More than 110 local officials from communities across Massachusetts serve on the MMA policy committees, which advise the MMA Board of Directors, staff, and MMA members on legislative, regulatory and public policy issues.

The committees also draft resolutions for the MMA’s Annual Business Meeting, municipal best practices for the MMA’s Best Practices series, and bills (biannually) for the MMA’s legislative package.

Each committee has a regular schedule of meetings, usually one per month, at the MMA office. Additionally, committee members may be asked to read legislative summaries, bill text, and/or position papers to prepare for meetings.

Each committee is assigned an MMA staff member to assist with its research, consideration of issues, and administrative functions.

Each committee has 23 members, including mayors, select board members, councillors, city and town managers/administrators, and finance committee members, plus five “presidential appointees” and five technical appointees. Presidential and technical appointees serve one-year terms, while the other members serve three-year terms.

The MMA president names the chair and members of the committee, subject to approval by the MMA Board of Directors.

The following are descriptions of the MMA’s current policy committees and a listing of the members who are serving during 2024:

Fiscal Policy Committee

This committee considers all municipal finance issues. Legislation that has a fiscal impact is referred to this committee from other committees as well. This committee also develops a policy framework for local government financing in the future.

Mayors
Michael Nicholson, Gardner
Domenic Sarno, Springfield
Michelle Wu, Boston

Select Boards
Jonathan Chines, Wakefield, Chair
Karen Herrick, Reading
George Solas, Rehoboth

Councillors
Lisa Blackmer, North Adams
Andrew Steinberg, Amherst
Brendan Sweeney, Beverly

Managers
Ryan McLane, Carlisle
Connor Read, Easton
Paul Sagarino, Burlington

Finance Committee
John Trickey, Pelham

Presidential
Glenn Cannon, Town Administrator, Rochester
Justin Casanova-Davis, Town Administrator, Norfolk
Andrew Flanagan, Town Manager, Andover
Alicia Greco, Select Board, Newbury
Jennifer Hewitt, Assistant Town Administrator, Belmont

Technical
Marilyn Bernardo, Finance Director, Brewster
David Davison, Deputy Town Manager, Needham
Melanie Jackson, Administrative Assistant, Phillipston
Mary MacKinnon, Finance Director, Duxbury
Ira Miller, Finance Committee, Sharon

Policy Committee on Energy and the Environment

This committee formulates policy in the following areas: water quality, water supply, air quality, solid waste and recycling, hazardous waste, wetlands, coastal areas, wastewater treatment, renewable energy and energy conservation.

Mayors
Mike Cahill, Beverly
Kassandra Gove, Amesbury
Jon Mitchell, New Bedford

Select Boards
Stephanie Boyd, Williamstown
Susan Bunnell, Wilbraham
Doug Thompson, Swampscott

Councillors
Melanie Hamblen, Franklin
Afroz Khan, Newburyport
Michael Ossing, Marlborough, Chair

Managers
Antonio Barletta, Nahant
Gregory Johnson, Maynard
Melissa Rodrigues, North Andover

Finance Committee
Jonathan Harris, Weston

Presidential
Mallory Aronstein, Town Administrator, Swansea
Geoffrey Gorman, Town Administrator, Marion
Irwin Nesoff, Select Board, Hull
Andrew Potter, Select Board, West Stockbridge
Mark Sandeen, Select Board, Lexington

Technical
Alison Brizius, Commissioner of Environment, Boston
Tim Carroll, Town Administrator, Chilmark
David Lane, Public Works Director, Danvers
Neil Rhein, Select Board, Mansfield
Patrick Yeo, Weston & Sampson

Policy Committee on Municipal and Regional Administration

This committee considers issues that relate to the organization, structure, efficiency, and productivity of local and regional government and the relationships between the two levels of government. Issues include housing and zoning, procurement, economic development, regulation of marijuana, open meeting law and public records law, public health and safety, and licensing.

Mayors
Paul Coogan, Fall River
Nicole LaChapelle, Easthampton
Jared Nicholson, Lynn

Select boards
Dottie Fulginiti, Easton
Yolanda Greaves, Ashland, Chair
Andrew Hogeland, Williamstown

Councillors
Lisle Baker, Newton
Mandi Jo Hanneke, Amherst
Paul Toner, Cambridge

Managers
Steve Maio, Wakefield
Marc Strange, Ludlow
Shaun Suhoski, Athol

Finance Committee
Gloria McPherson, Provincetown

Presidential
Nathan Boudreau, Town Administrator, Hubbardston
Michael Maresco, Town Administrator, Marshfield
Heather Munroe, Town Administrator, Paxton
Kathleen Robey, City Councillor, Marlborough
Christopher Senior, Town Manager, Cohasset

Technical
Robert Dean, Municipal Services Director, Franklin Regional Council of Governments
Tristan Israel, Commissioner, Dukes County
Matthew Kerwood, Finance Director, Pittsfield
Jennifer Raitt, Executive Director, Northern Middlesex Council of Governments
Michael Richards, Director of A&F and Infrastructure Management, Somerville

Policy Committee on Personnel and Labor Relations

This committee considers issues in the following areas: collective bargaining, civil service, employee benefits, and pension reform.

Mayors
Jeannette McCarthy, Waltham
Dominick Pangallo, Salem
William Reichelt, West Springfield

Select Boards
Paul DeRensis, Sherborn
Christine Hoyt, Adams
Mary Jane Mastrangelo, Bourne

Councillors
Brandon Robbins, Leominster
Barry Sanders, Taunton
Jessica Sizer, Palmer

Managers
Jennifer Breaker, Danvers, Chair
Paul Cohen, Chelmsford
Scott Lambiase, Abington

Finance Committee
Allan Tosti, Arlington

Presidential
James Boudreau, Town Administrator, Scituate
Denise Casey, Deputy Town Manager, North Andover
Thatcher Kezer, Town Administrator, Marblehead
Mary Lauria, Finance Director, Grafton
Michael Mullen, Town Administrator, Dighton

Technical
Joseph Diver, Select Board, Dalton
Dolores Hamilton, Human Resources Director, Wellesley
Katie King, Assistant Town Manager, Needham
Michelle Pizzi O’Brien, Human Resources Director, Newton
Emily Russo, Human Resources Director, Easthampton

Policy Committee on Public Works, Transportation and Public Utilities

This committee considers the wide range of issues related to public works, with an emphasis on transportation. Topics include the relationship between municipalities and utility companies and state departments; funding for roads, bridges and water infrastructure; DPW workforce topics; transportation planning, and more.

Mayors
Ted Bettencourt, Peabody
Gina-Louise Sciarra, Northampton
Samantha Squailia, Fitchburg

Select Boards
Kathryn Coughlin, Natick
Joseph Pato, Lexington
Alan Slavin, Wareham

Councillors
Zac Bears, Medford
Andreae Downs, Newton
Kelly Garcia, Chelsea

Managers
Paul Bockelman, Amherst
William Caldwell, Sterling
Jeremy Marsette, Sherborn, Chair

Finance Committee
Alan Germain, Carver

Presidential
Jennifer Constable, Town Administrator, Hull
Peter Meier, Select Board, Bourne
Dan Murphy, Select Board, Sunderland
Kerry Reed, Director of Public Works, Hopkinton

Technical
Richard Benevento, Chair, Parking and Traffic Commission, Beverly
Alan Cathcart, Public Works Director, Concord
Joseph Flanagan, Public Works Director, Dedham
Joyce Losick-Yang, Sustainability and Energy Director, Andover
William Scully, Kimley-Horn & Associates