Monday, October 31, 2011

Schedule of events for the Fall MML conference Monday October 31, 2011

Schedule of events for the Fall MML conference Monday October 31, 2011

MML – Maryland Municipal League Fall Conference October 31 - November 2, 2011 schedule of workshops, meetings and discussions slated for Monday, October 31, 2011:

To bring MML’s 75th anniversary celebration to a close, the Maryland Municipal League will return to the beautiful Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Resort for the annual MML fall conference,” notes the Maryland Municipal League website: http://www.mdmunicipal.org/conferences/falloverview.cfm.

“This conference is first and foremost an opportunity for city and town officials to gather, attend workshops, exchange information, and renew acquaintances. It is also the event where the membership discusses and adopts the League’s legislative agenda recommended by the MML Legislative Committee.”

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Monday, October 31, 2011

9:00 – 10:00 Orientation for Municipal Officials (OMO)

This session will provide you with everything you need to know about how to maximize your League membership. 

10:30 – 12:30 MML Board of Directors Meeting

11:30 – 12:30 Large City Forum

Municipalities of all sizes experience many of the same issues. However, there are some issues and topics that are of special interest to large municipalities. Network and brainstorm with a roundtable of officials from cities, urban, suburban and rural with large populations. Representatives from smaller cities facing urban issues are also welcome to attend.

11:30 – 12:30 Small Town Forum

Although there are issues that impact cities and towns of all sizes, there are some issues and topics that are of special interest to medium and smaller sized municipalities. Network and brainstorm with a roundtable of officials from rural and suburban towns with small populations. Representatives from larger cities with small-town flavor are also welcome to attend.

12:00 Lunch on your own

12:00 – 4:30 Registration

12:00 – 5:00 Table Top Exhibits Open

1:00 – 2:00 Refreshment Break

1:15 – 1:45 MML Legislative and Resolutions Committee Meeting (if needed

1:30 – 3:30 Ethics

Officials should have sufficient knowledge of their Public Ethics Ordinance as generally required by state law. Many officials fill out the necessary forms and assume that they have complied with the law. But, are their day-to-day actions living up to the intent of the law? The often fine-line differences between legal and ethical behavior will be illustrated in small group discussions.

1:30 – 3:30 Environmental Issues

What is a “TMDL” and what does it mean to me? I keep hearing about a “WIP” but I don’t really understand what it is.

What’s going to happen with septic systems in Maryland in the future? These questions and more will be answered at this session where presenters will discuss the Federal initiative to put the Chesapeake Bay on a “pollution diet”. Attendees will also hear about the work of the Task Force on Sustainable Growth and Wastewater Disposal.

3:45 – 4:45 Maryland Mayors Association Meeting

5:30 – 6:30 Welcome Reception

Dinner on your own

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According to the Maryland Municipal League website:

Conference Workshops and Special Sessions

This year, attendees will have the opportunity to attend eleven workshops, three of which are Academy core classes and three are Academy electives. The Academy core classes at this year’s conference are Ethics, Open Meetings, and Employment Issues.

This year’s three Academy elective workshops will address a variety of issues of importance impacting every city or town, regardless of size or location. An environmentally focused workshop will provide updates on Maryland’s Watershed Implementation Plan, the ongoing effort to curtail future growth on septic systems, and best practices for curtailing stormwater runoff in urban settings.  

A second Academy elective workshop will provide an overview of several of Maryland’s most popular municipal grant programs. Speakers at a third Academy elective workshop will talk about enhancing municipal business development opportunities through the use of property tax credits and provide an overview the Maryland’s newly developed program to expedite development projects

There will be three additional workshops at this year’s conference. One workshop will provide an update on Maryland’s current law pertaining to Miss Utility and an overview of how to best implement a stormwater utility fee; Howard County Executive Ken Ulman will discuss Maryland’s expanding
broadband opportunities across the State; and a third session will give attendees an overview of the just-completed Maryland Department of Planning’s PlanMaryland initiative.

In response to feedback generated at last year’s conference, a special session has been included in this year’s conference schedule to allow attendees to better understand the legislative process and how to improve interaction with members of their legislative delegation when advocating on behalf of their municipality and the League in general.

As a follow up to the Large City and Small Town Forums held at the 2011 annual convention in Ocean City, time has been set aside in the conference schedule to allow elected and appointed officials from Maryland’s municipalities to meet and discuss issues pertinent to both large and small cities and towns

The fall conference is also the venue for several other groups to meet. The MML Board of Directors and the Maryland Mayors Association will both meet on Monday, October 31. The MML Legislative/Resolutions Committee will also meet if necessary.

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MML – Maryland Municipal League Fall Conference October 31 - November 2, 2011





For more information on the 2011 Fall Maryland Municipal League’s Fall Legislative Conference at the Cambridge Maryland Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay, including a “Complete 2011 Fall Conference Information (.pdf)” packet, visit the MML website at www.mdmunicipal.org.

[20111031 sdsom MML Fall Conference agenda]

MML Fall Conference October 31 - November 2, 2011

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