Who is a member?
Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
Needham Town Manager Kate Fitzpatrick (left), Auburn Town Manager Julie Jacobson (center) and Danvers Town Manager Steve Bartha gather during the 2020 MMA Annual Meeting & Trade Show, held shortly before the pandemic. The event will return in-person in January.
Planning continues for the 44th MMA Annual Meeting & Trade Show, which will be held in person on Jan. 20 and 21, 2023, at the Hynes Convention Center and Sheraton Hotel in Boston.
The largest conference for municipal officials in the state features:
• A range of informative and timely workshops
• Compelling and inspiring speakers
• Member business meetings and important policy discussions
• A lively Trade Show featuring the latest services and solutions for cities and towns
• Countless networking opportunities
“Do whatever you can to be part of this fantastic event!” said Westwood Select Board Member Michael Walsh, president of the Massachusetts Select Board Association. “You won’t be disappointed.”
The MMA’s Annual Meeting website has the very latest information about this dynamic, timely and engaging conference, which is a forum for learning and a celebration of the innovations and best practices in community governance.
The 2023 MMA Annual Meeting theme is “Connect, Engage, Be Inspired.”
The speaker lineup includes:
• Keynote Elizabeth Lombardo, a noted psychologist and author who offers strategies for improving mental and emotional resilience
• Friday dinner speaker Anthony Everett, an Emmy-winning journalist and longtime host of WCVB Channel 5’s “Chronicle”
• Closing speakers Clarence Anthony of the National League of Cities and Marc Ott of the International City/County Management Association, who will discuss diversity, equity and inclusion in local government
Over two days, 18 workshops will cover key municipal issues such as affordable housing, cannabis, clean energy, communications, cybersecurity, an economic and fiscal outlook, electrification infrastructure, federal funding opportunities, a labor law update, manager-board relations, mental health and policing, a municipal law update, PFAS, private roads, recruitment and hiring strategies, regionalization, succession planning, and wellness.
Members can keep up to date on the most pressing municipal issues by attending the MMA Annual Meeting’s 18 workshops.
Workshop titles, descriptions and panelists will be published later this month. Descriptions of Learning Lab sessions, to be held on the Trade Show floor, will also be published in mid-November.
The Trade Show will be open on Friday, Jan. 20, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Saturday, Jan. 21, from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Companies, nonprofits and government agencies interested in exhibiting at the meeting can find details and contract information on the MMA website.
The two-day event will also feature networking receptions, awards programs and other activities.
First-time Annual Meeting attendees will get a special welcome during an event-opening orientation session from 8 to 9 a.m. The session is an opportunity to learn from seasoned MMA members about the best strategies for making the most of the Annual Meeting experience, as well as MMA membership.
The MMA Annual Meeting & Trade Show typically attracts more than 1,000 local leaders and more than 225 exhibitors. The last in-person event, in 2020, was attended by a record 1,300 local leaders.
The MMA will be taking precautions in order to host a safe, in-person event, and is currently requiring full vaccination or a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours to attend the Annual Meeting. Masks are optional. These safety protocols are subject to change based on the latest public health data and guidance.
The MMA will be using larger rooms at the Hynes Convention Center for general sessions and workshops to allow attendees to spread out, and hand sanitizing stations will be placed throughout the Hynes and Sheraton.
Registrants must agree that they will not attend should they have COVID-19, have any symptoms of COVID-19, or have had contact with someone in the past two weeks who has tested positive. Those who cannot attend for these reasons may request a COVID-19-related refund of their registration fee up to the start of the meeting.
The MMA may be updating safety information as we get closer to the event.
Registration
Online registration is available at www.mma.org/register, and the early rate is $225 for members. Reservations will also be accepted for the Women Elected Municipal Officials Leadership Luncheon, which will be held on Friday, Jan. 20, and costs $45, and the Friday evening dinner and entertainment, which costs $55.
Only online registrations will be accepted. No registrations can be accepted by mail or over the phone. The MMA accepts credit cards for Annual Meeting transactions, or we will invoice your municipality after the meeting. MMA staff are happy to help anyone who needs assistance. Attendees may use their unique username and password to register. Those who don’t have a username and password, or who have forgotten them, may email amregistrations@mma.org.
MMA Partnership Program members qualify for member rates. All Partnership Program members must renew membership with payment by Jan. 1 in order to register for and attend the MMA Annual Meeting & Trade Show. Partnership Program renewals or applications will not be accepted during the Annual Meeting.
After the early registration deadline of Jan. 11, all registrations will be at the on-site rate of $275.
Hotel information
The Sheraton Boston Hotel, conveniently located next to the Hynes, is the host hotel. The MMA negotiated a reduced room rate of $202 per night for a single or $212 per night for a double. The reduced-rate rooms are expected to sell out quickly, and reservations must be made by Dec. 22 to take advantage of the special rates.
Hotel reservations must be made directly with the hotel. To make reservations, call the Sheraton at 888-627-7054 and mention MMA Annual Meeting or register online using a special MMA link.
The MMA’s discounted room rate is only guaranteed if you book through the Sheraton Boston directly. Please note that some third-party companies may offer guest rooms at discounted rates, but you may not be guaranteed a hotel room if you book through them or a third-party website.
For more information on the Annual Meeting, contact Timmery Kuck at 617-426-7272, ext. 106. For Trade Show and Partnership Program information, contact Karen LaPointe at 617-426-7272, ext. 154.