On February 18, 2010, the Providence Uncaucus initiated an effort to enlist more citizen participation in the process through which the next Mayor of Providence will be “hired” for the City’s number one job.
This group, organized under the name “Uncaucus,” has posted a job description for the next Mayor. The Uncaucus has posted this job description locally and in multiple cities across the country to challenge assumptions about what it means to be Mayor, get more citizens involved in the hiring process, encourage new candidates to step forward and focus election season discussion and debate on platform issues most important to the City’s future.
Over the next few months, the Uncaucus will solicit applications for Mayor, share those applications with the citizens of Providence, and create a channel where we can collectively discuss the issues that matter most to Providence—all in hopes of increasing the chances that we’ll hire the right person for the job.
The Uncaucus has initiated a citizen-led search to hire a Mayor who will help us build a stronger city. Over the next nine months the Uncaucus will:
- Challenge assumptions about the Mayoral job
- Invite candidates to apply
- Share information from the campaign trail
- Encourage civic participation in the Mayoral selection process
- Serve as an alternative channel for pre-election debate about key issues
We are inviting people to learn more at Uncaucus.org. Interested citizens can sign up for updates and to receive invitations to upcoming Uncaucus gatherings. Twitter users can also follow the group at @uncaucus or join us on Facebook.
The Uncaucus will hold its first public meeting in March.
Founding members of the Uncaucus include Andy Cutler, Owen Johnson, Allan Tear, Clay Rockefeller, Christine West, John West and Melissa Withers.
Founding members created the Uncaucus to advance their genuine desire to enter into a deeper conversation about who should succeed Mayor David N. Cicilline, who announced his decision to not run for re-election last Saturday.
The Uncaucus members created the group to take advantage of the buzz created by a slate of announcements regarding key political positions across the state. The Uncaucus sees this time of political uncertainty as an ideal opportunity to stimulate greater civic engagement across the City.
The Uncaucus is not associated with any political party or advocacy organization.
