Contacts 

Kerry Lauricella, The National Association of Cities

504-737-8695

kerry@associationofcities.org

NaC Announces Economic Development Program for America’s Cities, towns and villages

Harahan, La. – January 23, 2002 – The National Association of Cities (NAC) today announced the launch of BuildingAmerica, a grassroots economic development program designed to help America’s small cities and towns find greater financial stability. In addition, the program provides a forum where citizens and town leaders can communicate seamlessly with other constituents in their communities. The BuildingAmerica program simultaneously promotes more than 10,000 cities, towns and villages throughout the United States through a central website, where citizens can find information about individual towns, including local available and sought after business resources, points of interest and recreational activities. This vital municipal information has been compiled over the past two years and can easily be accessed online at http://www.buildingamerica.org.

“Small cities, towns and villages are the very backbone of our country. BuildingAmerica will help strengthen America’s economy from a local level and give citizens and small businesses an easier way to communicate with their government,” said Kerry Lauricella, Executive Director of the National Association of Cities and Councilman of Harahan, La. “Our goal is to give America’s small municipalities the benefits of the large cities, without sacrificing the small town atmosphere that we share.”

Information for BuildingAmerica, which includes everything from local recreational events to tips from the fire department and city hall, is currently being accepted from individual municipalities and their departments. Local organizations such as schools, civic organizations and worship facilities may also submit information to http://www.buildingamerica.org. Additionally, citizens can use the site to submit comments or questions to local elected officials or municipal department and receive a clear response.

The National Association of Cities’ “BuildingAmerica Program” is funded by national corporate sponsors, local businesses, and participating municipalities. Additionally, BuildingAmerica’s sponsors provide valuable resources to the municipalities through the program. These sponsors include:

• MasterCard Corporate Payment Solutions: Provided to government officials of municipalities for official use only, the BuildingAmerica MasterCard Card will help fund the ongoing NAC Economic Development Program by contributing a percentage of every dollar charged on the Card;

• Mutual of America: Assisting municipalities with employee retirement programs;

• General Electric: Sponsoring an emergency preparedness program including emergency power solutions;

• HOK: Providing downtown revitalization ideas, suggestions and solutions;

• Arthur J. Gallagher: Offering risk management ideas and insurance solutions for municipalities;

• GovJobs.com: Providing hiring solutions and a complete employment assistance resource center to help decrease unemployment. 

“Programs like BuildingAmerica are important catalysts for helping small U.S. municipalities pool their cultural, financial and industrial resources for their mutual benefit,” said Steve Abrams, senior vice president, MasterCard Corporate Payment Solutions. “MasterCard understands the needs of these local governments and is pleased to work with BuildingAmerica and its participants in its mission to support the vitality of the nation’s towns.”

“The BuildingAmerica Program allows smaller and midsize municipalities to share ideas and practices which can make their operations safer for employees and citizens alike. Such efforts can lead to more stable insurance premiums at a time when most cities face significant increases in the cost of providing services” said Brad Johnson, Public Entity Account Executive of Arthur J. Gallagher & Company. As a leader in risk management solutions for Public Entities, Gallagher recognizes the significance of controlling these risk management costs. They are pleased to be a national sponsor and recognize the efforts of The National Association of Cities in preserving the quality of life in America’s cities, towns and villages.

“The BuildingAmerica Program is a vitally important balancing factor on the Internet with its ability to pool nationwide municipality resources under one umbrella,” said Jason Whitley, President & CEO of GOVJOBS.com. “Like BuildingAmerica, we understand the necessity for mutually beneficial association between different kinds of organizations to help ensure and nurture growth in local governments and their surrounding communities.” 

About The National Association of Cities

The National Association of Cities (NAC) was established to assist America’s smaller municipalities. The NAC is one of the country's largest and most representative organizations serving municipal governments with populations of 50,000 or less. The NAC was founded in 1999 with 68 municipal members and has grown to represent more than 5,000 municipalities across America today.

The NAC is a sponsor of the BuildingAmerica Program. Acting on behalf of local municipalities, NAC's goals include increasing recurring revenues for municipalities and establishing an easy way for citizens and businesses to communicate with their government. Through a wide range of programs and services, NAC assists municipal and civic leaders in their jobs as public servants. The National Association of Cities can be reached through its World Wide Web site @ http://www.associationofcities.org. 

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