1,000 local leaders attend 2009 MMA Annual Meeting

More than 1,000 local officials gathered in Boston on Jan. 23 and 24 for the MMA’s 30th Annual Meeting & Trade Show, an event that took place amid the deepening fiscal and economic challenges facing cities and towns.
 
Speakers included Gov. Deval Patrick, Attorney General Martha Coakley, journalist Mike Jensen, author Doris Kearns Goodwin, and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino.
 
In her opening keynote address, Goodwin urged local officials to reflect on the qualities that made President Lincoln such an extraordinary leader despite the trying times he faced.
 
The governor, speaking immediately after Goodwin, revealed his plans for closing a $1.1 billion state budget deficit and offered a preview of his budget proposal for fiscal 2010. Despite announcing a $128 million cut in local aid for the current fiscal year, Gov. Patrick offered proposals to offset a portion of the local aid cuts.
 
Speaking at the Women Elected Municipal Officials luncheon, Coakley urged attendees to help mortgage foreclosure victims stay in their homes.
 
During the closing session, Jensen offered a surprisingly hopeful outlook on the economy, predicting that things would begin to look up by late 2009 or early 2010.
 
Cost savings and economic planning were the focus of many of the 30 Annual Meeting workshops, which dealt with topics such as preparing for fiscal 2010 and meeting local energy challenges.
 
The Friday dinner offered lighter fare, with actor Ken Howard telling the story of his colorful career and strong ties to Massachusetts. Local and state officials at the dinner also honored the winner of the MMA’s third annual sixth-grade student essay contest.
 
At the Saturday evening banquet, comedian Paula Poundstone managed to lighten the mood with her riveting, well-received and largely impromptu performance. Her hilarious plays off the audience added to the personal and enjoyable atmosphere of the evening.
 
This year’s Trade Show featured 208 exhibitors. Of the more than 50 first-time exhibitors, several offered energy-related and green services, including a solar photovoltaic designer, a recycling initiative program, and a provider of green energy and conservation services.
 
The MMA Trade Show also went green this year, highlighting exhibitors that offer green products and services. All Annual Meeting attendees were given environmentally friendly, reusable green registration bags, and the Trade Show hopes to offer even more green exhibitors in the future.
 
A driving simulator, used to train police officers, firefighters and ambulance drivers, remained popular with attendees, as did the Braintree Police Department’s firearms training simulator.
 
The MMA Annual Meeting & Trade Show, the largest annual gathering of municipal officials in the state, also featured the business meetings of the various MMA groups: mayors, selectmen, councillors, managers and finance committee members.
 
This year’s Annual Meeting theme was “Leadership and Action for Today and Tomorrow.”
 
Next year’s Annual Meeting will be held Jan. 22-23, 2010, also at the Hynes Convention Center and Sheraton Boston Hotel.