Attendees may pick up their name badge and materials at the main registration desk.

Attendees may pick up their name badge and materials at the main registration desk.

For those who are attending the MMA Annual Meeting & Trade Show for the first time — as well as those who’d like some new tips — the MMA will hold a first-time attendee session on Friday, Jan. 20.

Fellow members who have attended Annual Meeting regularly will share their insights and advice in an informal setting.

Attendees will learn how to find networking opportunities, what to expect in the educational workshops, and how to best navigate the Trade Show floor. They’ll also hear: where to find complimentary coffee, which sessions are a must and why, the best places for lunch without having to go outside, and tips and tricks the panelists have learned over the years.

Overall, the session will help attendees make the most out of their first MMA Annual Meeting.

Coffee will be provided.

Agenda

8 a.m.
Welcome and Overview
Denise Baker, Senior Member Services Coordinator, MMA

Why I Love Annual Meeting and You Will Too!
These members will share their tips and experience with attending Annual Meeting, ensuring that 2023 may be your first but won’t be your last MMA Annual Meeting & Trade Show.
Jill Hai, MMA Vice President and Lexington Selectboard Chair
Paul Bockelman, Town Manager, Amherst
Lisa Feltner, Town Councillor, Watertown
Molly Kean, Assistant Town Administrator, Westwood
Diane Kennedy, Selectboard Member, Cohasset
Amanda Linehan, City Councillor, Malden
Carolyn Shores Ness, Selectboard Member, Deerfield
Jeff Nutting, retired Town Administrator
Mark Purple, Town Administrator, Southborough
Kim Roy, Human Resources Director, Cohasset
Megan Zammuto, Assistant Town Administrator, Maynard

Tips for the Conference App
The conference app contains everything you need for the meeting so be sure to download it.
John Ouellette, Communications Manager, MMA

• Welcoming remarks from MMA leadership
• Opening Remarks: Gov.-elect Maura Healey
• Keynote address by Elizabeth Lombardo

After serving eight years as the state’s attorney general, Maura Healey made history on Nov. 8 as the first woman and first openly gay elected governor in Massachusetts. Addressing local officials from across the state just two weeks after her inauguration as the 73rd governor of Massachusetts, Gov. Healey will highlight her policy priorities for the coming year, particularly those of importance to municipalities.

Healey has been a frequent speaker at MMA Annual Meetings during her tenure as attorney general. In 2016, as the keynote speaker at the Women Elected Municipal Officials Leadership Luncheon, held during the Annual Meeting, she reflected on her experiences growing up as the oldest of five brothers and sisters with parents involved in local government, in Hampton Falls, New Hampshire.

“I am somebody who fundamentally believes that all politics is local,” she said, “and the engagement that we have with one another at that level is so fundamentally critical to the health and well-being of families and communities in our state and in fact across this country. I really respect and have the highest regard for the work you do, the time you put in. It is not easy.”

Healey came to Massachusetts to attend Harvard College, where she majored in government, was co-captain of the women’s basketball team, and graduated with honors in 1992. After graduation, she spent two years playing professional basketball as a starting point guard in Europe before returning to earn her law degree at Northeastern University School of Law.

Healey began her legal career as a clerk in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, followed by more than seven years in private practice at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr. She also served as a special assistant district attorney in Middlesex County.

In 2007, she was hired by her predecessor as attorney general, Martha Coakley, as chief of the Civil Rights Division, where she spearheaded the state’s challenge to the federal Defense of Marriage Act. Under Coakley, she also served as chief of the Public Protection and Advocacy Bureau and chief of the Business and Labor Bureau. She resigned in 2013 to run for attorney general in 2014, winning her first campaign for elected office. She was reelected in 2018.

At the MMA conference in 2016, she said the top priority of her office was combating the heroin and opioid crisis that had hit communities across Massachusetts.

“We are with you in this fight,” she said.

She was a leader among attorneys general across the country in winning a 2021 resolution with three opioid distributors that will provide up to $537 million in “abatement funds” to the Commonwealth and its cities and towns over 18 years to fund prevention, harm reduction, treatment and recovery efforts across Massachusetts. In 2020, she worked with the Legislature to create a trust fund to dedicate resources to these efforts.

Addressing another emerging crisis, in May Healey announced that she is suing 13 manufacturers of PFAS — highly toxic “forever” chemicals — used in firefighting foam for contaminating drinking water sources, groundwater and other natural resources, posing a serious threat to public health and the environment. Her complaint alleges the manufacturers repeatedly violated state and federal laws protecting drinking water and prohibiting consumer deception.

“For decades, these manufacturers knew about the serious risks … yet they did nothing about it,” Healey said. “As a result of this deception, our municipalities are spending millions of dollars to provide safe drinking water to their residents.”

Early in her tenure as attorney general, Healey launched the Community Engagement Division, which brings lawyers and mediators from her office into communities for what she called “action hours,” or open forums for handling consumer issues on the spot. Her office also overhauled, and then frequently updated, guidance regarding the state’s open meeting law — particularly when the rules were adjusted during the COVID-19 pandemic.

She also engaged local officials in her campaign to raise awareness about human trafficking, creating a training video and digital toolkit, as well as a webinar for municipal officials and employees, to help people identify signs of labor trafficking and generate referrals to her office for potential investigation and prosecution.

As attorney general, Healey has also prioritized racial equity and civil rights, gun violence, consumer protection, climate change, access to health care, and reproductive freedom.

While Healey was the first woman elected to serve as governor of Massachusetts, Jane Swift served as acting governor from 2001 to 2003 after Paul Cellucci resigned to become the U.S. ambassador to Canada.

Municipal leaders who have experienced mounting stress over the past few years can find their way out of the “Red Zone” when noted psychologist and author Elizabeth Lombardo shares her advice for improving mental resilience.

Called the “Head Coach for Happiness” by former NBA star Shaquille O’Neal, Lombardo has made a career of helping people manage their anxiety. The demand for her expertise has grown since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, which triggered significant increases in stress, anxiety and depression nationally.

As she does with her books, media appearances and coaching, Lombardo, who has a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Drexel University, will offer effective strategies for managing stress.

“There is an increase in anxiety, and a lot of it has to do with what we call ‘learned helplessness,’” Lombardo said during a television appearance on “Las Vegas NOW” earlier this year. “Learned helplessness is this notion that ‘There’s nothing I can do,’ and I think a lot of people right now are feeling that as things are going on with [the] omicron [COVID variant] and other things going on in this world. That increases their stress, and that stress is not helpful to their life.”

Based in the Chicago area, Lombardo is the author of several books on boosting mental health and a frequent guest on television shows such as “Today” and “Fox Business.” She has written extensively on topics including happiness and perfectionism. She started out as a physical therapist, but switched careers after realizing she wanted to help people with their psychological pain.

Lombardo’s 2021 book, “Get Out of the Red Zone,” explores the concept of a mental state in which stress and other negative emotions significantly disrupt people’s lives. When unpleasant feelings dominate, she says, people find themselves in fight-or-flight mode and caught in a cycle of negativity that interferes with healthy decision making, effective problem solving and productivity. In the extreme, this distress can cause poor communication, damage relationships, and prevent people from experiencing happiness.

“In the Red Zone, we tend to think differently, we tend to act differently,” Lombardo told “Las Vegas NOW.” “This is when we become overwhelmed. This is when we focus on what’s wrong. This is when we become much more irritable with our loved ones. So the goal is to acknowledge that, ‘I’m in the Red Zone,’ and get out of the Red Zone as soon as possible.”

According to Lombardo, this distress costs U.S. companies more than $300 billion annually due to increased absenteeism, turnover, and health care expenses.

Over the past three years, municipal leaders and employees have grappled with a public health crisis, increasing incivility, staffing shortages, budget uncertainty, climate change impacts, policing issues, and many other challenges, pushing some toward Red Zone territory.

Lombardo’s research-based advice for getting out of the Red Zone includes body movement and music playlists, among other strategies. She emphasizes the importance of self-awareness, so people understand when they’re about to experience stress overload.

“The key is to identify your triggers,” Lombardo told Gurus magazine in July. “Everyone has triggers that put them in the Red Zone. Once you identify those triggers, you want to deactivate those triggers. It’s only a trigger if we let it.”

The annual Trade Show features more than 200 exhibitors offering the latest services and solutions for Massachusetts cities and towns. The Trade Show offers opportunities to connect with companies, associations and government agencies in a lively exhibit hall.

Lt. Gov.-elect Kim Driscoll

Just two weeks after becoming the state’s newest lieutenant governor, Kim Driscoll, who served as mayor of Salem for nearly 17 years, will discuss her experiences as a woman in politics and local government, and her journey from municipal service to the state’s second-highest office.

After their inauguration on Jan. 5, Driscoll and Gov. Maura Healey will form the state’s first all-women administration, and Massachusetts will be one of the two first states in the country, along with Arkansas, to have women occupying the two top executive roles.

Before she was elected as Salem’s 50th mayor in 2005, Driscoll had to overcome a significant challenge: No woman had held that job before. In an August episode of the podcast “Authentic Leadership for Everyday People,” Driscoll recalled the skepticism she heard during that first mayoral campaign.

“Salem had never had a woman mayor, and it never had a mayor who did not grow up in this community,” said Driscoll, who was born in Hawaii. “So it was somewhat big to overcome that, and it was talked about openly at the time, which is kind of crazy to me now … ‘Kim’s really smart, she’s really good, but we’re not ready for a woman.’ Those were often comments made. And I think voters said, ‘No, no, we want somebody good,’ or, ‘We want somebody who’s got skills.’ And thankfully, it worked out in my favor.”

Driscoll — who had experience as chief legal counsel and then deputy city manager in Chelsea, as community development director in Beverly, as a councillor in Salem, and as an intern in Salem’s Planning Department — won that election, and then won four more, while becoming recognized as a regional leader and a passionate advocate for local government.

Though she had strong family ties to the north of Boston, Driscoll gained an early exposure to the world outside Massachusetts, with her mother hailing from Trinidad, and her father serving in the Navy. As part of a military family, she moved frequently when she was young before going to college in Salem. She majored in political science and played basketball at Salem State University, and later went on to earn a law degree at the Massachusetts School of Law.

During her tenure as mayor, Driscoll has been credited with helping to stabilize and improve Salem’s finances, overseeing infrastructure upgrades, investing in public school improvements, championing climate initiatives, prioritizing downtown and waterfront revitalization, and promoting equality, among other accomplishments.

Driscoll has been actively involved in the MMA and served as president of the Massachusetts Mayors’ Association in 2012. She has also chaired the North Shore Coalition of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, and she has served on the Massachusetts Workforce Development Board, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Local Government Advisory Committee, the Massachusetts Seaport Economic Council, and the Massachusetts Economic Development Planning Council, among other activities.

Sharing her leadership advice on the “Authentic Leadership for Everyday People” podcast, Driscoll listed several principles, including “surrounding yourself with people who are smarter than you,” creating a culture of continuous learning, and not being afraid to “fail up” and try new initiatives. Ultimately, she said, good leadership means not taking shortcuts.

“I always say there’s no substitute for hard work,” Driscoll said. “I know that sounds very cliche, but you’ve got to put in the time. There’s just no way to overcome putting that time into the work that you have, whether it’s the private sector or the public sector. People appreciate hard workers, for sure, but you can’t phone it in a job like this, or for any leadership position.”

Room 206, Presented by the Massachusetts Municipal Association
This session is an introduction to electric vehicles for municipalities. Attendees will learn about planning for EV infrastructure, model policies to encourage EV charging development, and practical how-tos to electrify municipal vehicles and equipment. This workshop will explore vehicle electrification across local and regional approaches.
Panelists
Alan Cathcart is the director of public works in Concord.
Brian Picariello is a senior consultant for transportation electrification at VEIC.
Steven Tupper is the deputy director at the Cape Cod Commission.
Anna Vanderspek is the electric vehicle program director at the Green Energy Consumers Alliance.
Moderator
Jim Lovejoy is chair of the Mount Washington Select Board and chair of the MMA Policy Committee on Public Works, Transportation and Public Utilities.

Room 210, Presented by the Division of Local Services
This workshop will cover important current issues in municipal finance and will look at fiscal 2023 and beyond. Administration officials will give updates on the status of state tax collections and the state’s economic outlook.
Panelists
Zack Blake is chief of the Financial Management Resource Bureau at the Division of Local Services.
Kirsten Shirer is chief of the Data Analytics and Resources Bureau at the Division of Local Services.
Geoffrey Snyder is commissioner of the Department of Revenue.
Deb Wagner is chief of the Bureau of Accounts at the Division of Local Services.
Chris Wilcock is chief of the Bureau of Local Assessment at the Division of Local Services.
Ken Woodland is chief of the Bureau of Municipal Finance Law at the Division of Local Services.
Moderator
Sean Cronin is the senior deputy commissioner of local services for the Division of Local Services.

Room 200, Presented by the Massachusetts Municipal Lawyers Association
Significant developments in municipal law will anchor this workshop. A panel of municipal attorneys will discuss the impact on cities and towns of key federal and state cases, agency decisions, new laws and developing issues, including in the areas of land use and municipal finance.
Panelists
Donna Brewer is a partner at the law firm of Miyares & Harrington.
Kathleen Colleary is a former municipal finance law bureau chief at the Division of Local Services in the Massachusetts Department of Revenue.
Susan Murphy is an attorney at the law firm Dain Torpy.
Moderator
Matthew Feher is president of the Massachusetts Municipal Lawyers Association and a partner at KP | Law.

Room 202, Presented by Small Town Administrators of Massachusetts
Regionalization can be an important tool to help small communities improve the efficiency and cost effectiveness of municipal service delivery. This session will examine three case studies of successful regionalization efforts around the Commonwealth. Attendees will learn about different approaches to regionalization, benefits and drawbacks, and real-life examples of what has and has not worked.
Panelists
Leon Gaumond is the town manager in Weston.
Ryan McLane is the town administrator in Carlisle.
Nicole Parker is the town administrator in Hardwick.
Jessica Sizer is the town administrator in Barre.
Moderator
Shaun Suhoski is the town manager in Athol and the chair of Small Town Administrators of Massachusetts.

Room 208, Presented by the Massachusetts Interlocal Insurance Association
This workshop will focus on the importance of municipal cyber incident response planning (Cybersecurity Minimum Baseline Goal 3) and tools and resources municipal leaders can use to achieve this goal. Topics will include MIT cybersecurity benchmarking efforts, cyber insurance and breach and response services, the MassCyberCenter’s Cyber Incident Response Planning materials, and other resources from across the Commonwealth.
Panelists
Gregory Bautista is a partner at Mullen Coughlin.
Brian Gavioli is a detective lieutenant in the Massachusetts State Police’s Commonwealth Fusion Center.
Taylor Reynolds is the technology policy director of the MIT Internet Policy Research Initiative.
Moderator
Stephanie Helm is director of the MassCyberCenter.

Room 203, Presented by Massachusetts Municipal Human Resources
Many municipal employers are facing significant disruptions caused by employee turnover, made worse by an increased rate of retirements and the “great resignation” following the COVID-19 pandemic. This workshop will examine both tried-and-true and new approaches to employee retention and succession planning that will help municipalities more effectively handle employee transitions.
Panelists
Joellen Cademartori is CEO and co-owner of GovHR USA.
Libby Gibson is the town manager in Nantucket.
Moderator
Vanessa Hale is the assistant town administrator in Southborough.

Room 202, Presented by the Massachusetts Municipal Management Association
A strong and effective relationship between the town manager and select board is key to any community’s success. This panel of experienced managers will discuss the basics of board/manager relations and strategies they have employed during their careers that contributed to professional, thriving relationships with their boards. Attendees will also learn how to navigate challenging and politically difficult situations.
Panelists
Bud Dunham is the town manager in Sandwich and president of the Massachusetts Municipal Management Association.
Julie Jacobson is the town manager in Auburn.
Mel Kleckner is a retired town manager who most recently served as the town administrator in Brookline.
Jeffrey Nutting is a retired town administrator who is currently serving as the interim town administrator in Hopedale.

Room 200, Presented by the Massachusetts Municipal Association
This session will cover statewide housing goals and requirements, pathways and options for municipalities, and examples from four municipalities making remarkable progress. Attendees will learn the basics of housing goals, defining housing needs, and understanding market demand and state metrics to measure success. The session will also cover recent state requirements and tools to help municipalities comply. Municipal leaders will describe their efforts to achieve housing goals, including information about community engagement and creating buy-in.
Panelists
Jenny Gingras is the town planner in Pepperell.
Andrew MacLean is the town administrator in Pepperell.
Christine Madore is the senior development manager at the Massachusetts Housing Partnership.
Moderator
Jennifer Raitt is executive director of the Northern Middlesex Council of Governments.

Room 210, Presented by the Massachusetts Municipal Association
Trends in labor and employment law significantly impact municipalities in Massachusetts. Two employment and labor law attorneys with decades of experience will discuss the developments in 2022, and what to expect in the near future. They will cover major court cases, agency decisions and legislation covering workplace safety, civil service, collective bargaining, pensions, and other important labor law issues.
Panelist
D. Moschos is of counsel with Seder & Chandler LLP.
Melissa Murray is a partner with Norris, Murray & Peloquin, LLP.
Moderator
Ryan Jaziri is a partner at Morgan, Brown & Joy LLP.

Room 203, Presented by the Massachusetts Municipal Association
Are you struggling to understand the landscape of PFAS, the “forever chemicals” that are causing major headaches for municipalities in Massachusetts and beyond? This workshop will discuss the work of the PFAS Interagency Task Force to address this growing problem, and how municipalities can address PFAS contamination. Attendees will learn how to leverage state and local tools to combat PFAS and what help is on the horizon.
Panelists
Michael Blanchard is the assistant town administrator in Easton.
Jennifer Pederson is the executive director of the Massachusetts Water Works Association and served on the PFAS Interagency Task Force.
Robert Ward is the director of public works in Haverhill.
Moderator
Josie Ahlberg is a legislative analyst at the Massachusetts Municipal Association.

Room 206, Presented by the Massachusetts Highway Association
This session will provide the foundational knowledge necessary to navigate community conversations about public investment in private roadways. Attendees will learn about the legal boundaries for private road repair, and get clarity on labels and definitions and the limitations and processes concerning private roadways. Attendees will hear from an experienced attorney, as well as examples of local practice from municipal officials.
Panelists
Brutus Cantoreggi is the director of public works in Franklin.
Michael Hale is the director of public works in Gloucester.
Karis North is an attorney at Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane.
Moderator
Lisa DeMeo is the town engineer in Lynnfield and president of the Massachusetts Highway Association.

Room 208, Presented by the Massachusetts Municipal Management Association
Public sector communication professionals will provide tools and strategies for communities of all sizes. Attendees will learn how to engage with residents more successfully and deliver important information in a way that is accessible and has the greatest impact. This interactive session will include ample time for questions.
Panelists
Sean Dugan is the communications director and special projects coordinator for the town of Lexington.
Cyndi Gonzalez is the public information officer for the town of Needham.
Brianna Sunryd is the director of communications and the civic innovation and community participation officer for the town of Amherst.

Anthony Everett, Emmy-winning journalist and longtime host of WCVB Channel 5’s “Chronicle,” will help members celebrate the Bay State by sharing stories from his travels around Massachusetts.

Everett has hosted “Chronicle,” the nation’s longest-running, locally produced newsmagazine, for 17 years. On the show, Everett explores the “Main Streets and Back Roads” of the region, serving as part storyteller and part ambassador for its best offerings. From patrolling the Nantucket coast in a boat with the town’s harbormaster to exploring a haunted covered bridge in Greenfield, Everett provides viewers with vicarious experiences of the hidden and not-so-hidden gems of Massachusetts.

“As we travel the 351 cities and towns of the Commonwealth, I am constantly amazed how many incredible stories each one holds,” he said. “It really is a testament to the ingenuity, creativity, resourcefulness and inventiveness of the people of Massachusetts, and it is one of the main reasons ‘Chronicle’ is celebrating its 40th year on the air in 2022. Having the chance to visit their communities and tell their stories is a privilege.”

A native of New York City, Everett first appreciated the charms of Massachusetts as a student at Tufts University. But his broadcasting career first took him on a detour through two other states. In 1984, he started out as a sports reporter and anchor at KSPN-TV in Aspen, Colorado, ultimately becoming the station’s news director before leaving in 1987. He then spent a few years as a general assignment reporter and weekday anchor on the evening and nighttime newscasts at WVIT-TV, the NBC affiliate in Hartford, Connecticut.

Everett joined WCVB’s NewsCenter 5 in 1990 as a general assignment reporter. Over the years, he has co-anchored midday, evening and 11 p.m. newscasts, served as WCVB’s senior correspondent for national events and breaking news, and regularly contributed to special news reports.

He has won multiple Emmy Awards, including for his work on “Chronicle,” for reporting on subjects including education, Alzheimer’s disease and the recycling industry, and for hosting special programs, including one for the 125th anniversary of the Boston Pops. Everett’s reporting has also earned him National Headliner Awards, an Associated Press Award for Investigative Reporting and Documentary Reporting in 2012, and helped WCVB win an Edward Murrow Award for News Series and News Documentary in 2013.

Everett also devotes time to charitable causes, including as a volunteer and board member for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, for which he received a 1992 Public Education Award and a 2006 Partners in Progress Award. He has been involved with Habitat for Humanity, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, Boston Healthcare for the Homeless, the Boston Ballet, the Atlantic Symphony Orchestra, the Home for Little Wanderers, and Derby Academy.

Everett has taught journalism and been a guest lecturer at Tufts, and has lectured at Boston College, Harvard Business School, the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, and other educational and community groups throughout New England.

Members can network over breakfast.

Attendees may pick up their name badge and materials at the main registration desk.

All mayors are invited to the Annual Business Meeting of the Massachusetts Mayors’ Association.

All town managers and town administrators are invited to the Business Meeting of the Massachusetts Municipal Management Association.

All members of select boards in Massachusetts are considered members of the MSA and are invited to attend the MSA Annual Business Meeting, provided they are registered for the MMA Annual Meeting. Attendance at the MSA Annual Business Meeting is limited to MSA members.

All city and town councillors are invited to the Annual Business Meeting of the Massachusetts Municipal Councillors’ Association.

Are you ready to take your career to the next level? Grab a cup of coffee and come learn how to navigate new opportunities with some of the top recruiting professionals in Massachusetts. In this interactive session, you’ll be able to ask questions and get tips on skills from resume writing to interviewing.

The annual Trade Show features more than 200 exhibitors offering the latest services and solutions for Massachusetts cities and towns. The Trade Show offers opportunities to connect with companies, associations and government agencies in a lively exhibit hall.

Local leaders from across Massachusetts will consider a resolution on the state-local fiscal partnership during the MMA’s Annual Business Meeting on Jan. 21, from 9:45 to 11:15 a.m., in Boston.

The proposed “Resolution Supporting an Enduring Fiscal Partnership Between Cities and Towns and the Commonwealth in Fiscal 2024 and Beyond” was drafted by the MMA Fiscal Policy Committee this fall and approved by the MMA Board of Directors on Nov. 9.

The resolution lays the groundwork for an effective revenue-sharing program, identifying municipal needs in areas such as unrestricted aid, education and charter schools finance, employee benefits liabilities, capital needs such as road maintenance and municipal and school facilities, water and wastewater systems, climate resilience, broadband and cyber preparedness.

The Fiscal Policy Committee is welcoming member comments through Dec. 27 so that committee members will be able to review any input before the Annual Business Meeting. Municipal officials may submit any comments to the MMA’s Legislative Division at 3 Center Plaza, Suite 610, Boston, MA 02108 or dyi@mma.org.

The MMA’s Annual Business Meeting is a key component of the MMA Annual Meeting & Trade Show, which is held each January in Boston.

The proposed resolution is printed in the December and January issues of The Beacon, and complete Annual Business Meeting information is available here on mma.org and the Annual Meeting app.

Ten Learning Lab sessions will be held on the Trade Show floor.

Room 202, Presented by MIIA Wellness
Nobody likes to be on the receiving end of inappropriate anger and hostility. And sometimes the hostility that needs to be cooled is our own. This entertaining and practical presentation will explain how to cool down potentially hot situations, including assessing and understanding causal factors, managing stress triggers, avoiding unnecessary arguments, asking the right questions, communicating with empathy and compassion, recovering from mistakes, and identifying effective ways to calm yourself down. Misplaced hostility directed at you isn’t rational or helpful — but you can be.
Panelist
Jerry Posner is an accomplished training specialist, conference speaker, strategic coach and author.

Room 206, Presented by the Massachusetts Municipal Association
This session will detail how municipal aggregation programs use bulk purchasing to provide residents with more stable costs and opportunities to select cleaner power than the Massachusetts Renewable Portfolio Standard. Attendees will learn how to start a municipal aggregation program and hear successful tips and strategies from three municipalities.
Panelists
Jonathan Goldberg is the chief legal counsel and director of legal operations for the Department of Public Utilities.
Martha Grover is the sustainability manager in Melrose.
Julie Jacobson is the town manager in Auburn.
Moderator
Michael Ossing is president of the Marlborough City Council and chair of the MMA Policy Committee on Energy and the Environment.

Room 200, Presented by the Massachusetts Municipal Association
Law enforcement officials in Massachusetts are regularly called upon to interact with residents who are dealing with complex mental health challenges. The health care and social service resources required to meet this growing demand have expanded the approach of many cities and towns to include health care professionals in their public safety efforts. This session will present the dynamic challenges in this area, while demonstrating recent local approaches incorporating co-responders and alternative responders.
Panelists
Earl Miller is director of Community Responders for Equity, Safety and Service in Amherst.
Michael Wynn is the police chief in Pittsfield.
Moderator
Dave Koffman is the MMA’s senior executive and legislative director.

Room 208, Presented by the Massachusetts Municipal Association
This workshop will look at the sweeping 2022 cannabis law and feature key voices from the Cannabis Control Commission. Attendees will get a better understanding of how the law may affect their municipality, including host community agreements, and on-site consumption and the complexities that may surface in this emerging area. This session will also cover how municipalities may prepare for market forces, and how to be best positioned as rules begin to solidify.
Panelists
Nurys Camargo is a commissioner at the Cannabis Control Commission.
Bruce Stebbins is a commissioner at the Cannabis Control Commission.
Moderator
Shaun Suhoski is the town manager in Athol and a member of the Cannabis Advisory Board.

Room 203, Presented by the Massachusetts Select Board Association
Are you struggling to fill open positions in your city or town? If so, it may be time to rethink your hiring strategy. Discover how to attract diverse candidates and remain competitive in the Commonwealth by embracing an innovative recruitment approach. Municipal human resources professionals will share how to reframe the benefits of working in local government, leverage internal and external resources, and adopt timely hiring tactics to set your community up for success.
Panelists
Lisa Cammarata is the human resources director in Salem.
Caitlyn Julius is the assistant human resources director in Springfield.
Moderator
Jen Breaker is the assistant town manager and communications director in Danvers.

Room 210, Presented by the Massachusetts Municipal Association
This workshop will provide an overview of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, with a specific focus on transportation funding. Attendees will learn about discretionary transportation grants available for municipalities, hear about the role of regional planning organizations, and learn from recent grant applicants.
Panelists
Beth Giannini is the transportation program manager for the Franklin Regional Council of Governments.
Hayes Morrison is the mobility chief at the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.
Cassandra Ostrander is the program development team leader at the Federal Highway Administration Massachusetts Division.
Moderator
Heath Fahle is the assistant secretary for federal funds at the Executive Office for Administration and Finance.

Clarence Anthony (left) and Marc Ott (right)

This event includes coffee, dessert and networking.

Clarence Anthony, CEO and executive director of the National League of Cities, and Marc Ott, CEO and executive director of the International City/County Management Association, will have a fireside chat about diversity, equity and inclusion.

Anthony and Ott will talk about the challenges and opportunities for building diverse, equitable and inclusive communities. As Black men, they will also offer personal insights from their experiences addressing racism in their work and lives.

The speakers will be able to draw from their extensive backgrounds in leading communities at the ground level and from their time advocating for local governments and officials at the national and international levels.

Anthony has been the NLC’s executive director since 2013. He previously served for 24 years as the mayor of South Bay, Florida, having been first elected at the age of 24. He became president of the Florida League of Cities in 1995, and of the NLC in 1999. He was also part of the founding group of Palm Beach County Black Elected Officials and Discover Palm Beach County, the tourism development council. He served as first vice president of the International Union of Local Authorities.

Following his time as mayor, Anthony represented local governments as founding treasurer and interim manager of United Cities and Local Governments. He later founded Anthony Government Solutions, a firm focused on strategic visioning, policy development and management restructuring for government and private sector organizations. Anthony has a master’s degree in public administration, with a specialization in city growth management policy, from Florida Atlantic University. In 2020, he received the National Forum for Black Public Administrators Marks of Excellence Award.

Ott has been leading the ICMA for the past six years. Previously, he served for almost nine years as city manager of Austin, Texas; six years as assistant city manager in Fort Worth, Texas; four years as city administrator in Rochester Hills, Michigan; seven years as assistant city manager, deputy city manager and then city manager in Kalamazoo, Michigan; and eight years in leadership and support roles in Grand Rapids and in Jackson, Michigan.

Ott has a bachelor’s degree in management, with a concentration in economics, and a master’s degree in public administration, both from Oakland University in Michigan. He has also completed the Senior Executives Program in State and Local Government at the Harvard Kennedy School.

Ott has won numerous awards for his service, including the ICMA’s Award for Career Excellence. The National Forum for Black Public Administrators has honored him with a Marks of Excellence Award and its 2020 Hall of Fame Award.