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Contents:
* 2009 Technology Conference
* New Federal Identity Theft “Red Flags Rules”
* MMA Federal Issues Paper
* Dog Licensing Service Survey
* Maine Association of Conservation Commissions Grant
* FEMA Launches new Website for Disaster Assistance
* Awards for Municipal Excellence - Call for Nominations
*
Upcoming Workshops and Training
Mark your calendars and plan to join us!
2009 Technology Conference is scheduled for March 27th at
the Augusta Civic Center.
The Conference will again be co-sponsored by the Maine
GIS Users Group with their always popular track of programs.
A popular speaker from our 2006 Technology Conference is
returning as the keynote speaker. Richard McKinney, Microsoft's
Government Technology Advisor, will be speaking on "Cost
Efficiencies Through IT Optimization."
More information will posted on MMA's website as it becomes
available.
New Federal Identity Theft “Red Flags Rules” Require
Municipal Water, Sewer and Electrical Utilities to Respond
Before May 1, 2009.
As a result of a Congressional mandate enacted through the
Fair Credit Report Act (FCRA) and the Fair and Accurate Credit
Transactions Act of 2003 (FACTA), the Federal Trade
Commission (FTC) has issued regulations requiring financial
institutions, utilities and other creditors to develop and
implement identify theft prevention programs.
The rules
adopted by the FTC are known as “Red Flags Rules.”
They
apply to municipal utilities and, possibly, to municipalities
that use information obtained from credit reporting agencies.
for more information from MMA's Legal Services . . .
MMA Federal Issues Paper
MMA has decided to advance the timetable for our annual
Federal Issues Paper in light of the major focus and accelerated
timetable to enact a federal stimulus package. We are compiling
a paper that will focus on the stimulus package, passing along
the information from our recent survey on federal issues and
offering to assist the Congressional Delegation in formulating
the best stimulus for Maine.
The Issues Paper will also discuss the truck weight limit bill and
an MMA project to connect Maine municipalities with the
federal government.
MMA plans to send the 2009 Federal Issues Paper to members
of the Maine Congressional Delegation by January 16 and will
post the Issues Paper on our website. A link to it will be provided
in the next issue.
Dog Licensing Service Survey
Maine.gov would like your feedback about the online Dog
Licensing Service.
Please visit www.maine.gov/feedback/doglicensing to tell
us why you
have or haven't signed up for this online service.
FEMA Launches new Website for Disaster Assistance - DisasterAssistance.Gov
FEMA introduces the launch of a new user-friendly website called Disasterassistance.gov on December 31, 2008. The website was created as part of the Disaster Assistance Improvement Plan (DAIP). After Hurricane Katrina, President Bush signed Executive Order 13411 on August 29, 2007 in an effort to improve delivery of federal disaster assistance.
Disasterassistance.gov was developed to ease the frustration felt by disaster victims obligated to search through multiple federal programs to find aid. This website will centralize the application process for federal disaster assistance and offer a clearinghouse for information on programs administered at the federal, state and local levels.
To develop the website, DHS/FEMA partnered with 16 federal
agencies that collectively sponsor more than 50 forms of
disaster assistance.
For the initial launch phase, the site will include only limited
forms of federal assistance. Over the coming months the website
will add federal assistance programs administered at the state
level, then local, tribal and finally those of public non-profit
organizations.
For more information, visit www.disasterassistance.gov.
Anyone with specific questions or comments can email daip@dhs.gov.
Maine Association of Conservation Commissions Grant
The MEACC recently received a grant through the Maine
Outdoor Heritage Fund and The Horizon Foundation to develop
a set of “best practice” case studies that focus on ordinances and
policies that municipalities across Maine have adopted to support
the protection of wildlife habitat and “quality places” in their
communities.
Our intent is to develop a set of six to eight detailed case studies that thoroughly describe the local process that resulted in effective approaches Maine towns are using to:
for More Information about the Progam &
a
Request for Nominations . . .
Awards for Municipal Excellence - Call for Nominations
The National League of Cities (NLC) and CH2M HILL are
pleased to announce the 20th anniversary of the Awards for
Municipal Excellence program in 2009! Since 1989, this
prestigious award has honored outstanding programs across
the country that improve the quality of life in America’s
communities.
You are invited to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Awards
for Municipal Excellence by nominating an innovative program
in your city that has improved the quality of life for its residents,
by forming successful and productive partnerships or
collaborations, effectively managing resources, creating
innovative government policies, or implementing projects with
tangible positive results.
To learn more about how you can recognize an innovative
program in your city, and to obtain a copy of the 2009
nomination packet, please email awards@nlc.org or call
(202) 626-3130.
Upcoming Workshops
2009 Workshop Schedule of current workshops is not yet online.
Brochures and program details will be added when available,
so check back often if you are interested in a certain program. If a
listing below doesn't have a link, the brochure has not yet been
posted on the web site.
January 2009
Boards of Assessment Review, 01/29/09, Snow Date: February 5, 2009, Augusta.
February 2009
GA Basics and Not So Basics, 02/26/09, Westbrook.
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Municipal Yard Sale & Classifieds Please check the Job Bank/Classifieds for new listings.
Remember that posting is free for municipalities! Use the correct
"Post a ___" link to the right of the screen to add your items, RFPs or
jobs to the listings.
Posting is a "Do It Yourself" project. If you encounter problems,
contact the ResourceCenter@memun.org.
This and That (Housekeeping Items)
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