Who is a member?
Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
Local finance committee members are invited to the Association of Town Finance Committees’ Annual Meeting on Nov. 4 at the Sharon Community Center.
The meeting will feature four educational workshops, running concurrently during two time slots.
The first session will feature “Finance Committee and Budgeting 101,” covering the basics for new members, and a session on climate change and sustainability initiatives.
The second session will feature capital planning and a workshop taking a closer look at the town treasurer and collector function.
Following lunch, retired town administrator and local government consultant Jeff Nutting will lead a session titled “Good Committee Collaboration.” Finance Committee members regularly work with fellow volunteers and professional staff across town hall and the school department, and maintaining these relationships is important. Nutting will explore how to do this while prioritizing the finance committee’s fiscal responsibility to the community.
The meeting will open with a legislative and budget update from MMA Deputy Legislative Director Jackie Lavender Bird. Newly appointed MMA Executive Director Adam Chapdelaine will also offer brief remarks.
The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. and end at 3 p.m. The cost is $65 for dues-paying ATFC finance committee members and $75 for nonmember finance committee members and all other local officials.
All local officials are welcome to attend.
Online registration and a detailed agenda will be available on www.mma.org by mid-September.
8:15-9 a.m.
Registration, Breakfast and Networking
9-9:15 a.m.
President’s Welcome and Business Meeting
John Trickey, Chair, Pelham Finance Committee
9:15-10 a.m.
MMA Legislative and Budget Update
Adam Chapdelaine, MMA Executive Director
Jackie Lavender Bird, MMA Deputy Legislative Director
10-11:15 a.m
Concurrent Workshops I
Budgeting 101
This session will review national best practices in public budgeting as promoted by the Government Finance Officers Association through its Distinguished Budget Award program. This session, designed for new finance committee members, provides a roadmap for building consensus by showing how best to organize and present your community’s financial information.
Travis Ahern, Town Administrator, Holliston
Frank Gervasio, Assistant Town Administrator, Medfield
Moderator: Ira Miller, Sharon Finance Committee Member and ATFC Past President
Achieving Carbon Neutrality
Speakers will provide an overview of how Massachusetts will achieve carbon neutrality and highlight Lexington’s blueprint to meet that goal.
Mark Sandeen, Select Board Member, Lexington
Michael Judge, Undersecretary, Energy and Environmental Affairs
Moderator: Josie Ahlberg, MMA Legislative Analyst
11:30 a.m.-12:45 pm.
Concurrent Workshops II
The Role of the Treasurer/Collector
The roles of the collector and treasurer are critically important to the financial health of the town. This session will address these roles and cover the following topics: the relationship to the assessor, the process of billing and collection, follow up on unpaid amounts (including demand notices, advertising, tax titles, land court and the seizure of property), the investment of town funds, borrowing and payroll.
Kerri Bertone, Treasurer/Collector, Franklin
Ronald Mendes, Treasurer/Collector, Newton
Moderator: Al Tosti, Arlington Finance Committee and ATFC Treasurer
Capital Planning
Charlie Foskett, Member, Arlington Finance Committee
Kasey Bik, Project Manager, Financial Management Resource Bureau, Division of Local Services
Moderator: Mary McBride, Billerica Finance Committee Member and ATFC Director
12:30-1:15 p.m.
Lunch
1:15-2:15 p.m.
Closing Session
Good Committee Collaboration
Finance Committee members regularly work with fellow volunteers and professional staff across town hall and the school department, and maintaining these relationships is important. Jeff Nutting will explore how to do this while prioritizing the finance committee’s fiscal responsibility to the community.
Jeff Nutting, Retired Town Administrator and Consultant
Location
Sharon Community Center, Sharon
Contact
MMA Senior Member Services Coordinator Denise Baker, dbaker@mma.org