Mayor Tyer Talks MMA Leadership Appointment, Local and State Goals
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Mayor Linda Tyer is looking forward to collaborating on issues that plague the state while advocating for the city and Western Massachusetts as the newly elected president of the Massachusetts Mayors Association.
Some areas of focus include recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, use of funding through the federal American Rescue Plan and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs acts and on housing, an issue particularly pertinent to Pittsfield.
Tyer will also serve on the MMA Board of Directors and the statewide Local Government Advisory Committee because of her position. Tyer's election means two Berkshire County residents are leading MMA divisions and three are representatives on the MMA Executive Committee, as North Adams City Councilor Lisa Blackmer is president of the Massachusetts Councillors Association and Williamstown Select Board member Andrew Hogeland is first vice president of the Massachusetts Select Board Association. All three are also on the Local Government Advisory Commission.
"I'm especially pleased to be serving as president of the Mayors Association this year," Tyer said. "And also being part of the executive board and the LGAC means that there is sort of an ecosystem of full circle elements so that we are all determining priorities and focusing our efforts on those priorities and moving together in tandem."
Tyer was unanimously elected president for a one-year term during the virtual annual meeting of the MMA on Jan. 21. She has previously served as the first vice president and on the executive committee.
Established in 1945, the Mayors Association meets monthly tackle major issues that the commonwealth's towns and cities face. There are 47 mayors on the committee, including North Adams Mayor Jennifer Macksey.
After its January meeting, Tyer and the MMA staff outlined meeting agendas for the next several months that include the aforementioned issues.
She highlighted housing as a big issue for every community in the state. It's a broad spectrum of housing, Tyer said, from market-rate housing to crisis sheltering and everything in between.
For Pittsfield in particular, there will be an emphasis on the need for housing initiatives.
Though the communities across Massachusetts are different, she said they share many similarities and the best way to make change is to work together.
"One of the things that is so great about the Mayors Association is that regardless of the size of your city because mayors -- there's 47 of us -- we come from different-sized cities, have different demographics, yet we all have the same challenges, we have the same dreams for our communities," Tyer explained.
"Everybody wants to have a successful thriving community in all the ways that that is what that means, yet we're all unique, our communities are still unique, but we still have the same opportunities and challenges and when we convene together, that fellowship and what we learn from each other is really essential."
Another area that the association will work on is diversity, equity, and inclusion, which was established as a city department last year. Tyer said she is pleased with the progress that Pittsfield has made with these efforts and hopes to appoint a chief diversity officer soon.
Tyer explained that the MMA and its participants have the ability to raise awareness and influence the state budget.
One of the elements of Gov. Charlie Baker's fiscal year 2023 budget is a 2.7 percent increase in unrestricted general government aid and the mayors will be advocating for more.
This money is received every year and goes into the general fund for the municipal operating budget.
"I can say that MMA and the mayors will be advocating for more than 2.7 percent," Tyer said. "Because we feel that the state revenues are significantly higher than projected and we respectfully believe that more of that funding should come to us locally."
There has recently been a considerable amount of talk focused on advocating for Western Mass in the eastern part of the state. Last year, State Auditor Suzanne Bump called for a rural rescue plan to fill the gaps after her latest study showed deficiencies in Western Massachusetts public infrastructure.
State Sen. Adam Hinds has regularly spoken on the need to invest in this part of the state as well.
Tyer looks forward to emphasizing Pittsfield and Western Mass during her presidency.
"Everywhere I go, every opportunity I have to talk about Pittsfield, talk about the Berkshires, I always take the opportunity, and now to be on the executive board and the LGAC and president of the Mayors Association really gives me an opportunity to emphasize Western Massachusetts," she said.
"Particularly Pittsfield, which is where my heart lives, and it's really an honor and a privilege to have that opportunity, and to be recognized by your peers and to be given this, I'm really looking forward to the year ahead."
The LGAC has reportedly identified housing, the environment and climate, water and sewer infrastructure, and public health including mental and behavioral health.
On the topic of Pittsfield's homelessness issue, Tyer feels that it will be best addressed with the help of the entire state.
"We're not going to be successful tackling these issues without the support of the commonwealth," she said.
"This is the magic of the MMA and Mayors Association is that we build these networks, and we advocate for issues, so that the governor, lieutenant governor, and, our representatives understand what we need for our communities, and it helps us access expertise at the state level and funding, things that we need in order to be successful in the things that we want to accomplish in our communities."
Editor's note: added to include that Andrew Hogeland is also in a leadership position and serves on the executive committee and LGAC.
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