Who is a member?
Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
The MMA has released Volume 3 of its municipal “Best Practices” series.
The following is a summary of the five Best Practices for 2018:
Tax Exemptions and Abatements for Economic Development Purposes
Best Practice: Adopt formal written policies and rules governing the evaluation and use of property tax reductions as incentives for economic development and growth.
Municipal Climate Adaptation Plans
Best Practice: Adopt a municipal climate adaptation plan that focuses on community resilience in order to prepare for the effects of climate change.
Age- and Dementia-Friendly Community Commitments
Best Practice: Engage in the continuous improvement process of the age- and dementia-friendly community movement.
Emergency Management and Preparedness for Public Works
Best Practice: Develop a strategy for the public works department to coordinate with other agencies and stakeholders on emergency management and disaster preparedness during emergencies, disasters and severe weather events.
Recreational Marijuana
Best Practice: Adopt a strategy for addressing issues regarding recreational marijuana in your community. Early planning and action will be vital to ensuring effective outcomes.
The new Best Practices build on the 14 recommendations published in 2016 (Volume 1) and the nine recommendations released last year (Volume 2). These earlier recommendations, also available here, address issues such as snow and ice budgeting, municipal reserves, managing unemployment insurance claims, and a range of other municipal areas of operation.
The “best practice” topics are chosen by the members of the MMA’s five policy committees early in the year and developed and refined at meetings in the fall.
Some of the suggested practices are based on recommendations developed by national organizations such as the Government Finance Officers Association and state agencies such as the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency. Others that are more specific to Massachusetts are based on successful practices in cities and towns that can be shared with others.