Box 7, Folder 8, Document 50

Box 7, Folder 8, Document 50

December li, 1967

MEMORANDUM
TO2 Members of the Steering Committee
Urban Coalition
FROM: John Gunther, U. S. Conference of Mayors

Chairman, Working Committee on Organization

SUBJECT: The Urban Coalition in 1968

Your Working Committee on Organization met and based on that
meeting and subsequent discussions with individual members of the
Working Committee, I submit this report.

l. The Urban Coalition should ontinue its efforts toward assur-
ing an equitable share of the benefits from the nation's economy
for the residents of our central cities. The Urban Coalition
should be responsive to but independent of the individual
elements of it. The Coalition should seek to facilitate the
implementation of policies developed by it and others and con-
curred in by the Coalition. Areas of substantive concern should
be education, employment, and housing, including related community
facilities and services. The.Coalition should encourage the
formation of local coalitions to develop and implement plans for
the solution of communityw problems. The National Coalition,
through local coalitions and by direct action, should support
policies to order private and public priorities to meet the
pressing and long neglected needs of the central cities.

2. The Steering Committee is the governing body of the Coalition
and it may add to its number as it deems appropriate. The
Steering Committee shall select its chairman or co-chairmen from
its members and shall determine the substance of the areas of the
Coalition activities, establish a budget and employ a National
Coordinator.

3. There shall be a Council of Local Coalitions. This Council
will be made up of two representatives from each local coalition
and it shall select two of its members to serve on the national
Steering Committee. The Council will serve in an advisory
capacity to the Steering Committee.
4. Each member of the Steering Committee may designate an
individual to represent him on the Working Committee. The
Working Committee shall select a chairman or co-chairman from its
members, and may establish committees as needed to oversee the
implementation of decisions by the Steering Committee, and pre-
pare proposals for the consideration of the Steering Committee.

5. Areas of Coalition activity will be explored in depth by
task forces established by the Steering Committee and responsible

to the Steering Committee.

6. The Coalition shall employ such staff as its budgeted resources
permit. The staff will be under the direction of a National
Coordinator who may be retained and serve at the pleasure of the
Steering Committee. The staff will provide services as necessary
to the Steering Committee, the Council of Local Coalitions, the
task forces and the Working Committee.

7. Staffing and funding should be planned on a one-year basis; and
prior to January 1, 1969, a comprehensive review should be made to

asses progress toward the objectives of the Urban Coalition and

to make such recommendations as may be appropriate for its continu-
ation.