1,150 attend 36th MMA Annual Meeting

The importance of local government in the quality of life for Massachusetts residents was a recurring theme throughout the MMA Annual Meeting & Trade Show on Jan. 23 and 24, an event that set new attendance and trade show exhibitor records.
 
Beginning with Gov. Charlie Baker at the opening session to Friday evening speaker Peter Sagal to several of the state’s constitutional officers and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, speaker after speaker lauded the work of local officials and recognized the challenges they face.
 
Gov. Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito highlighted the former local officials – including themselves – who were tapped for key roles in the new Baker administration. Both promised to cultivate a strong partnership with local officials across the Commonwealth.
 
New Administration and Finance Secretary Kristen Lepore spoke during a workshop on municipal finance, where she announced that Brookline Deputy Town Administrator Sean Cronin would be joining the administration as senior deputy commissioner of the Division of Local Services.
 
During the Friday dinner, incoming Treasurer Deborah Goldberg, a former selectman in Brookline, said her priorities include replacing Lottery machines and pushing for an increase in the Lottery’s advertising budget in order to boost sales, which are a source of local aid.
 
New Attorney General Maura Healey vowed to work with cities and towns to combat the opioid crisis.
 
Secretary of State William Galvin, who has attended every MMA Annual Meeting since 1995, also addressed local officials.
 
“You are the ones who make this democracy work,” Sagal, host of NPR’s “Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me!”, told his audience.
 
Boston Mayor Martin Walsh addressed the MMA Annual Business Meeting on Jan. 24, citing the importance of local officials working together in regions as well as statewide.
 
Other speakers included business consultant Mike Walsh and historian Michael Beschloss.
 
Workshops and seminars during the two-day event explored topics ranging from stormwater management to labor law. Three well-attended Emerging Issues Forums examined economic development; modernizing personnel benefits; and dealing with the opioid crisis.
 
Attendance at this year’s annual meeting was 1,150, a new high.
 
The Trade Show this year hosted 225 exhibitors, including the MIIA Safe Driving Simulator and the Massachusetts and the State 9-1-1 Department’s mobile public safety answering point truck.
 
“Congratulations to our members, Board of Directors, and staff on an exciting and record-breaking annual meeting,” said MMA Executive Director Geoff Beckwith. “We had more local officials and exhibitors than ever before, and everyone contributed to making this our best conference yet. We’ve started 2015 off on a powerful wave of momentum.”
 
Next year’s Annual Meeting & Trade Show will be held Jan. 22-23, 2016.