Who is a member?
Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
MMA Annual Meeting and Trade Show provides numerous opportunities for networking.
Over two days, 34 workshops will cover important and timely municipal issues such as civic engagement, climate change, FCC regulations, the opioid crisis, school finance, the U.S. Census and much more.
The list of workshop titles is available online, where the full descriptions and panelists will be published this month. Workshop details will also be available in the Annual Meeting Program Book and the Annual Meeting & Trade Show mobile app.
New details about the two-day event are posted on the MMA website as they become available.
The MMA Annual Meeting is the largest regular gathering of local officials in Massachusetts. In 2019, a record 1,300 local leaders attended the Annual Meeting, and the Trade Show featured more than 225 exhibitors.
The theme of this year’s Annual Meeting is “Values, Vision and Service.”
This year, the MMA will present a new format for its Saturday evening reception on Jan. 25, with an earlier start and end time (6:45 to 8:30 p.m.). The event will feature “Tastes of New England,” a buffet dinner celebrating the region’s signature foods, and the music of Bon Jovi tribute band Living on a Bad Name.
The conference will kick off Friday morning with a keynote address by former Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James, who was just the second woman to lead a U.S. military service. James will share her strategies for not just surviving, but thriving in challenging public environments.
Tickets are available – and are expected to go quickly – for the popular Women Elected Municipal Officials luncheon on Friday with veteran sportswriter Jackie MacMullan, the Friday evening dinner with Faith Salie of “CBS Sunday Morning” and NPR’s “Wait Wait … Don’t Tell Me!”, and the Saturday evening reception.
In addition to workshops and speakers, the two-day event features business meetings, a trade show, receptions and countless opportunities for networking.
The Trade Show will once again feature exhibitors highlighting products and services that are vital to local government operations. The Trade Show will be open on Friday, Jan. 24, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Saturday, Jan. 25, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Descriptions of Learning Lab sessions, to be held on the Trade Show floor, will be published soon as well as in the Program Book and the Annual Meeting & Trade Show app.
New municipal officials elected this past year, and veteran officials who have not attended Annual Meeting in the past, are encouraged to attend a special session on the morning of Jan. 24. Seasoned association members will talk about the best strategies for making the most of the Annual Meeting experience and MMA membership.
The MMA has now entered its fifth decade of bringing municipal officials together to articulate a clear and united municipal message, to develop and advocate for unified policies, and to share information and work together to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of municipal service delivery.
Register now
The advance Annual Meeting registration rate for members is $185. After the early registration deadline of Jan. 15, all registrations will be done on-site at a rate of $235.
Online registration is available. The MMA accepts credit cards for Annual Meeting transactions. No Annual Meeting registrations can be accepted over the phone.
The MMA is also accepting reservations for the WEMO Leadership Luncheon on Friday, Jan. 24, and the Friday and Saturday evening dinners.
MMA Partnership Program members qualify for member rates. All Partnership Program members must renew with payment by Jan. 1 to register for and attend the MMA Annual Meeting & Trade Show. Partnership Program renewals or applications will not be accepted at the Annual Meeting.
Hotel information
The Sheraton Boston Hotel, conveniently located next to the Hynes, is the host hotel. The MMA negotiated a reduced room rate of $185 per night for a single or $195 per night for a double. The reduced-rate rooms are expected to sell out quickly, and reservations must be made by Dec. 27 to take advantage of the special rates.
For more information on the Annual Meeting, contact Timmery Kuck at 617-426-7272, ext. 106. For Trade Show and Partnership Program information, contact Karen LaPointe at 617-426-7272, ext. 154.