sewage and other services conveniently administered on a metropolitan basis. The boroughs deal with such local services as refuse collection, street maintenance, libraries, etc. Mr. Campbell outlined the progress and problems of metropolitan government in and around Miami, Florida.

Governors Speak

Luncheon speakers were former Governor Leo A. Hoegh, Federal Civil Defense Administrator, and Governor George M. Leader of Pennsylvania. Governor Hoegh detailed civil defense requirements of the urban communities and Governor Leader expressed concern that the federal grant-in-aid programs for municipalities be ignored in the effort to expand our scientific and defense programs.

Mayor George Christopher of San Francisco was voted president of the American Municipal Association and Mayor Anthony Celebrezze of Cleveland was named vice president. New members of the Executive Committee include Mayors Gordon Clinton of Seattle, Louis Miriani of Detroit, Richardson Dilworth of Philadelphia, and James Gardner of Shreveport, Louisiana. Jay Bell and Robert Fust, executive directors of the Colorado and New Jersey state leagues of municipalities, were also elected to the Executive Committee.

A ten year urban renewal program of $500 billion a year, a continued airport program, and creation of a federal lending agency for mass transit were among the new policy statements adopted.

Copies of the proceedings of the conference will be available in February from the American Municipal Association in Washington.

The following Illinois officials attended the Congress:

Aurora: Mayor Paul Egan.

Bellwood: Village President Richard Zueike; City Clerk Oscar Alsaker; Trustees Edward Bliss, S. C. Davis, Charles Francey, Robert Klein.

Bloomington: Alvin J. Keller, Director of Finance.

Broadview: Village President Merritt E. Braga.

Champaign: Mayor Virgil Lafferty; Commissioner James E. McGinty, Jr.

Chicago: Earl Buch, Director of Public Relations; Comptroller Carl H. Chatters; Mrs. Alice German, Publicity.

Collinsville: Mayor Albert R. Delbartes; City Clerk Vernon Lucas.

Decatur: Mayor Clarence Sablotny; Alex Van Praag, Jr., Consulting Engineer.

DeKalb: Mayor J. Clayton Pooler.

Evanston: Mayor John R. Kimbark.

Joliet: Mayor James P. Hennessy.

Loves Park: Alderman Howard H. Russell.

McCook: Village President Emil Tony Sergo; Police Magistrate Mathew Sikich; Trustees Frank Snyder, Anthony Matyivich.

Naperville: Mayor Charles Wellner.

Oak Park: Village President J. R. Christianson.

Peoria: Councilmen Harley Boswell, William W. Kumpf, Ellery E. Lay, James J. Manning, F. R. Oakley.

Riverside: Village President William Hajeck.

Rockford: Aldermen Eric J. Anderson, Peter J. Dal Pra, Willard C. Ellison, Anthony Fiorenza, Edolo Giorgi, Ray C. Graceffa, Leslie A. Johnson, Manley T. Melin, Robert W. McGaw, Clarence Pearson, L. D. Olesen, Eugene Vestal.

Springfield: Mayor Nelson Howarth; Commissioner George W. Doyle; A. L. Sargent, Executive Director, Illinois Municipal League; Thomas A. Matthews, Legal Consultant, Illinois Municipal League; Ray Tilly, Consulting Engineer.

Skokie: Village President A. M. Reiter.

Summit: Village President Richard P. Lambert, Jr.; Clerk John J. Kirk; Judge Joseph Czekala; Trustees Ted Bojanowski, Frank Gosak; Harry Kowalski, Anthony Jalovee, William Schmidt, Harry Spadoni.

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