District 1 State Rep. Gary VanDeaver spoke at the Texas Municipal League Region 15 spring meeting Tuesday, April 23 where he emphasized the importance of small and rural town government representation in state politics. The spring meeting was hosted by the City of New Boston at Four Fifteen Estates.

The Texas Municipal League exists solely to provide services to Texas cities. Guided by it’s purpose statement – Empowering Texas cities to serve their citizens – that mission translates into the following services:

1. To represent the interests of member cities before legislative, administrative, and judicial bodies at the state and federal levels.
2. To sponsor and conduct an annual conference and other conferences, meetings, workshops, and webinars for the purpose of studying municipal issues and exchange information.
3. Make available an official magazine and other publications, reports, and newsletters of interest to member cities.
4. Provide for and conduct research on relevant and timely topics related to municipal government.
5. Alert member cities of important governmental or private sector actions or proposed actions which may affect municipal operations.
6. Promote the interests of League affiliates (which represent specific professional disciplines in municipal government) and TML regions by providing organizational and technical assistance as directed by the Board of Directors and consistent with financial resources.
7. Promote constructive and cooperative relationships among cities and between the League and other levels of government, councils of governments, the National League of Cities, educational institutions, and the private sector.
8. Provide, in a timely manner, any additional services or information that individual members may request, consistent with the member cities’ common interests and the League’s resources.

Today, 1,174 Texas cities are members of the Texas Municipal League.

Tribune photo by Susan Lindsey