COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) — Over 250 mayors from across the U.S. are in Washington D.C.  for the annual U.S. Conference of Mayors. That includes Columbia’s own Mayor Daniel Rickenmann. The 93rd annual meeting brings together a bipartisan group of mayors from across the country to discuss issues affecting their cities. ABC Columbia’s Lee Williams spoke with Rickenmann just before the group got to share time with President Biden. “Man, we’re working hard! Man we’re having a great conference, it’s really sharing ideas, a lot of panel discussions around policies and the future, but a lot of discussions around housing is really the number one issue, all cities are talking about and obviously homelessness and then infrastructure, all three of those tie in together,” he says. Rickenmann is able to host panels — sharing the city’s successes like Rapid Shelter Columbia — while soaking up helpful new ideas from his colleagues. “We’re just in a different position than our friends in Congress. Because we’re on the ground, working hand in hand with our neighbors, were in the grocery store, we’re in churches, we’re out in the community everyday so we’re hearing live what they want and so our focus is to solve the problems of our constituents, and so there’s a lot of great information here and a lot of great resources as well,” he says. One priority in the weeks to come will be having successful discussions with the incoming administration. “We had a great relationship with the Biden administration, along with all the folks there and we anticipate to have the same thing with the Trump administration,” he says. The conference also allows fellow mayors time to discuss new ways to get further funding and grants for things they want to accomplish, and then share it with their teams upon returning home. “From Miami to Tampa to Maine — across the nation, everybody is here. There’s no political agenda. It’s truly working together sharing ideas and fellowship and it’s priceless. You can’t put a monetary number on it,” he says. President-Elect Trump’s inauguration will take place at noon on Monday, January 20th. Categories: Local News, News Tags: Mayor Daniel Rickenmann, President Biden, President Trump, U.S. Conference of Mayors