MMA CONVENTION
Knight Kiplinger, one of America’s most respected economic journalists and business forecasters, will keynote the opening session of the 2007 MMA Annual Convention on October 3 at the Augusta Civic Center. Kiplinger is editor-in-chief of The Kiplinger Letter, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine and Kiplinger.com
Kiplinger will be the featured speaker at the Wednesday luncheon, which this year will kick-off the MMA Convention.
In addition to this nationally prominent financial news journalist, the 71 st Annual MMA Convention has some positive changes in store for municipal officials and exhibitors who take part in this annual gathering of Maine local government officials.
This year’s convention is a day and a half event running from noon on Wednesday, October 3 through Thursday afternoon, October 4. The luncheon will officially start the convention; however, the exhibit area will be opening at 11:00 a.m. for those who want to get to the convention early to see what our 120-plus exhibitors have on display.
Another change is that MMA’s annual banquet will be held Wednesday evening, instead of Thursday.
Convention feedback from last year’s convention strongly suggested two things that have been incorporated into this year’s convention programming. One of those suggestions was “roundtables”, providing municipal officials an opportunity to interact with each other and to get some advice from the experts who will be facilitating the roundtable discussions. The other notable suggestion was that MMA offer “nuts & bolts” training. All of the convention sessions are being built around the “nuts & bolts” concept.
MMA Affiliate Groups are coming back this year with their own “nuts & bolts” training sessions, mostly on Thursday. General sessions and Affiliate Group sessions will be geared toward supplying practical information that can be used to help local officials perform their jobs better.
Registration materials will be in next month’s Maine Townsman and will also be posted on the MMA website in mid-July. Stay tuned for updates on the 2007 MMA Convention in future issues of the Townsman and check in at the MMA website, www.memun.org , for more frequent updates.
LAW FOR CLERKS
The Maine Town & City Clerks Association (MTCCA) will hold its “Municipal Law for Clerks” workshop at the Waterville Elks Lodge on July 18. This workshop runs from 9:00 am - 3:30 pm.
This workshop will provide information on a clerk’s duties and obligations under state law. Topics to be covered include: basics of the position, municipal records and the Right-to-Know law, municipal ordinances, conflict of interest, liability, and various other clerk-related subjects.
Registration is $50 for MTCCA members and $60 for non-members. For more information, contact MMA Training & Affiliate, 1-800-452-8786.
MANAGERS INSTITUTE
The 62 nd New England Management Institute will be held August 28-31 at the Atlantic Oakes Resort in Bar Harbor. A flyer on the Institute will be mailed soon to Maine managers.
For more information, contact MMA’s Training & Affiliate office, 1-800-452-8786.
MMA OFFICE CLOSED
The MMA office will be closed for the remainder of the day on Friday, August 3 starting a 12 noon. MMA will be holding its annual staff appreciation picnic that afternoon.