Mayors From Across The U.S. Gather In Miami For Annual Conference

MIAMI (WWJ) - Mayor Carolyn Goodman of Las Vegas opened her remarks during the U.S. Conference of Mayors by saying, "The bottles of water in your rooms - they're $10."

Goodman was just one of the mayors from cities across the U.S. including metro Detroit attending the annual conference this week in Miami - a gathering which touts comparing notes and offering solutions to issues in common.

Rochester Hills Mayor Brian Barnett speaking to WWJ from the conference says their residents trust them to get the job done.

"There's not a lot of love and trust and hope that comes out of Washington or the work going on there and so many people, in study after study, are most encouraged by their local government, and it puts a tremendous amount of responsibility on mayors across the country to deliver," says Barnett. "I think - an opportunity to get together with your peers gives us the ground work to make that happen."

Given developments in Europe, Barnett says Homeland Security is an important issue for cities of all sizes.

He says Homeland Security and public safety in general is an evolving issue for cities big and small. "We see what's happening in suburban Virginia - it's happening in cities that look like ours all across the nation - so we continue to be hyper focused on keeping our residents safe - that is the number one job of any major - to make sure the residents of his or her community feel safe and secure."

With talk of an impending infrastructure bill out of Washington -- Barnett says the group of mayors have spent time discussing that pressing issue. "Infrastructure is a bi-partisan issue, that really every major across the country is very interested in."