Written by Local finance committee members are invited to the Association of Town Finance Committees’ Annual Meeting on Nov. 2 at the Sharon Community Center.
The opening speaker will be Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation President Doug Howgate.
The meeting will feature four educational workshops, running concurrently during two time slots.
The first session will feature “Finance Committee and Budgeting 101,” covering the basics for new members with Holliston Town Administrator Travis Ahern and Medfield Assistant Town Administrator Frank Gervasio.
A concurrent session on credit and bond rating will feature Kayla MacEwen, managing director at Masterson Advisors LLC.
The second session will feature town and school budgeting relations, and an open meeting law and public records law overview with municipal attorney Karis North.
After lunch, Sharon Select Board Chair Kianna Pierre-Louis will lead a workshop on having difficult discussions and de-escalation techniques. Pierre-Louis is an assistant dean at Northeastern University and a member of the MMA’s DEI Advisory Committee.
The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. and end at 2:15 p.m.
The cost is $65 for dues-paying ATFC finance committee members and $75 for nonmember finance committee members and other local officials. All local officials are welcome to attend.
Agenda
8:15-9 a.m.
Registration, Breakfast and Networking
9-9:15 a.m.
President’s Welcome and Business Meeting
Melinda Tarsi-Foldfien, Mansfield Finance Committee Member
9:15-10 a.m.
Opening Speaker: Doug Howgate, President, Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation
10-11:15 a.m
Concurrent Workshops I
Budgeting 101
Designed for new finance committee members, this session will provide a roadmap for building consensus by showing how best to organize and present your community’s financial information.
• Travis Ahern, Town Administrator, Holliston
• Frank Gervasio, Assistant Town Administrator, Medfield
• Moderator: Ira Miller, Sharon Finance Committee Member and ATFC Past President
Your Town’s Credit and Bond Rating
• Kayla MacEwen, Managing Director, Masterson Advisors, LLC
• Jennifer Arndt, Director, Masterson Advisors, LLC
• Moderator: Kevin Sullivan, Hanson Finance Committee Chair and ATFC Vice President
11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m.
Concurrent Workshops II
Legal Update
This session will review legal basics, including the Open Meeting and Public Records Laws. Attorney North is president of the Massachusetts Municipal Lawyers Association and a municipal law expert.
• Karis North, Attorney, Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane
• Moderator: Al Tosti, Arlington Finance Committee and ATFC Treasurer
School Finance: One Town, One Budget
Learn how one town collaborates on developing and managing a school budget.
• Kevin Dumas, Town Manager, Mansfield
• Teresa Murphy, School Superintendent, Mansfield Public Schools
• Moderator: Melinda Tarsi-Goldfein, Mansfield Finance Committee and ATFC President
12:45-1:30 p.m.
Lunch
1:30-2:30 p.m.
Closing Session
Having Difficult Conversations
In today’s world, where tensions run high and conflicts seem inevitable, finding common ground through dialogue can feel like a daunting challenge — particularly for those who feel traumatized by news events and past conflicts. Pierre-Louis will share practical tips for fostering constructive dialogue and clear communication.
• Kiana Pierre-Louis, Assistant Dean at Northeastern University and Sharon Select Board Chair
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