Home > About > Background
Background
MAMA Benefits from Strong Partnerships
The inspiration for the creation of the Metro Atlanta Mayors Association (MAMA)
grew out of a regional LINK trip to Chicago in 2002 that was attended by metro
Atlanta government, business and civic leaders to study best practices in other
regions of the country. After visiting with Chicago Mayor Richard Daley and
a regional Metro Mayor Caucus that he leads, several individuals on the trip
felt the need to emulate the organization in metro Atlanta.
Although MAMA was officially establish in May 2003, organization began in December
2002 when the Regional Leadership Forum (RLF), Research Atlanta, the Georgia
State school of Public Policy and the Georgia Municipal Association collaborated
to host a mayors' forum sponsored by the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association.
At the meeting, each of the partners committed to creating an organization with
the mayors in an effort to focus on the unique issues and opportunities related
to cities in the metro Atlanta region.
In the final organization of MAMA, the Georgia Municipal Association entered
into a partnership with the metro mayors to provide staffing, policy, communication
and administrative support for a cost of $1. RLF partners with MAMA on opportunities
for civic engagement. Additionally, Research Atlanta and the GSU School of Public
Policy are working with RLF and MAMA to explore opportunities to provide policy
research for the organization. Sponsors for MAMA meetings and events have included
CH2M Hill/OMI, Cousins Properties, Greater Atlanta Home Builders, McKenna Long
& Aldridge, Georgia Power and the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce.
Dissimilar to her Chicago counterpart, Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin opted
out of a leadership role in MAMA to provide an opportunity for other metro mayors
to spearhead regional efforts; however, Franklin has been a key player in the
group's work and progress. MAMA's stated goals include:
- Foster communication among cities in the metro Atlanta region.
- Support public policy decision beneficial to the region.
- Coordinate activities among the cities that benefit the region.
- Communicate identified needs to federal, state and regional agencies and
organization and to the cities of the region.
There are currently 65 cities within MAMA's geographical boundaries, which
align with the boundaries of the Atlanta Regional Commission.
|