Who is a member?
Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
Twenty-five students participate in the orientation for the 2024-2025 MMA-Suffolk Certificate in Local Government Leadership and Management program in Pittsfield on Sept. 6. Pittsfield Mayor Peter Marchetti greeted them on their first day.
The MMA and Suffolk University kicked off two Certificate in Local Government Leadership and Management programs in September, in Pittsfield and Sharon.
Nearly 550 local officials have graduated from the certificate program since it began in 2011. The two current offerings are the 23rd and 24th certificate classes.
Offered over the course of 25 Fridays during the academic year, the program covers a wide range of municipal management topics.
The next certificate programs will begin in September 2025 in Barnstable and Winchester. Applications will be available on the program website on Feb. 1, 2025.
Human Resources Seminar
The second session of the MMA and Suffolk University’s Municipal Human Resources Seminar began in September, with 27 new students participating in the fall seminar.
The HR seminar covers human resources management, policies and practices specific to Massachusetts cities and towns. There has been overwhelming interest in the seminar since it began in April.
Topics include hiring and onboarding, benefits administration, policy development, collective bargaining, and employee reviews and evaluations. Students also review relevant labor laws and best practices in municipal human resources management.
Planning is underway for future Municipal Human Resources seminars, and waitlisted applicants will receive emails when sessions are confirmed.
Municipal Finance Management Seminar
The MMA and Suffolk University will offer three Municipal Finance Management Seminar programs in 2025.
The seminar is designed to provide an overview of municipal finance in Massachusetts, including the structure and purpose of local government, municipal budgeting systems and sources of revenue, financial reporting and record keeping, financial management, principles of property assessment, the intersection of human resources and financial resources, and best practices in local government finance.
Seminars will be held via Zoom over the course of five Fridays, with start dates as follows:
• Winter 2025: Jan. 3
• Spring 2025: March 7
• Fall 2025: TBD (expected mid-October)
“We’ve seen great success with the program and are addressing a longstanding need,” said John Petrin, a retired town manager and senior fellow and liaison for the MMA-Suffolk programs. “We’re filling an important gap in preparing the next generation of municipal finance professionals.”
The seminar is for municipal officials interested in furthering their careers in municipal finance or employees who are new to municipal finance. Participants must be currently employed by a city or town, and must have the approval of their municipal manager, administrator or mayor to apply.
Students are expected to attend all course sessions, participate in class activities, and complete all course assignments. Each session can accommodate up to 25 students, and the cost is $925.
Registration is first-come, first-served. Applicants will be vetted to ensure that they’re a municipal employee in a role that’s related to finance, and there can be no more than three participants per municipality.
Registration details for the winter session will be emailed to chief municipal officials in mid-October. Questions about the registration process can be directed to Kate Evarts at kevarts@mma.org or 617-426-7272, ext. 172.
More information
The MMA has partnered with Suffolk University since 2011 to offer programs designed exclusively for municipal employees to help them further their professional careers.
For more information on any of the MMA-Suffolk programs, visit mma.org/suffolk or contact Katie McCue at 617-426-7272, ext. 111, or kmccue@mma.org, or Kate Evarts at 617-426-7272, ext. 172, or kevarts@mma.org.