Recently, 1,400+ local officials from across Massachusetts gathered for the Massachusetts Municipal Association’s Annual Meeting & Trade Show at the Hynes Convention Center and Sheraton Hotel in Boston’s Back Bay. The conference took place on January 24-25, 2020.
Considered the largest gathering of local government officials in Massachusetts, the annual event features educational workshops, speakers, awards programs and a robust trade show with 200+ exhibitors.
Governor Charlie Baker addressed the meeting and discussed the Baker-Polito Administration’s Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) budget proposal released earlier in the week. “Collaboration with the Commonwealth’s cities and towns has been a hallmark of our administration,” he told the audience.
Lt. Governor Karyn Polito, who also spoke at the event, announced at the meeting that the Baker-Polito Administration was filing “An Act Financing Improvements to Municipal Roads and Bridges.” The bill seeks $200 in Chapter 90 funds to support local transportation infrastructure projects in all 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts.
This year’s keynote speaker was former Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James, the second woman to lead a U.S. military service, who shared her experiences and strategies for thriving in difficult public environments, where government leaders face constant change, criticism and conflict.
A critical feature of the annual MMA is the selection of workshops covering the latest developments affecting local government. This year MMA offered 34 workshops, focusing on legal, financial, economic development, social, environmental and technological issues.
Agawan City Councilor Cecilia Calabrese and Arlington Town Manager Adam Chapdelaine were selected to lead the Mass Municipal Association as president and vice president, respectively, following their election by the MMA Board of Directors at the meeting.
The next MMA Annual Meeting & Trade Show is being scheduled for January 22-23, 2021.