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<br />8A <br />Page 8 <br /> <br />"We talk about defining moments - graduations, marriage, birth of a child - those are <br />commemorative moments," he said. "Right now, what you're doing, you do the important work. <br />Those tasks are your defining moments." <br /> <br />Day Two <br /> <br />The Thursday, Sept. 6 general session, held at the Memorial Auditorium, featured keynote <br />speaker Greg Nickels, mayor of Seattle; and California Attorney General Edmund G. Brown. <br /> <br />Attorney General Brown centered his comments on issues of climate change, remarking that <br />cities can make a difference in the battle against pollution. <br /> <br />"I want to rally local officials on whatever ideas they have to reduce global warming," Brown said. <br />"The collective strength of the League membership can make a difference." <br /> <br />Nickels spoke to the crowd about challenging U.S. mayors to meet the Kyoto Protocol emission <br />reduction targets. So far, 667 mayors have signed on, representing 73 million Americans. This <br />includes 102 California cities with 14.4 million residents. <br /> <br />"I think this [current emphasis on global warming] is an opportunity for the United States to <br />recognize we have a common interest in preserving the environment... and get beyond partisan <br />bickering," Nickels said. "I salute California for leading the way." <br /> <br />Caballero Honored <br /> <br />Assembly Member Anna Caballero was honored during Thursday's general session with the <br />League's 2007 "Legislator of the Year" award. Accepting the award, Caballero cited how <br />important her experience as a local official has been in her first year as a member of the State <br />Assembly, and as chair of the Assembly Committee on Local Government. For more on <br />Caballero, see "Caballero Honored as 'Legislator of the Year" on Page 10. <br /> <br />Day Three <br /> <br />At the closing general session on Friday, Sept. 7, the League announced the election of new <br />officers to form the 2007-2008 executive committee of its board of directors. <br /> <br />San Diego City Council Member Jim Madaffer is now the League's president, assuming the post <br />held for the past year by Pinole Mayor Maria Alegria. Sacramento Mayor Heather Fargo is first <br />vice president, and Rolling Hills Estates Council Member Judy Mitchell joined the League's <br />executive committee as second vice president. <br /> <br />The League's bylaws call for officers to serve one-year terms. Under the League bylaws, Alegria <br />now becomes immediate past president of the League, and remains a member of the executive <br />committee. Madaffer moved up to his current position after serving the past year as first vice <br />president. Fargo has served the past year as second vice president. <br /> <br />"Pinole Mayor Maria Alegria has been an outstanding leader for the League of California Cities <br />this year," said League Executive Director Chris McKenzie. "Her leadership and that of our entire <br />executive committee, has been critical to our legislative efforts on infrastructure, eminent domain <br />reform, climate change and affordable housing." <br /> <br />Post Recognized <br /> <br />A. Alan Post was a recipient of the League's Past Presidents' Lifetime Achievement Award at the <br />general session. Post was honored for his 27 years as California's chief legislative analyst and is <br />a founding director of the Public Policy Institute of California. <br /> <br />"Alan is respected by both sides of the aisle because he focused on the principle, not the politics," <br />former League President Pat Eklund explained, when presenting Post with the award. "He <br />resisted offers from governors to leave the legislative analyst's office for other positions because <br /> <br />8 <br />