Who is a member?
Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
“Best practices for towns of all sizes” is the theme of the 2018 Massachusetts Selectmen’s Association Fall Conference.
This year’s conference will break into two tracks: one with workshops for smaller and rural communities, and one with workshops geared toward larger towns. Selectmen will be able to choose topics that are a good fit for their community and the issues and challenges they face.
The cost of this meeting is $35. Written notice of cancellation must be received by Oct. 12.
Agenda
8 a.m.
Registration, Networking and Continental Breakfast
8:30 a.m.
Welcome and Introductions
Jim Lovejoy, Mount Washington Selectman and President, Massachusetts Selectmen’s Association
Spring Garden Ballroom
8:45 a.m.
MMA Legislative Update
Geoff Beckwith, MMA Executive Director
Spring Garden Ballroom
9:15 a.m.
Keynote Panel Presentation: Selectman Life As We Know It
MSA Board of Directors
10:15 a.m.
Break
10:30 a.m.
Breakout Session A: Best Practices For Hiring Your Next Town Manager
Town Managers and Administrators are retiring at a record rate in Massachusetts. One of the most important jobs a selectman can do is hire a manager or administrator for their community. This session will equip you with the knowledge and tools to hire a Town Manager or Administrator who is the perfect fit for your community. There is no ‘one size fits all’ model but there are many paths to successful professional management in local government.
Blyth Robinson, Executive Director of General Government, Wellesley
Steve Bartha, Town Manager, Danvers
Moderator: Bernie Lynch, President, Community Paradigm Associates, LLC.
Breakout Session B: Muni Management Best Practices for Small Towns
Small communities face a different set of challenges when it comes to municipal management. Do you have a hard time recruiting a town manager? Is your community large enough to support a formalized town manager? In this session you will learn municipal best practices with or without a formal town administrator or manager and if you are interested in finding a town manager what steps it will take to put one in place and make it work for your community’s size and capacity.
Chris Ketchen, Chief Administrative Officer, Lee/Lenox
Tim Goddard, Town Administrator, Carlisle
Moderator: Michael Bettencourt, Selectman, Winchester
11:45 a.m.
Break
11:55 a.m.
Breakout Session C: Twitter, and Facebook, and Insta – Oh My! Being Cautious with Social Platforms and Municipal Rules/Regulations
Social Media has grown exponentially over the last ten years. Cities and towns can use these tools to communicate with citizens, share information with and about the community, and make events widely accessible. As elected officials your use of social media can create a stronger bond with your constituents through information sharing. This can be especially relevant during a time of crisis. While there are many advantages to these mediums there are also things you should be cautious of while using social media to communicate as a public official. This workshop will cover the do’s and don’ts of social media, how to ‘stay out of hot water’, and take into open meeting law and public records law when communicating with colleagues and citizens.
Lauren Goldberg, Partner, KP Law
Dann DeMaina, Associate Editor, MMA
Moderator: Paul DeRensis, Selectman, Sherborn
Keyes Room, 2nd Floor
1 p.m.
Luncheon Closing Speaker: Local Leadership Begins with You
The Honorable Karyn Polito, Lt. Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Grand Ballroom
2 p.m.
Adjournment
Location
Devens Common Center, 31 Andrews Parkway, Devens
Contact
MMA Member Services Coordinator Devon Elizabeth Williams
Massachusetts Selectmen's Association