What's New at MMA

Maine State Surplus Program - Items Available for Municipalities

Monday, September 30, 2024

The Division of General Services, within the Maine Department of Administrative & Financial Services, wants to remind town and city leaders of the opportunity to acquire surplus items no longer in use by Maine state agencies.  Available items include computers, office supplies, snowplows, and vehicles, just to name a few, and are offered at significantly reduced prices.  For more information about the program, as well as to register as an eligible purchaser of surplus...


2024 GA Maximums & Updated MMA Model GA Ordinance Now Available

Tuesday, September 10, 2024

The 2024 MMA Model GA Ordinance and all the Appendices containing the 2024 GA Maximums are now available on the MMA Legal Services GA Manual webpage. (See the drop down menus “Ordinance Maximums” and “Municipal GA Ordinance.”)  By October 1st of each year, the municipal officers (selectboard or council) are required to adopt the new appendices containing the yearly general assistance (GA) maximum levels of assistance. A public hearing is...


Election Polling Security Webinar

Monday, September 9, 2024

Blue U will conduct two 90-minute webinars focused on what it takes to create a secure polling place. The sessions will take place at 10:00 a.m. on  September 19 and October 1. The fee for participating in the session is $100.  To register for the September 19 webinar, please click here.  To register for the October 1 event, please use this link. 


Maine DHHS seeks feedback from those who work with General Assistance program

Friday, August 23, 2024

Help shape the future of General Assistance in Maine!  Maine's Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Office for Family Independence is seeking input from municipal GA Administrators and members of the Maine Welfare Directors Association. DHHS is dedicated to enhancing their customer service and improving the GA training programs for municipalities.  Reach out to take part in a 30-minute interview or a 60-75 minute focus group by contacting hello@ryselocal.com. ...


Resolving Roadside Conflicts with Beavers Workshops

Thursday, August 22, 2024

The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife is hosting two workshops tailored for municipal and state highway personnel, certified animal damage control agents, foresters, and wildlife biologists responsible for resolving roadside conflicts with beavers.  Presenters will share cost-effective, time-tested methods and devices to co-exist with beavers residing along Maine’s roads,  Each session will include both classroom and field instruction.  The first...


Update on Maine Growth Management Program Survey

Wednesday, August 21, 2024

Due to State of Maine cybersecurity concerns, Maine Planning Assistance Program (MPAP) cannot continue using Google Forms. This has forced us to move the Growth Management Program survey to a Survey 123 format. What does this mean for you? If you have already taken the survey, thank you! Your responses have been received and will be included in the final tally and analysis. If you have started the survey (in Google) but have not completed it, you need to complete and submit it before...


The Truth About Elder Abuse

Tuesday, June 11, 2024

Philip Marshall will be the keynote speaker at a ME AARP event focused on the dangers of elder abuse. Marshall, with the help of law enforcement, help save Brooke Astor, a New York philanthropist, who summered in Northeast Harbor, from the abuse suffered at the hands of her only son. Municipal leaders are encouraged to attend the June 20 event.  For more information, please click here.   Flyer - June 20 Dark Secrets event 11 x 17 Poster - June 20 Dark Secrets event  


Maine Farmland Trust – Municipal Guide

Thursday, April 25, 2024

Over the last month, the Maine Farmland Trust (MFT) has conducted weekly webinars aimed at disseminating the contents of the new municipal guide targeted at cultivating Maine’s agricultural future. More information about the webinar series, as well as recordings from the four previous sessions are available here on MFT’s website. 


Workplace Retirement Plan Certification Exemption

Friday, March 15, 2024

The Maine Retirement Investment Trust (MERIT) would like to remind municipal officials that local governments are exempted from complying with the requirement that employers with 15 or more employees register with MERIT or certify that they have a qualified workplace retirement plan by April 30th and employers with 5-14 employees register with MERIT or certify that they have a qualified workplace retirement plan by June 30, 2024.  Municipalities do not need to take any action regarding...


Cross-Border Conversations: Parks and Recreation

Wednesday, March 6, 2024

On Monday, March 11 at 10 a.m., the Tri-State Learning Collaborative on Aging is bringing together representatives working with older adults through parks and recreation organizations in Maine, New York, Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire to discuss how entities are engaging older adults through dynamic programing that strengthens social connections.  Municipal officials interested in participating can register here .


123