Policy Committees of the MMA

The MMA organizes and staffs policy committees that review and develop positions on local government activities that are the subject of state and federal government interest. Policy committees present new or revised policies to MMA members for a vote at the MMA’s Annual Business Meeting, held each year in January. Committees also make recommendations to the MMA Board of Directors on specific legislative proposals.

The following are descriptions of the MMA’s current policy committees and the members who are serving in 2011:


Fiscal Policy Committee
This committee considers all municipal finance issues. Any initiative that deals solely with a financial issue is directed first to this committee. Legislation that has a fiscal impact is referred to this committee from other committees as well. This committee also develops a policy framework for local government financing in the future.

Mayors
Thomas Ambrosino, Revere
Clare Higgins, Northampton, Chair
Thomas Menino, Boston

Selectmen
David Kielson, Chesterfield
Elizabeth Sullivan, Duxbury
Gerald Wasserman, Needham

Councillors
John Mullaney, Braintree
Patricia Grimes, Beverly
Brian Hatleberg, Chelsea

Managers
Richard LaFond, Carver
Bernard Lynch, Lowell
Charles Sumner, Brewster

Finance Committee
Patricia Brusch, Belmont
Allan Tosti, Arlington

Presidential
Joseph Curtatone, mayor, Somerville
James Malloy, town manager, Westborough
Suzanne McAuliffe, selectman, Yarmouth
John Musante, town manager, Amherst

Technical
Stephen Cirillo, finance director, Brookline
Michael Hale, assistant town manager, Shrewsbury
Wayne Marquis, town manager, Danvers
Samuel Tyler, president, Boston Municipal Research Bureau


Policy Committee on Energy and the Environment
This committee formulates policy for the association in the following areas: water quality, water supply, air quality, solid waste, hazardous waste, wetlands, coastal areas, and wastewater treatment.

Mayors
Kimberly Driscoll, Salem
Mark Hawke, Gardner
Scott Lang, New Bedford

Selectmen
John Drobinski, Sudbury, Chair
Rene Wood, Sheffield
Nancy Yeatts, Lakeville

Councillors
Henrietta Davis, Cambridge
Ari Herzog, Newburyport
Robert Penta, Medford

Managers
James Merriam, Harwich
Michael O’Brien, Worcester
Orlando Pacheco, Lancaster

Finance Committee
Nancy Goulart, Dighton
Richard Paulsen, Wareham

Presidential
Sherry Costa-Hanlon, councillor, Taunton
John Giorgio, Kopelman & Paige
William Hardin, Easton
Frederick Koed, selectman, Cohasset

Technical
David Maher, community development, Ayer
Alan Cathcart, Concord/MWWA
Robert Goober, Weston & Sampson
Linda Lowe, city clerk, Gloucester


Policy Committee on Municipal and Regional Administration
This committee considers those issues that relate to the organization, structure, efficiency, and productivity of local and regional government and the relationships between the two levels of government. Among the issues addressed by this committee are the processes and structure at the local and regional levels for the procurement and provision of human services, safety and health inspections, and technical assistance.

Mayors
Robert Dolan, Melrose
William Martin, Greenfield

Selectmen
Robert Correnti, Billerica
Angelo Firenze, Belmont
Gardner Trask, Danvers

Councillors
Lisle Baker, Newton
Robert Lavoie, Amesbury
Sam Seidel, Cambridge

Managers
Lee Erdmann, Springfield
Peter Hechenbleikner, Reading, Chair
John Klimm, Barnstable

Finance Committee
Mary McBride, Billerica

Presidential
William Doherty, commissioner, Barnstable County
Edward McManus, selectman, Harwich
Ben Tafoya, selectman, Reading
Robin Wilkins, selectman, Harwich

Technical
Lisa Blackmer, councillor, North Adams
Robert Dean, director of regional services, Franklin Regional Council of Governments
Dennis DiZoglio, executive director, Merrimack Valley Planning Commission
Alex Vispoli, selectman, Andover


Policy Committee on Personnel and Labor Relations
This committee has responsibility for formulating policy for the association in the following areas: collective bargaining, civil service, employee benefits, police and fire collective bargaining, and pension reform.

Mayors
Thatcher Kezer III, Amesbury
William Manzi, Methuen

Selectmen
Katherine Babson, Wellesley
Donald Bourque, Webster
Robert Burr, Canton

Councillors
Robert Van Campen, Everett
Leland Cheung, Cambridge

Managers
James Boudreau, Norwell
David Cressman, Dartmouth, Chair
John Murray III, Acton

Finance Committee
Paul Joyce, Dedham
Ira Miller, Sharon

Presidential
Susan Adler, personnel director, Wellesley
Jess Aptowitz, selectman, Mansfield
Ronald DiOrio, selectman, Oak Bluffs
Michael Farrell, town administrator, Georgetown

Technical
Diane Crimmins, personnel director, Belmont
Michael Gardner, personnel director, Cambridge
Stephanie McNeil, human resources director, Franklin


Policy Committee on Public Works, Transportation and Public Utilities
This committee considers issues that relate to regional and metropolitan transportation, transportation planning, the relationship between local governments and the Massachusetts Highway Department, and the question of levels of local control in joint state-local public works programs.

Mayors
Carlo DeMaria, Everett
Joseph Sullivan, Braintree

Selectmen
Timothy Dodd, Westborough
Jim Lovejoy, Mount Washington
Daniel Ricci, Webster

Councillors
Norman Boisvert, Fitchburg
Ronald Boucher, North Adams
Charles Ryan, Braintree

Managers
Diane Norris, Danvers, Chair
Richard Reed, Bedford
Stephen Rollins, Hanover

Finance Committee
Martin Crowley, East Bridgewater

Presidential
Charles Blanchard, town administrator, Paxton
Michelle Ciccolo, community development, Hudson
Gregory Taylor, public works consultant
Timothy Walsh, public works director, Westwood

Technical
David Knowlton, city engineer, Salem
John Petrin, town manager, Ashland
James Shuris, public works director, Holden
Carl Valente, town manager, Lexington