Rockville Centre mayor's trip to Washington

Mayor Murray traveled to Washington, D.C. last week to attend events and activities sponsored by the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM). He also attended a special Martin Luther King, Jr. Day event and visited several local Congress members. This is his report.

Monday, Jan. 16

I had the privilege of being invited to attend the Let Freedom Ring celebration to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. My wife Barbara and I were invited by Georgetown University President John J. DeGioa.

This year the John Thompson, Jr. Legacy of a Dream Award was presented to Professor Clarence B. Jones, scholar-in-residence at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute at Stanford University, whom I had met and talked with in Rockville Centre earlier this month.

Prof. Jones spoke eloquently about his many memories of working with Dr. King. His talk was followed by a musical performance with Bobby McFerrin, Jr. and the Let Freedom Ring choir.

The highlight of the night was the attendance of President Barack Obama and his wife, followed by a private reception.

Tuesday, Jan. 17

I attended a pre-conference session with mayors and small business leaders to discuss best practices and strategies for developing the workforce of tomorrow. Later we discussed public/private partnerships of the kind that I have been working on over the past few months in Rockville Centre.

That afternoon I went to Sen. Charles Schumer’s office in the Hart Senate Building and met with staffers Brant Kerr and Eric Morrissette for an hour. We are seeking funding through the Main Street Program and I explained our need for a “streetscape” grant. There are also federal grants that could bring solar-powered street lighting to Maple Avenue and other parts of the village.

I am also looking to secure a Department of Homeland Security grant to build an emergency management facility in Rockville Centre that might service a number of communities in our area. Such a facility could be built in conjunction with the planned reorganization and renovation of the village’s firehouses.