The NC League of Municipalities’ most anticipated event, CityVision, took place in Winston-Salem this past April. To say this conference was a success is an understatement. CityVision 2024 saw sold-out, record-breaking attendance of over 600 municipal leaders gathering from across North Carolina. There was something special about this CityVision, and it was felt by participants and League staff the entire week. continues on page 30 “In every possible way, the League delivered its best,” said Executive Director Rose Vaughn Williams about CityVision 2024. This event has taken form as somewhere that city and town officials can feel at home. All around the Benton Convention Center, there was a friendly sense of unity. Local leaders attended CityVision for a myriad of reasons, learning, networking and fellowship are among a few of them. But all come to CityVision with one common sense of purpose: to become better leaders for their communities. This purpose is embedded across each aspect of what the League provides at CityVision. This year, the educational offerings covered a wide range of relevant topics. From generational differences to case studies in economic development, there was something for each person to learn, from all different sizes of cities and towns. With these educational offerings, the League provided Advancing Municipal Leaders (AML) program credits. The AML program is a governance education program to help municipal officials gain the knowledge and skills needed to be effective leaders. Officials who attended the conference are well on their way to earning AML certifications that will be recognized and honored at CityVision 2025. Among this year’s special guests was the National League of Cities (NLC) CEO Clarence E. Anthony. Anthony highlighted the important work that local leaders are doing in their communities. He called attention to the need for leaders to pause and recognize the importance of what they do. From Anthony’s perspective, working as CEO of the NLC, he knows that some of the hardest work really happens in the cities and towns across the United States. The NLC is celebrating 100 years of strengthening cities this year. Anthony recognized the League’s helpful role in this milestone by presenting (then) NCLM President William Harris and Executive Director Rose Vaughn Williams with a poster to commemorate the moment. As tradition, the League’s new Board of Directors was sworn in at the President’s Dinner. Durham Mayor Pro Tem Mark-Anthony Middleton was sworn in as the League’s new president. In his remarks, Middleton shared, “The North Carolina League of Municipalities is the most authoritative voice for our cities, towns and villages precisely CityVision 2024 NCLM.ORG 27
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