North Adams Officials Serve in Leadership, Police Roles With MMA
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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Four North Adams officials were elected to leadership roles with the Massachusetts Municipal Association at its annual meeting held in Boston on Jan. 25.
The annual meeting was attended by more than 1,300 municipal officials representing the commonwealth's 351 cities and towns.
City Councilor Lisa Blackmer, a former MMA president, returns to the association's leadership as president of the Massachusetts Municipal Councillors’ Association, with council vice president Jason M. LaForest as the MMCA second vice president. In their respective capacities, each serves as a member of the MMA board of directors. Councilor LaForest also has held a seat on the MMA policy committee for Labor Relations and Personnel since 2018.
In addition to their duties with MMA, Blackmer and LaForest also have been appointed to the governor's local government advisory commission. Established by Gov. Dukakis in 1976, the commission meets monthly with Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, and at least quarterly with the commonwealth's legislative leadership at the State House. The commission reviews and analyzes proposed legislation and regulatory changes from the point of view of municipal government and advises officials of the commonwealth and federal government on the needs and interests of municipalities. Polito will administer the oath of office to the councilors at the State House in the coming weeks.
Additionally, Councilor Benjamin Lamb will join the MMA policy committee on Municipal and Regional administration, while Mayor Tom Bernard will serve on the policy committee on Public Works, Transportation, and Public Utilities.
"Congratulations to these dedicated colleagues and leaders for their service to our community. I'm honored to join them in making North Adams a force to be reckoned with in the statewide policy arena," Bernard said.
The Massachusetts Municipal Association is the one voice that advocates for direct aid and support for core municipal and public education services provided by every community in Massachusetts. The MMA's advocacy efforts are focused on a single goal: Building strong communities in Massachusetts. The MMA is active on legislative issues, executive branch decision, and state-level court cases. The MMA reviews 3,000 legislative proposals per year and testifies on about 100 bills annually.
