Looking to gratitude in the face of adversity

From the Beacon, December 2025

I’ll start by acknowledging an obvious truth: these are hard times to be a local government leader. Whether it be budget pressures, resident demands or simply the uncertainty brought by our current political climate, each day in your city or town hall can feel like an insurmountable challenge.

I can’t wish all of this adversity away with platitudes, but on the heels of Thanksgiving and at the outset of the holiday season, it is my hope that taking a moment to focus on gratitude can be both a timely and beneficial exercise.

The first thing that comes to mind is just how fortunate we all are to have so many municipal colleagues across the Commonwealth. (I know, I am an alumnus, but I love my alma mater, so to speak.) Local government leadership can be a lonely road, but when you do have the chance to engage and connect with your peers in other communities, it really provides great perspective. I know that I enjoy seeing so many of you connect with one another at monthly membership meetings, and, honestly, the cortisol relief provided by spending time with people facing similar challenges is almost palpable.

Another reason for gratitude is the amazing teams that we all get to work with on the challenges we face. I am certainly thankful for the exceptional people that I get to work with at the MMA each day, and I know that you all feel the same about your teams. The people we work with, the key staff that we trust to accomplish our ambitious goals, are critical to moving our organizations and communities forward. Without these folks, we wouldn’t be able to advance important priorities, and essential local government services wouldn’t be provided as readily and ably.

When I think about what to be grateful for in the municipal ecosystem, I think about all of the residents and volunteers that give so much of their time to their local government. It can be easy to think about the challenging constituents (yes, we can admit that every municipality has them), but in reality there are far more residents who willingly offer their time, expertise and goodwill to help their city or town operate.

For me, I think about many of you, who serve on MMA policy committees or the MMA Board of Directors, and how grateful I am for your service and counsel.

For all of you, thinking about how fortunate you are to have so many residents willing to volunteer on countless boards, committees and commissions is a great way to acknowledge just how impactful your work is, and how many people appreciate your work so much that they are willing to volunteer their time to help with the cause.

Taking a moment for gratitude won’t wipe away the real and complex challenges that you face, but it is my sincere hope that a small sip of gratitude will help you recharge for the hard work that awaits all of us in the new year.

From me and the whole team at the MMA, we are thankful to be part of the Commonwealth’s municipal family, and we all look forward to the work ahead in the service of improving conditions for local government in Massachusetts.