MIIA webinar covers basics of municipal risk management

Attorney Regina Ryan discusses sample policies and best practices during a risk management webinar on June 27.

More than 100 municipal leaders participated in a MIIA webinar on June 21 covering how to identify, monitor and address risks in municipalities.

The hour-long session, “Municipal Risk Management 101,” explained how the risk management process can help local leaders prioritize their response to multiple areas of exposure; how their insurer, agent or advisor can assist them; the current state of the municipal loss picture in Massachusetts; and training and tools to prevent or mitigate future losses.

Attorney Regina Ryan, founder and president of Discrimination and Harassment Solutions, offered sample policies and best practices on a number of issues, including harassment and discrimination, code of conduct for employees and elected, appointed and volunteer officials, computer use, motor vehicle use, and pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions.

MIIA Risk Management Representative Maureen Montanus shared an analytical process to identify risk, quantify implications, and develop mitigation strategies. She said the process has four basic steps: identification, assessment, control and implement, and response monitoring.

Other speakers included MIIA Loss Control Manager David Dowd and MIIA Senior Manager of Risk Management Lin Chabra, who moderated.

• MIIA Risk Management Code of Conduct Policy for Elected and Appointed Officials (170K PDF)
• MIIA Risk Management Employee Professional Conduct Policy (100K PDF)
• MIIA Risk Management 101 presentation (2M PDF)

Written by Joyce McMahon