NEW HAMPSHIRE MUNICIPAL MANAGERS ASSOCIATION
EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING
Friday, April 16, 2010
Local Government Center
11:30 a.m.
Board Members in Attendance: Jill Collins, Russell Dean, Jessie Levine, Carlos Baía, J. Michael Joyal (arrived at approximately 11:45 a.m.)
Board Members Absent: Steve Fournier, Elizabeth Corrow
Staff: Erin Batstone (LGC)
- Minutes: Lack of quorum at March Board meeting. No minutes to approve.
- Review of financials: None to review
- June Conference Update:
- Wednesday’s Session: Town charters. Discussion of who will present. Tentative speakers include Peter Joseph and Pam Brenner. Russ Dean proposed the addition of Bob Sullivan, City Solicitor of Portsmouth. Jessie Levine noted that the experience of a city might not translate directly to the towns in this topic.
The Wednesday session will be scheduled for a 2:30-4:00 pm time slot.
- Thursday’s session: Asking Your Police Chief the Right Questions with Leonard Mattarese at 9 a.m.
- Friday’s session: Building an Ethical Culture: The Leader’s Role with Martha Perego at 9 a.m.
- Discussion ensued about whether Wednesday’s dinner should be on everyone’s own or at the Sheraton. A cocktail reception is already planned but Ms. Levine felt that Portsmouth offered a tremendous amount of dining and entertainment options that conference goers might want to partake in rather than sitting down at a hotel dinner. The challenge for NHMMA is that the organization has to spend at least $5,000 on food and beverages to meet its contractual obligation to the hotel. Erin Batstone was going to calculate if all of the other meals and receptions totaled the $5,000. In the meantime, Ms. Levine proposed that this option be vetted with the membership at the noon meeting [NOTE: This was, in fact, brought to the membership’s attention by Mr. Dean at the luncheon meeting. No vote was taken and no consensus garnered.]
- Mr. Dean suggested that NHMMA note other entertainment activities that might coincide with the conference on its literature such as Prescott Park Arts Program or Music Hall events.
- Ms. Levine will coordinate the conference scholarships.
- Carlos Baía provided the Board with an Excel spreadsheet of the past sponsors and sponsorship levels as well as copies of the contribution request letters. He noted that there was a reference to a $25,000 goal in the past correspondence. Ms. Levine felt that to have this number repeated year after year was not in the best interest of the organization. Mr. Baía will remove the reference.
Mr. Baía also noted that the sponsorship level of $250 provides the same benefits as the higher contribution levels. He suggested that the Board may want to change this to incentivize larger contributions. It was agreed that the Thursday night dinner would be reserved for those contributing $500 or more.
- Mike Joyal offered the topic of municipal financial modeling as a possible session for the 2011 conference. He has been in contact with a company that offers a product called “Municast”.
- Wage Survey: Mr. Joyal discussed the manager’s/administrator’s salary survey. It was felt that placing this survey on-line and allowing managers to log-in and submit info/updates throughout the year would be valuable.
- Fellowships: Mr. Baía noted that as of the morning, municipal applications had been received from Hooksett, Bedford, Merrimack, Seabrook, Dover and Exeter. Mr. Baía did not yet have a list of the students but knew that there was at least one submittal.
- May Meeting: Jill Collins provided a preview of the May Meeting topic and speaker.
- No other business.
Meeting adjourned at 12:00 p.m.
