Home 
Workshops Annual Meeting Workshops, Saturday Session
Effective Mayor/Manager-Council Relations
Room 201, Hynes Convention Center
Presented by the Massachusetts Municipal Councillors’ Association
Effective local government depends in large part on the relationship between the elected governing body and the mayor or manager. Panelists will discuss such challenges as striking a balance between independent decision-making and collaborative governing, minimizing the role of politics and personality conflicts, and maintaining open, honest communication.
PANELISTS
Kim Driscoll is the mayor of Salem.
Charles Ryan is vice president of the Braintree Town Council.
John Klimm is the town manager in Barnstable.
MODERATOR
Douglas Gutro is a city councillor in Quincy and a board member of the Massachusetts Municipal Councillors’ Association.
Finance and Budgeting Basics
Room 206, Hynes Convention Center
Presented by the Association of Town Finance Committees
This session will provide a foundation for understanding municipal finance and budgeting. It will include a review of the timetable for the annual budget, an overview of the tax recapitulation process, and discussion of developing a capital improvement plan and managing long-term debt.
PANELISTS
Allan Tosti is a finance committee member in Arlington and treasurer of the Association of Town Finance Committees.
Anthony Torrisi is the finance director in Andover.
MODERATOR
Pat Brusch is a member of the Belmont Advisory Committee and president of the Association of Town Finance Committees.
Going for Grants: Making Free Money Work for You
Room 203, Hynes Convention Center
Presented by the Massachusetts Municipal Association
Pursuing grants is a must for cities and towns in this economic climate. This session will look at how to get started in the grant-writing process and how to identify programs that make sense for your community. Speakers will discuss the impact that grants have had on their ability to provide services and maintain programs.
PANELISTS
Wendy Foxmyn is the interim town administrator in Leverett.
Frank Frederickson is the deputy police chief in Yarmouth.
MODERATOR
Jane DiBiasio is a grant writer for Fall River.
WORKSHOP MATERIALS
• Locating Law Enforcement Grants (332K PDF)
Yarmouth Police Department
Going Green: What Does It Mean?
Room 204, Hynes Convention Center
Presented by the MMA’s Policy Committee on Energy and the Environment
With support from the Green Communities Act, going “green” has progressed from being a buzzword to being a way to save energy and lower fuel and electricity costs. This workshop will provide the latest information from the Massachusetts Green Communities Program and examine the tools available to assist even the smallest town. Panelists will also discuss how to manage local environmental awareness groups that are encouraging broader, community-wide initiatives.
PANELISTS
Mark Sylvia is the director of the Massachusetts Green Communities Program.
Jeff Barz-Snell is president of the Salem Alliance for the Environment.
Rob Garrity is a selectman in Norfolk and the executive director of the Massachusetts Climate Action Network.
MODERATOR
Neil Chayet is president of the Chayet Communications Group and host of WBZ radio’s “Looking at the Law.”
WORKSHOP MATERIALS
• Municipal Energy Committees (360K PDF)
Rob Garrity, Norfolk Selectman and Executive Director of the Mass Climate Action Network
• Going Green: What Does It Mean? (352K PDF)
Salem Alliance for the Environment
• The Green Communities Program: Partnering with Massachusetts Cities and Towns (360K PDF)
Green Communities Division
Harassment Prevention: A Briefing for Management
Room 202, Hynes Convention Center
Presented by the Massachusetts Interlocal Insurance Association
Has your municipality been the object of harassment or discrimination claims? Do you worry about the possibility of discrimination or harassment surfacing? This session will explore how to create and perpetuate a respectful workplace, keep personal and organizational liability to a minimum, deal with employees with loose boundaries who inadvertently harass others, and respond to complaints as they arise.
Eligible for MIIA Rewards credits
MODERATOR
Cally Ritter, a licensed clinical social worker, is an education and development consultant for AllOne Health.
Municipal Law Update
Room 208, Hynes Convention Center
Presented by the City Solicitors and Town Counsel Association and the MMA’s Policy Committee on Municipal and Regional Administration
This session will review significant developments in municipal law over the past year and how they affect cities and towns. Panelists will take questions from the audience.
Eligible for MIIA Rewards credits
PANELISTS
Michael Curran, a charter consultant, is Canton’s former town counsel.
Margaret Hurley is the director of the Municipal Law Unit in the state Attorney General’s Office.
Carol McGravey, a former city solicitor in Lawrence, is a past president of the City Solicitors and Town Counsel Association.
Donald Rider is the city solicitor in Marlborough and a member of the City Solicitors and Town Counsel Association’s Executive Committee.
MODERATOR
Christopher Petrini is president of the City Solicitors and Town Counsel Association and the town counsel in Framingham.
Quinn Bill: Dealing With the Chaos
Room 200, Hynes Convention Center
Presented by the MMA’s Policy Committee on Personnel and Labor Relations
The state’s decision to drastically reduce its share of funding for the Quinn Bill program has created a huge new problem for many cities and towns. This workshop will delve into a central legal question: Are communities responsible for picking up the state’s share of the funding? Panelists also will review the legal challenges to municipal actions on the Quinn Bill and look at some of the collective bargaining strategies communities have used.
PANELISTS
Peter Berry is a selectman in Acton and a partner in the law firm Deutsch Williams Brooks Derensis & Holland.
Peter Foskett is a partner in the law firm Deutsch Williams Brooks Derensis & Holland.
MODERATOR
David Baier is legislative director for the Massachusetts Municipal Association.
WORKSHOP MATERIALS
• Mass. General Laws, Ch. 41, Sect. 108L (1.4M PDF)
Telecommunications and Cable Update
Room 210, Hynes Convention Center
Presented by the MMA’s Policy Committee on Municipal and Regional Administration
This panel will discuss cable licensing, including changes resulting from the advent of competition; common licensing issues and best practices; issues related to cable and broadband deployment in underserved areas; and legislative, regulatory and case law developments at the state and federal level.
PANELISTS
Bill August is a principal with the law firm Epstein & August and a former general counsel of the Massachusetts Cable Television Commission.
William Hewig is a principal with the law firm Kopelman and Paige.
Joseph Zukowski is the vice president of government affairs at Verizon.
MODERATOR
Matthew Feher is a senior legislative analyst for the Massachusetts Municipal Association.
Tips for Effective Evaluation of the Municipal Manager
Room 205, Hynes Convention Center
Presented by the Massachusetts Selectmen’s Association
A board of selectmen’s authority implies the role of an employer with evaluation and supervisory power over the municipal manager. This session will cover a number of evaluation tools, ranging from the “360 evaluation,” which can involve department heads, municipal staff and the public, to the more traditional review involving selectmen only. Sample evaluation tools will be provided.
Eligible for MIIA Rewards credits
PANELISTS
Adam Shuster is a selectman in Ashland.
Ron DiOrio is a selectman in Oak Bluffs.
Michael Powers is a selectman in Danvers.
MODERATOR
Alan Sentkowski is chair of the Princeton Board of Selectmen and president of the Massachusetts Selectmen’s Association.
WORKSHOP MATERIALS
• Danvers Town Manager Evaluation Form for Fiscal 2009 (48K Excel)
• Town Manager Performance Evaluation Policy (888K PDF)
Town of Ashland
Water Infrastructure Funding Options
Room 209, Hynes Convention Center
Presented by the MMA’s Policy Committee on Energy and the Environment
This session will explore strategies for funding wastewater and drinking water infrastructure projects. The use of grants, loans, tax incentives and reimbursement opportunities will be discussed, as will the potential benefits of implementing full-cost pricing.
PANELISTS
Steven McCurdy is the municipal services director at the Department of Environmental Protection.
Jackie LeClair is a municipal assistance officer for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
James Demming is president of the Massachusetts WaterWorks Association.
MODERATOR
Sen. James Eldridge is the Senate chair of the Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government and chair of the state’s new Water Infrastructure Finance Commission.
WORKSHOP MATERIALS
• EPA Funding of Water Infrastructure Projects (2.5M PDF)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• Overview of State Revolving Fund Loans (1.4M PDF)
Mass. Department of Environmental Protection
Workshops Annual Meeting Workshops, Saturday Session
Annual Meeting Workshops, Saturday Session
Effective Mayor/Manager-Council Relations
Room 201, Hynes Convention Center
Presented by the Massachusetts Municipal Councillors’ Association
Effective local government depends in large part on the relationship between the elected governing body and the mayor or manager. Panelists will discuss such challenges as striking a balance between independent decision-making and collaborative governing, minimizing the role of politics and personality conflicts, and maintaining open, honest communication.
PANELISTS
Kim Driscoll is the mayor of Salem.
Charles Ryan is vice president of the Braintree Town Council.
John Klimm is the town manager in Barnstable.
MODERATOR
Douglas Gutro is a city councillor in Quincy and a board member of the Massachusetts Municipal Councillors’ Association.
Finance and Budgeting Basics
Room 206, Hynes Convention Center
Presented by the Association of Town Finance Committees
This session will provide a foundation for understanding municipal finance and budgeting. It will include a review of the timetable for the annual budget, an overview of the tax recapitulation process, and discussion of developing a capital improvement plan and managing long-term debt.
PANELISTS
Allan Tosti is a finance committee member in Arlington and treasurer of the Association of Town Finance Committees.
Anthony Torrisi is the finance director in Andover.
MODERATOR
Pat Brusch is a member of the Belmont Advisory Committee and president of the Association of Town Finance Committees.
Going for Grants: Making Free Money Work for You
Room 203, Hynes Convention Center
Presented by the Massachusetts Municipal Association
Pursuing grants is a must for cities and towns in this economic climate. This session will look at how to get started in the grant-writing process and how to identify programs that make sense for your community. Speakers will discuss the impact that grants have had on their ability to provide services and maintain programs.
PANELISTS
Wendy Foxmyn is the interim town administrator in Leverett.
Frank Frederickson is the deputy police chief in Yarmouth.
MODERATOR
Jane DiBiasio is a grant writer for Fall River.
WORKSHOP MATERIALS
• Locating Law Enforcement Grants (332K PDF)
Yarmouth Police Department
Going Green: What Does It Mean?
Room 204, Hynes Convention Center
Presented by the MMA’s Policy Committee on Energy and the Environment
With support from the Green Communities Act, going “green” has progressed from being a buzzword to being a way to save energy and lower fuel and electricity costs. This workshop will provide the latest information from the Massachusetts Green Communities Program and examine the tools available to assist even the smallest town. Panelists will also discuss how to manage local environmental awareness groups that are encouraging broader, community-wide initiatives.
PANELISTS
Mark Sylvia is the director of the Massachusetts Green Communities Program.
Jeff Barz-Snell is president of the Salem Alliance for the Environment.
Rob Garrity is a selectman in Norfolk and the executive director of the Massachusetts Climate Action Network.
MODERATOR
Neil Chayet is president of the Chayet Communications Group and host of WBZ radio’s “Looking at the Law.”
WORKSHOP MATERIALS
• Municipal Energy Committees (360K PDF)
Rob Garrity, Norfolk Selectman and Executive Director of the Mass Climate Action Network
• Going Green: What Does It Mean? (352K PDF)
Salem Alliance for the Environment
• The Green Communities Program: Partnering with Massachusetts Cities and Towns (360K PDF)
Green Communities Division
Harassment Prevention: A Briefing for Management
Room 202, Hynes Convention Center
Presented by the Massachusetts Interlocal Insurance Association
Has your municipality been the object of harassment or discrimination claims? Do you worry about the possibility of discrimination or harassment surfacing? This session will explore how to create and perpetuate a respectful workplace, keep personal and organizational liability to a minimum, deal with employees with loose boundaries who inadvertently harass others, and respond to complaints as they arise.
Eligible for MIIA Rewards credits
MODERATOR
Cally Ritter, a licensed clinical social worker, is an education and development consultant for AllOne Health.
Municipal Law Update
Room 208, Hynes Convention Center
Presented by the City Solicitors and Town Counsel Association and the MMA’s Policy Committee on Municipal and Regional Administration
This session will review significant developments in municipal law over the past year and how they affect cities and towns. Panelists will take questions from the audience.
Eligible for MIIA Rewards credits
PANELISTS
Michael Curran, a charter consultant, is Canton’s former town counsel.
Margaret Hurley is the director of the Municipal Law Unit in the state Attorney General’s Office.
Carol McGravey, a former city solicitor in Lawrence, is a past president of the City Solicitors and Town Counsel Association.
Donald Rider is the city solicitor in Marlborough and a member of the City Solicitors and Town Counsel Association’s Executive Committee.
MODERATOR
Christopher Petrini is president of the City Solicitors and Town Counsel Association and the town counsel in Framingham.
Quinn Bill: Dealing With the Chaos
Room 200, Hynes Convention Center
Presented by the MMA’s Policy Committee on Personnel and Labor Relations
The state’s decision to drastically reduce its share of funding for the Quinn Bill program has created a huge new problem for many cities and towns. This workshop will delve into a central legal question: Are communities responsible for picking up the state’s share of the funding? Panelists also will review the legal challenges to municipal actions on the Quinn Bill and look at some of the collective bargaining strategies communities have used.
PANELISTS
Peter Berry is a selectman in Acton and a partner in the law firm Deutsch Williams Brooks Derensis & Holland.
Peter Foskett is a partner in the law firm Deutsch Williams Brooks Derensis & Holland.
MODERATOR
David Baier is legislative director for the Massachusetts Municipal Association.
WORKSHOP MATERIALS
• Mass. General Laws, Ch. 41, Sect. 108L (1.4M PDF)
Telecommunications and Cable Update
Room 210, Hynes Convention Center
Presented by the MMA’s Policy Committee on Municipal and Regional Administration
This panel will discuss cable licensing, including changes resulting from the advent of competition; common licensing issues and best practices; issues related to cable and broadband deployment in underserved areas; and legislative, regulatory and case law developments at the state and federal level.
PANELISTS
Bill August is a principal with the law firm Epstein & August and a former general counsel of the Massachusetts Cable Television Commission.
William Hewig is a principal with the law firm Kopelman and Paige.
Joseph Zukowski is the vice president of government affairs at Verizon.
MODERATOR
Matthew Feher is a senior legislative analyst for the Massachusetts Municipal Association.
Tips for Effective Evaluation of the Municipal Manager
Room 205, Hynes Convention Center
Presented by the Massachusetts Selectmen’s Association
A board of selectmen’s authority implies the role of an employer with evaluation and supervisory power over the municipal manager. This session will cover a number of evaluation tools, ranging from the “360 evaluation,” which can involve department heads, municipal staff and the public, to the more traditional review involving selectmen only. Sample evaluation tools will be provided.
Eligible for MIIA Rewards credits
PANELISTS
Adam Shuster is a selectman in Ashland.
Ron DiOrio is a selectman in Oak Bluffs.
Michael Powers is a selectman in Danvers.
MODERATOR
Alan Sentkowski is chair of the Princeton Board of Selectmen and president of the Massachusetts Selectmen’s Association.
WORKSHOP MATERIALS
• Danvers Town Manager Evaluation Form for Fiscal 2009 (48K Excel)
• Town Manager Performance Evaluation Policy (888K PDF)
Town of Ashland
Water Infrastructure Funding Options
Room 209, Hynes Convention Center
Presented by the MMA’s Policy Committee on Energy and the Environment
This session will explore strategies for funding wastewater and drinking water infrastructure projects. The use of grants, loans, tax incentives and reimbursement opportunities will be discussed, as will the potential benefits of implementing full-cost pricing.
PANELISTS
Steven McCurdy is the municipal services director at the Department of Environmental Protection.
Jackie LeClair is a municipal assistance officer for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
James Demming is president of the Massachusetts WaterWorks Association.
MODERATOR
Sen. James Eldridge is the Senate chair of the Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government and chair of the state’s new Water Infrastructure Finance Commission.
WORKSHOP MATERIALS
• EPA Funding of Water Infrastructure Projects (2.5M PDF)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• Overview of State Revolving Fund Loans (1.4M PDF)
Mass. Department of Environmental Protection
