MMA policy committees work on resolutions and legislative package

The five MMA policy committees have full agendas this fall, as they meet to discuss and vote on recommendations for bills to support for the legislative session that starts in January.
 
These recommendations will be taken up by the MMA Board of Directors on Nov. 9.
 
The 20-bill MMA legislative package will be refreshed next year to reflect provisions that were included in the “municipal modernization” act signed by Gov. Charlie Baker in August and the addition of new bills on important municipal issues expected to be ready for debate next year.
 
Policy committee members this fall will also be drafting policy resolutions, outlining state budget and legislative priorities for cities and towns, to be voted on at the MMA’s Annual Business Meeting in January. At last year’s Annual Business Meeting, which is part of the MMA Annual Meeting & Trade Show, municipal officials approved two resolutions, one on energy and environmental issues and one related to municipal budget and finance.
 
The policy committees will be working on a new round of municipal “best practices” to add to the series that was inaugurated last year. Work on “best practices” started in the spring, when committee members had initial discussions about potential topics. On the agenda for the Fiscal Policy Committee are practices related to sustainable “other post-employment benefit” (OPEB) financing, revenue projections and forecasts, and debt management practices.
 
The first MMA “best practices” paper, released this past January, included 14 recommendations intended to serve as helpful guides for municipal officials who are developing local policies and practices.
 
The five MMA policy committees include municipal officials from across the Commonwealth, as well as subject matter experts, and draw from all MMA groups, including mayors, councillors, selectmen, managers and finance committee members.
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