MMA Annual Meeting draws 1,000 local officials

More than 1,000 local officials gathered in Boston on Jan. 21 and 22 for the MMA’s 32nd Annual Meeting & Trade Show, an event that demonstrated the resolve of city and town leaders as they continue to face severe fiscal challenges.
 
The Annual Meeting kicked off Friday morning with Gov. Deval Patrick presenting an outline of his fiscal 2012 state budget bill. The governor provided somber yet expected news – a proposed $65 million cut in general municipal aid – but there was hopeful news as well, particularly the governor’s announcement of a $45 million increase in funding for the Chapter 90 local road and bridge program for fiscal 2012.
 
Other Annual Meeting speakers included commentator Cokie Roberts, football quarterback Doug Flutie, and Eric Greitens.
 
“This year’s Annual Meeting was a smashing success,” said MMA Executive Director Geoff Beckwith. “Even with a major snowstorm on the first day, our members didn’t miss a beat, and momentum built throughout the meeting.
 
“Local officials tackled the major issues facing communities, networked, shared information, packed our trade show, and selected a strong leadership team and Board of Directors to guide us forward during 2011. It was a great start to what we hope will be a great year, in spite of the tough economy.”
 
This year’s Annual Meeting was the first to be “green.” Constellation Energy supplied green energy-certified renewable energy certificates from wind energy facilities located throughout the country and matched 100 percent of all the electricity used during the Annual Meeting.
 
Personnel and budget issues were the focus of many of the 30 Annual Meeting workshops, which dealt with topics such as PILOT programs, the new open meeting law, and the White House’s “Let’s Move” anti-obesity campaign.
 
The Trade Show featured more than 200 exhibitors. The 40-plus first-time exhibitors included an online auction company, Massachusetts Homeland Security, and various green companies. Also among the vendors was a growing cluster of educational institutions.
 
A MIIA-sponsored driving simulator used to train police officers, firefighters and ambulance drivers remained popular with attendees, as was the Braintree Police Department’s firearms training simulator.
 
At the Saturday evening banquet, comedian Jimmy Tingle lightened the mood with a hilarious and animated performance.
 
Local and state officials at the Friday evening dinner honored the winner of the MMA’s fifth annual sixth-grade student essay contest.
 
The MMA Annual Meeting & Trade Show, the largest annual gathering of municipal officials in the state, also featured the business meetings of MMA member groups for mayors, selectmen, councillors and managers.
 
This year’s Annual Meeting theme was “New Challenges, Choices and Changes: Communities Lead the Way.”
 
Next year’s Annual Meeting will be held Jan. 20-21, 2012, also at the Hynes Convention Center and Sheraton Boston Hotel.