The Maine Municipal Association is seeking nominees for its inaugural Education and Training Advisory Council. The formation of this Council was one of the major recommendations in the Municipal Curriculum Inventory and Training Gap Analysis conducted by MMA and BerryDunn in 2020 and 2021. The Advisory Council’s purpose is to support and advise MMA on developing and overseeing municipal educational and training needs across the State of Maine.
The Council will ensure that all stakeholders share an interest and investment in the education and training of the State’s municipal workforce. Additionally, the Council will foster collaboration and partnerships specific to education and training among MMA Affiliate Groups, municipalities, educational institutions, and training providers.
An interim group of municipal elected and appointed officials, employees, regional organizations, and education and training partners worked over a period of six months to envision a structure, set of core functions, and focus areas for the Advisory Council. You can access an overview of the Council’s structure and functions here. For 2023-2024, the Advisory Council will have three focus areas: 1) development of a municipal management and leadership training program; 2) design of a municipal training portal; and 3) creation of a strategy for how MMA can best support and promote municipal workforce development and recruitment. Additional details about each of these focus areas can be found here.
The Council is seeking nominees to serve a one- or two-year term starting in July 2023. ALL municipal elected officials, appointed officials, and employees from MMA member municipalities are eligible to serve on the Advisory Council. Please review this description of Council member responsibilities and expected commitments. Nominees with a desire to work on any of the focus areas above and who fit into one or more of the following categories are especially needed:
- Elected municipal officials
- Municipal front-line supervisors
- Municipal early-career officials with five years or less of municipal experience
- Town or city managers or administrators
- Municipal human resources professionals
If you are interested in serving on the MMA Education & Training Advisory Council, please submit the following documents to Peter Osborne, MMA Director of Educational Services, by Friday, April 14, 2023:
- A brief letter of interest with your name, position, and municipality, that outlines: 1) your interest in serving on the Council; 2) the skills, experiences, and perspectives that you believe would be assets to the Council; 3) which (if any) of the above categories apply to you; and 4) your preference for serving a one- or two-year term.
- A letter of support from your supervisor, selectboard chair, mayor, or council chair (as applicable) indicating their support for your participation in the Advisory Council and the commitment(s) involved. This letter is not required for elected officials.
These documents can be submitted via email to posborne@memun.org or by US Mail to:
Peter Osborne, c/o Maine Municipal Association, 60 Community Dr, Augusta, ME 04330.
The MMA Executive Committee will consider nominations and make appointments to the Advisory Council at their May meeting.
If you have questions or would like more information about the Advisory Council, please do not hesitate to contact Peter Osborne by email or phone at 207-623-8428 x2390.
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