Who is a member?
Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
8:15-9:30 a.m.
Registration, Breakfast, Networking
Come meet our board members. We’ll group tables by region, and ATFC board members will be prepared with some discussion starters. During this time, members are encouraged to sit with colleagues from their region to discuss issues they have in common.
9:30-9:40 a.m.
President’s Welcome, Mary McBride, Billerica
Business Meeting
9:40-10:30 a.m.
Opening Speaker
• Eileen McAnneny, President, Massachusetts Taxpayers’ Foundation
Handout: Mass Taxpayers Foundation – FY16 Review and FY17 Outlook (553K PDF)
10:30-noon
Concurrent Workshops
1. Budgeting 101
This session will review national best practices in public budgeting as promoted by the Government Finance Officers Association through its Distinguished Budget Award program. Whether new to the Finance Committee or a veteran member, this session will provide you with a clear roadmap for building consensus by showing how best to organize and present your community’s financial information.
• John Coderre, Town Administrator, Northborough
Moderator: Joanne Marden, Andover Finance Committee and ATFC Past President
Handout: Budgeting 101: A Guide to Best Practices (1.3M PDF)
2. Analyzing Financial Statements
What do your audits reveal about the financial condition of your town? What are the most important sections to review? What can you do to improve your town’s finances? In order to get the most from this hands-on workshop, bring a complete copy of your town’s most recent audit.
• James E. Powers, CPA, Partner, Powers & Sullivan, LLC
Moderator: Mary McBride, ATFC President
Handout: Examining Your Audited Financial Statements (293K PDF)
3. Challenges of Regional School Funding
• Sandy Pooler, Deputy Town Manager, Arlington, and former Finance Director, Amherst
Moderator: John Trickey, Pelham Finance Committee and ATFC Director
4. How to be an Effective Finance Committee
Three experienced Finance Committee chairs share their ideas on establishing strategies for approaching the budget season, running efficient finance committee meetings, and making effective presentations to Town Meeting.
• Al Tosti, Arlington Finance Committee Chair and ATFC Treasurer
• Dan Sherman, Wakefield Finance Committee Vice Chair
• Cinder McNerney, Swampscott Finance Committee and ATFC Director
Noon
Luncheon
1-2:30 p.m.
Concurrent Workshops
1. Municipal Law Update
This workshop will focus on developments in municipal law and how they affect cities and towns, including key state cases, new laws and developing issues. Important pieces of the Municipal Modernization Act will be highlighted.
• Kevin Feeley, Partner, Feeley & Brown
• Kathleen Colleary, Chief, Bureau of Municipal Finance Law, Division of Local Services
Moderator: Jennifer Gonzalez, ATFC Past President
Handout: Municipal Modernization Update (493K PDF)
2. Financial Trend Monitoring
Ever get into a debate with a fellow resident regarding the financial condition of your community? Ever been asked how you define and measure sustainability when making decisions? This workshop will show you how to implement a system of financial indicators that will allow you to objectively define, measure and report your community’s financial condition. The workshop covers widely accepted best practices that are designed to bring issues and opportunities to the attention of decision-makers through a systematic method of trend analysis. Learn to separate fact from opinion and focus fellow municipal leaders on important trends and emerging issues.
• John Coderre, Town Administrator, Northborough
• Al Tosti, Arlington Finance Committee and ATFC Treasurer
Handout: Financial Trend Monitoring (1.2M PDF)
3. The True Cost of Employment
This session will discuss how to quantify the true cost per employee, taking into consideration all pay types (base pay, longevity, etc.) and benefits (health, dental, life, Medicare).
• Denise Casey, Human Resources Director, Lexington, and Immediate Past Chair of Massachusetts Municipal Personnel Association
Moderator: Ira Miller, Sharon Finance Committee Chair and ATFC Vice President
Handout: The True Cost of Employment (1.3M PDF)
The cost of the meeting is $45 for any new finance committee member (those who have served in the position for less than one year). The cost is $55 for all finance committee members from ATFC dues-paying communities and $65 for nonmembers. All local officials are invited to attend.
The Devens Common Center is located at 31 Andrews Parkway in “Devens.” Please use this address in your GPS.
The Common Center is located next to the Springhill Suites by Marriott. There is ample parking behind the Common Center.
Location
Devens Common Center, 31 Andrews Parkway, Devens
Contact
MMA Senior Member Services Coordinator Denise Baker
Association of Town Finance Committees