best practices

Closed landfills are a long-term liability for municipalities because they can create environmental and other problems that negatively impact residents and visitors. Landfill property owners, including municipalities, are responsible for the costs of cleanup up environmental contamination. Many New Hampshire towns have more than one closed landfill – one that long-time residents remember using (often located near the current transfer station) and one or more that was used before that. Municipal officials need to know about and maintain all of them.

Municipal trustees—cemetery trustees, library trustees, trustees of trust funds—have very important and varied duties. This introductory hybrid workshop is geared to give you the tools you need to perform your duties legally and understandably.

NHMA’s Government Finance Advisor, Katherine Heck has planned an array of classes designed to help city and town officials understand municipal revenue and finance policies and procedures.

Join your fellow NHMA members on May 3rd from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM for an informative live webinar exploring the challenges governments face in the digital age and how technology helps leaders work more effectively. Learn how fellow agencies are leveraging powerful budgeting technologies to create accurate and detailed budgets in less time, and hear from guest speakers who will share their experience switching to modern tools. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from experts in the field and network with your peers.

Join Legal Services Counsel Stephen Buckley and Municipal Services Counsel Jonathan Cowal  who will discuss the requirements for holding a proper public meeting, as well the exceptions to the meeting requirement (the so-called "non-meeting").  The attorneys will also address managing virtual public access and allowing public body members to participate remotely when their physical attendance is not reasonably practical.  Consideration will also be directed at preparing meeting minutes and facilitating public comment through meeting rules of procedure.

The purchase and acquisition methods your municipality uses can influence its operational efficiency, cash flow and costs of goods and services. To mitigate risk and gain control over purchasing, you need real-time visibility into transactions and powerful tools that can help reduce paper-based expense administration.

Join Citizen's Bank Card Payment Consultant, Adam Pan, as he provides a general overview of the current state of electronic accounts, reviews the benefits and value of card-based solutions, and outlines available card programs in the marketplace today.

NHMA is holding this FREE virtual workshop designed specifically for newly-elected (or appointed) as well as experienced municipal officials and employees of member municipalities.

Presented by NHMA's Legal Services attorneys, this complimentary virtual workshop provides municipal officials with the tools and information to effectively serve your communities.  Topics will include Governance & Select Board Authority, Right-to-Know Law – Records, Remedies and Meetings, Conflicts of Interest, Budgeting Essentials, and Land Use 101. 

Join NHMA's Government Affairs Counsel Natch Greyes and Government Finance Advisor Katherine Heck for a look at the status of legislation affecting municipalities after "Crossover." Crossover is the date (Tuesday, April 6) by which a bill must pass either the House or the Senate in order to "cross-over" to the other chamber for consideration. NHMA's advocacy team will discuss the current status of bills at the State House including, among other items, an update on what’s happening with the state budget process.

What does the First Amendment protect, and when does video recording of public officials in public buildings cross the line? Join Attorney Keriann Roman and HariNarayan (Huddy) K. Grandy of DrummondWoodsum who will provide legal and practice guidance on handling the so-called “First Amendment Audit.”

Policies and Standard Operating Procedures are instrumental in law enforcement and municipal operations, risk management, and personnel oversight. Policy development, however, can be a daunting task and very time-consuming.

Join Dr. David “Lou” Ferland, Law Enforcement Consultant with Dirigo Safety, LLC, who will provide a brief overview of programs and services designed to assist police and municipal departments in meeting these policy and procedural requirements. The presentation will be followed by a Q/A period.