Author: Sean Cronin – Senior Deputy Commissioner of Local Services
Every year, new people enter public service for the first time in cities and towns in a variety of roles and positions across the Commonwealth. On behalf of the Division of Local Services (DLS), I want to welcome all of you. To assist with the transition, last year we decided to dedicate our mid-June edition of City & Town to newly elected or appointed local officials. This year, we’re continuing that tradition and incorporating all the additional resources, tools and helpful guidance we’ve developed over the past 12 months.
Below you’ll find a handy crib sheet of links to introductory municipal finance guidance, trainings, data and other helpful resources. Our hope is that those who are new to the field will refer to this edition as needed and those who might have more experience will share it as they see fit. To begin, let’s look at some basics.
- Learn more about DLS by viewing our brief introductory video. To find out more about how DLS can assist you in your role and how our organization interacts with communities across the Commonwealth, view the Meet DLS webinar we presented in partnership with the Massachusetts Municipal Association.
- Sign up for DLS Alerts. Click here to sign up or contact us at cityandtown@dor.state.ma.us. Whether it’s announcing new DLS visualization tools that can help your community monitor its fiscal health or Cherry Sheet estimates, our City & Town e-newsletter and alerts will keep you aware and informed.
- Confirm that your contact information is accurate in the DLS Local Officials Directory (LOD). Municipal clerks play a critical role in updating the Local Officials Directory, so make sure to check with your clerk. For additional information highlighting the importance of the LOD, please read the following Frequently Asked Questions about the Local Officials Directory.
- Bookmark the DLS Municipal Finance Training and Resource Center. From accounting and auditing to local option excise, we offer trainings on a host of topics, including a section specifically dedicated to municipal finance for new local officials.
- Review our Foundations in Municipal Finance for the New Official trainings. Unveiled this year, these interactive videos provide a comprehensive overview of municipal finance in Massachusetts and cover key concepts important to new local officials or those who seek a better understanding of the subject. They outline the budget process in both practical and policy terms, highlights best practices for sound financial management, and explain how each municipal official's role contributes to the overall financial health of a community. We recommend starting with the Introduction and continuing through the Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring modules.
- Know your assigned DLS Bureau of Accounts (BOA) field representative and your Bureau of Local Assessment (BLA) field advisor. If you’re not sure who’s assigned to your community, visit our online staff directory.
- Familiarize yourself with DLS resources such as the municipal glossary, the events calendar, the municipal calendar, and the Legal Index for Municipal Officials.
- Utilize our data visualizations, municipal trend dashboard and our community snapshot tool to better understand your community.
- Subscribe to our YouTube Channel. Not only are our videos helpful for local officials, they can also serve as an informational tool you can provide to interested residents and taxpayers with questions about subjects such as Proposition 2 ½ and our New Officials playlist.
On behalf of the entire DLS staff, I want to express our sincere appreciation for all that the local officials of Massachusetts do to sustain and support local government. If you have thoughts or suggestions on ways we can improve, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Thank you!
Helpful Resources
City & Town is brought to you by:
Editor: Dan Bertrand
Editorial Board: Marcia Bohinc, Linda Bradley, Sean Cronin, Emily Izzo, Lisa Krzywicki and Tony Rassias
| Date published: | June 15, 2023 |
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