1,000 local leaders attend 2010 MMA Annual Meeting

More than 1,000 local officials gathered in Boston on Jan. 22 and 23 for the MMA’s 31st Annual Meeting & Trade Show, an event that demonstrated the resolve of city and town leaders as they continue to face severe fiscal challenges.
 
The two-day event kicked off with good news, as Gov. Deval Patrick promised local officials that his fiscal 2011 state budget bill would not cut key local aid programs or education funding.
 
Other Annual Meeting speakers included author Richard Florida, Boston Globe columnist Joan Vennochi, gubernatorial candidates Charles Baker, Christy Mihos and Tim Cahill, former Patriot Tedy Bruschi, and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino.
 
In his keynote address, Florida described cities and towns as engines of economic growth and noted that Massachusetts leads all other states in the percentage of residents engaged in “creative” fields.
 
Vennochi provided commentary on the recent U.S. Senate race in Massachusetts, which drew intense national attention.
 
The closing session featured three candidates for governor this fall. Republicans Baker and Mihos and independent Cahill took questions from moderator John Henning and the audience.
 
At Friday’s dinner, Bruschi told the inspiring story of his return to professional football after suffering a stroke. Local and state officials at the dinner also honored the winner of the MMA’s fourth annual sixth-grade student essay contest.
 
Personnel and legislative issues were the focus of many of the 30 Annual Meeting workshops, which dealt with topics such as collective bargaining strategies and the Quinn Bill.
 
At the Saturday evening banquet, comedian Paul D’Angelo lightened the mood with a riveting, hilarious and animated performance.
 
This year’s Trade Show featured 200 exhibitors. The 40-plus first-time exhibitors included an online auction company, a special education school, a fitness equipment company, and a provider of landscape supplies and services. Also among the vendors was a growing cluster of educational institutions.
 
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 MMA member groups for mayors, selectmen, councillors and managers.
 
This year’s Annual Meeting theme was “Local Leaders: Acting Today, Building Tomorrow, Creating a Stronger Future.”
 
Next year’s Annual Meeting will be held Jan. 21-22, 2011, also at the Hynes Convention Center and Sheraton Boston Hotel.