HELO Focuses on Leadership, Past and Present
December 20, 2010
by Mary Gordon Hispanic Elected Local Officials (HELO) co-sponsored an NLC Leadership Training Institute (LTI) seminar, “Local Leaders as Conveners for Collaborative Problem Solving,” during this year’s Congress of Cities & Exposition in Denver. HELO President Sergio Rodriguez, alderman, New Haven, Conn., presided over this year’s HELO events.
“I encourage our members to engage in as many training opportunities as possible to strengthen their skill sets for their own individual hometown leadership and governance,” he said. “There are more and more challenges arising where we need to have access to expertise and information that will help us make the right decisions for our constituents. The leadership training seminars offer us outstanding opportunities to make more strategic decisions.”
An important focus for this year’s HELO events was a vote by the membership on the HELO bylaws. The bylaws were amended to implement two-year terms for the officers of HELO. This pertains to the president, first vice president, second vice president and immediate past president positions. The officer positions of treasurer and secretary will be abolished after the current officers serving in these positions ascend upwardly to the first and second vice presidency positions. Gilbert Lopez, councilmember, Coolidge, Ariz., presided over the vote for amendment of the HELO bylaws.
Rodriguez also stated that HELO is very interested in supporting and developing program ideas for the 2011 Phoenix Congress of Cities.
HELO members also had the opportunity to reflect on the memory of one of its past presidents, the late Jenny Oropeza, who served as president of HELO in 1999. Karen Avilla, city treasurer, Carson, Calif., and HELO first vice president, and Julie Ruiz-Raber, councilmember, Carson, Calif., and HELO secretary, both offered reflections about Oropeza as a leader. She served as a councilmember in Long Beach, Calif., and subsequently was elected to the California state assembly and state senate in recent years.
“I am honored to let the other HELO members know how I remember Jenny Oropeza. She was a wonderful woman and great leader. I had great admiration for State Senator Jenny Oropeza,” Ruiz-Raber said.
In 2002, Oropeza selected Ruiz-Raber as “California Woman of the Year,” for her work with the Carson Women’s Club and post-September 11 remembrances.
“This was the catalyst that got me on the road to the Carson City Council,” Ruiz-Raber said. “I will never forget Jenny or her enthusiasm and love for all. She is and forever will be in my heart.”
Again this year, HELO partnered with the League of California Cities – Latino Caucus (LCC-LC) to host a joint reception event with other NLC constituency groups, the Asian Pacific American Municipal Officials and Women in Municipal Government. At this event, HELO honored West Denver Preparatory with its National Leadership Award.
HELO’s officers for 2011 are: Rodriguez (president); Avilla (first vice president); Adrienne Foster, mayor, Roeland Park, Kan. (second vice president); T. Oscar Trevino, mayor, North Richland Hills, Texas (treasurer); Ruiz-Raber (secretary) and Carlos Silva, council president pro tempore, Bridgeport, Conn. (immediate past president).
At-Large Board Members are: Anderson Ayala, councilmember, Bridgeport, Conn.; Charles Blango, alderman, New Haven, Conn.; Rosanna Gabaldon, councilmember, Sahuarita, Ariz.; Joseph Gonzales, councilmember, South El Monte, Calif.; Andres Herrera, councilmember, Oxnard, Calif.; Delia Jasso, councilmember, Dallas; Gilbert Lopez, councilmember, Coolidge, Ariz.; Lydia Martinez, councilmember, Bridgeport, Conn.; Pauline Medrano, councilmember, Dallas; Joel Navarro, Councilmember, Tempe, Ariz.; Alice Rodriguez, councilmember, Waco, Texas; and rJo Winch, council president, Hartford, Conn.
Advisory Council (Past Presidents) members are: NLC Second Vice President Marie Lopez Rogers, mayor, Avondale, Ariz.; Luis Quintana, councilmember, Newark, N.J.; Evelyn “Mimi” Woodson, councilmember, Columbus, Ga.; and Richard Alarcón, councilmember, Los Angeles.
Details: For more information about HELO and sponsorship/membership opportunities, contact NLC staff at (202) 626-3169.