MSA hosts annual training for newly elected select board members

The Massachusetts Select Board Association held its annual free training for newly elected members on June 13 in Devens.

The meeting covered key topics in municipal law and finance, as well as strategies for developing and setting town goals and tips for select board members in their first term.

Attorney Karis North, a partner at Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, led an introductory workshop on the open meeting and public records laws, providing an overview of how the laws affect select boards and best practices for compliance, including in digital settings such as social media.

“It can feel challenging not to respond to a post or comment that’s inflammatory or incorrect,” North said. “But I always tell my clients, sit on your hands and save it for town meeting.”

Jessica Ferry, a project manager at the Division of Local Services’ Financial Management Bureau and a town councillor in Palmer, led a 101-level session on municipal finance, which covered the budgeting process and schedule, key terms and definitions, and the role of select board members in overseeing their community’s finances.

Ferry encouraged attendees to cultivate a sense of teamwork between elected leaders and staff in order to effectively address municipal budgeting challenges.

“From my experience as a former town administrator and on your side as a current town councillor, I have found that making sure your relationship with staff is supportive in nature, and that your communication is strong and you’re always collaborating, fosters a feeling of trust and honesty,” Ferry said. “We’re all here to serve the community, and that’s something no one person can do. It’s a massive team effort.”

In the afternoon, Leicester Select Board Member Peter Cusolito led a panel discussion on collaborative town goal-setting processes, with Sharon Select Board Chair Kiana Baskin and Andover Town Manager Andrew Flanagan.

Flanagan described how Andover’s goals not only provide a shared vision for the town’s elected and appointed officials, but also serve as a useful recruitment tool.

“Having goals is so helpful if you work in our form of town government and you’re recruiting for town boards and committees, because you can share the goals with candidates in interviews to help them understand the community’s values and priorities,” he said.

Baskin discussed her experience helping to lead the development process for the Sharon Select Board’s objectives and priorities for 2024-2025, which were identified with input from board members, town staff, and residents.

Cusolito also led a brief, interactive goal-setting exercise. In small groups, attendees outlined goals and objectives, as well as a rough timeline, under a common mission statement.

The meeting concluded with an interactive panel discussion featuring MSA Board officers Jill Hai, a Lexington Select Board member, and Jennifer Glass, chair of the Lincoln Select Board. Moderated by MMA Membership Director Jackie Lavender Bird, the panel discussed their experiences as elected local officials and strategies for new select board members to navigate their transitions from campaigning to governing.

Glass, now in her eighth year serving on the Select Board, reflected on the early challenges she encountered as she adjusted to her new role, and the steps she took to overcome them.

“For me, one of the main challenges was going from that single-minded focus on school projects I had from when I was a school committee member to engaging with everything in town government,” she said.

To address this, Glass made efforts to connect with town stakeholders directly in her first term, and to demonstrate her resolve to be a strong advocate for all town issues.

Hai, also in her eighth year, encouraged attendees to stay connected with one another through the MMA and the MSA’s many virtual and in-person resources and networking opportunities.

“Please know that just like we’re all learning from each other right now in this room, there are more opportunities online and in the future—it doesn’t just happen in person here today,” she said.