Stamford's Martin Visits DC, Announces Resurrection of Mayor's Night Out

Stamford Mayor David Martin had a busy Wednesday. It was Martin's debut trip to Washington, D.C., for his first attendance of the annual Winter Meeting of The U.S. Conference of Mayors, now in its 82nd year.

Beginning on January 22 and running through Friday, January 24, 280 mayors from across the country, including 11 from Connecticut, will meet to discuss policy issues like job creation, education, transportation, and sustainability. They'll also hear from a number of key government officials.

"I am looking forward to representing Stamford, exchanging best practices with mayors from across the country, and working to bring federal dollars back to Stamford," Martin said about his trip.

Also on Wednesday, turning focus back on the city, he announced the return of Mayor's Night Out, a four-year-missing event that invites residents to come meet directly with Martin to share their concerns and ideas.

He announced from the road Wednesday that the first iteration of the monthly "first come, first serve" events would be held Tuesday, January 28, starting from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and said he would visit various Stamford neighborhoods with members of his staff and the Citizen's Service Center to hold similarly-styled meetings.

"My administration is dedicated to focusing on citizen issues and concerns and this is a wonderful opportunity for me to hear from them directly," Martin said. "This event will be the first of many and I am looking forward to it."

On Thursday, January 23, Martin is set to attend a series of afternoon policy discussions at the White House with Cabinet Secretaries and hear remarks from President Barack Obama. 

In advance of the conference, the Mayor worked with the Ferguson Group, Stamford’s federal lobbyists, to secure additional meetings with officials in the Department of Transportation, FEMA, EPA, and other federal agencies, to discuss Stamford’s priorities and work to secure federal funding.

"It is highly advantageous for the Mayor to visit Washington and meet directly with federal agencies responsible for granting federal dollars to Stamford," said Michael Pollard, Mayor Martin’s Chief of Staff. "Stamford competes for federal dollars with municipalities from across the country and the Mayor’s advocacy is an important ingredient for success."