Who is a member?
Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
The fiscal 2012 state budget that was signed into law on July 11 includes a $4 million appropriation for a Municipal Regionalization and Efficiencies Incentive Reserve, to be administered by the Division of Local Services.
The funds will be used for a multi-year competitive grant program, designed to provide financial support for one-time transition costs related to implementing regional initiatives. Applicants may include municipalities, regional schools, school districts considering forming a regional school district or regionalizing services, regional planning agencies, and councils of government.
The Division of Local Services announced that more information will be available later this summer on its website (www.mass.gov/dls).
The state budget includes several additional regionalization appropriations: $2 million to be administered by the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, $1 million to be administered by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and $2 million to be administered through the District Local Technical Assistance Fund.
The departments with administering authority are required to report their criteria for distribution to the House and Senate committees on Ways and Means no later than Jan. 18, 2012.