"Monthly news and updates from the Maine Municipal Association."

Contents:
* MMA Attorney Returns from Iraq
* Maine Association of Conservation Commission Workshops
* Keep Your Right Side Up!
* Financial Management Technical Assistance
* MMEHT Trustee Wanted
* Tree Growth Correction
* Upcoming Workshops and Training
* FYI: Workshops & Conference (not MMA sponsored)

Staff Attorney Michael L. Stultz has returned from Iraq.

It is with great pleasure that we announce that Staff Attorney
Michael L. Stultz has returned, safe and sound, from a
six-month tour of duty in Baghdad. Michael is a Navy JAG
Commander and worked with the Law and Order Task Force,
a team of military and civilian attorneys investigating and
preparing criminal cases for trail before the Central Criminal
Court of Iraq.

Michael, thank you for your service, and welcome home!

The Maine Association of Conservation Commissions is
sponsoring three regional early evening workshops that
may be of interest to municipal officials.

Open Space Planning is the focus of a workshop in Augusta
on January 23rd. Dick Barringer, Chair of the Governor’s
Council on Maine’s Quality of Place, will present the findings
of that group in Falmouth on January 24th. And What is a
Conservation Commission and Why does my Town Need
One? is the question to be answered at a Rockport session
on January 30th. Information about all of these sessions,
including agendas and registration information, can be
found at www.meacc.net.

Keep Your Right Side Up!

Slips and falls are expensive, disruptive and painful. With the
severe winter weather already experienced this year, they are
also increasing in frequency. To prevent slips and falls:

1. Stay on cleared walkways. Don’t take shortcuts.

2. Remove snow and ice before employees come to work.
Frequently inspect parking areas, walkways and steps and
shovel, sand, and salt them as needed.

3. Wear proper footwear. On snowy, icy, or rainy days
wear boots to work and change after arriving.

4. If you work outside, wear footwear appropriate for the
conditions. Specialized “ice grabbers” such as “Yaktrax”
or “Stabilicers” are ideal for Public Works, Rescue, Police
and others that have to work in ice storm conditions.

For more information contact the RMS Loss Control
Department at 800-590-5583 or visit our Safety Shorts on
our web site.

Financial Management Technical Assistance

In the adoption of the 2008 MMA Budget, the Executive
Committee directed staff to come up with a plan to provide
financial management assistance to municipal officials in
2008. Funding was provided for a pilot program in 2008
with the expectation that recommendations on the future of
the program would be made to the Executive Committee
as it deliberates on the 2009 MMA Budget.

Over the past two months, an internal working group of
MMA staff has been discussing various approaches to
providing this service. Kate Dufour, legislative advocate
with the State & Federal Relations department is chair of
that working group. Kate and others on the working group are
interested in receiving comments from municipal officials
on the need for financial management assistance and specific
areas where this help is most desired. Kate’s email address is
kdufour@memun.org; her phone number is 1-800-452-8786
ext. 213.

Thus far, the working group has explored several options for
providing the service and has come up with a draft outline
for the service which includes: (1) preparation of informational
and instructional materials and reports on selected municipal
finance topics; (2) presentations at workshops on municipal
finance topics; (3) advising municipal officials on financial
issues by phone, email and regular mail; (4) conducting
financial management assessments of communities followed
by the preparation of a step-by-step action plan to improve
a municipality’s financial policies, procedures and internal
controls; and (5) on a limited basis, conducting on-site
technical assistance in selected communities.

Trustee Wanted

The Health Trust Board of Trustees would like to know if you
are interested in serving as a Trustee of the Maine Municipal
Employees Health Trust. The Health Trust’s Selection
Committee is soliciting names of individuals to fill a vacancy
on the Board. Currently, there are no Board representatives
from the following county areas: Franklin, Knox, Lincoln,
Oxford, Penobscot, Piscataquis, Sagadahoc and Waldo.

While the Selection Committee strives to maintain a
geographically diverse Board, its primary objective is to
appoint the best-qualified participants to the Board regardless
of their location. If you have an interest, please let us know.

                            for more information . . .

Tree Growth Correction

In the December 2007 issue of the Maine Townsman at the
bottom of page 9 in the chart of 2007 Tree Growth Acreage
Values, we incorrectly wrote that the per-acre value of softwood
forest land in Aroostook County was $188. That Tree Growth
valuation should have been reported as $118 per acre. We
apologize for the typographical error.

Upcoming Workshops

2008 Workshop Schedule of current workshops is 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.

The 2008 Workshop & Training Calendar is also now online.

January 2008

MWDA Membership Meeting/Training, 01/17/08, Augusta.

February 2008

Town Meeting and Elections Workshop (Title 30-A), 02/06/08, Portland OR 2/11/08, Bangor.
Basic Municipal Budgeting Workshop, 02/08/08, Bangor.

FYI: Workshops & Conference (not sponsored by MMA)

* The Maine Nutrition Council and the Maine Dietetic Association
invite you to attend the “Hungry for Answers” Conference on
March 20, 2008 from 8:00am – 3:00pm at the Augusta Civic
Center.

For More Information – Contact Alice Schlosser at aschlosser@usm.maine.edu

* Senior Officials Workshop for All Hazards Preparedness at
the University of Maine at Fort Kent. March 11, 2008.

Target audience is Town Managers, County Officials, and anyone involved in emergency preparedness and response.

* Efficiency MAINE offers help to municipalities in energy conservation and planning.

Forgotten Your Password? E-mail the
ResourceCenter@memun.org. Don't forget to tell us who you are!

Need to Register for a Password to the Members Area?

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)
+++++++++++
We always welcome Feedback. Let us know what you like
and don't like.
+++++++++++
Unsubscribe by sending an e-mail to MMANewsList@imail.memun.org
with "Unsubscribe" as the subject and
"Unsubscribe MMA-News list" in the body of the message.

Problems "unsubscribing" should be sent to the
ResourceCenter@memun.org
++++++++++
Ideas for newsletter items or enhancements to MMA's
web site can be sent to the ResourceCenter@memun.org