Nominations materials for the 2008-2009 MML Board of Directors were mailed to chief municipal elected officials and chapter presidents and secretaries in March. The following nominations have been received to date:

President
Sidney A. Katz - Mayor, Gaithersburg

First Vice President
Craig A. Moe - Mayor, Laurel

District 1 Vice President
Gary A. Comegys - Council Vice President, Salisbury

District 2 Vice President
Robert C. Willey - Mayor, Easton

District 3 Vice President
Shelia Dixon - Mayor, Baltimore

District 4 Vice President
Leslie E. Roberts - Councilmember, Leonardtown

District 5 Vice President
Jeffrey Z. Slavin - Mayor, Somerset

District 6 Vice President
Wayne S. Creadick, Jr. - Mayor, Myersville

District 7 Vice President
Susan M. Keller - Public Works Commissioner, Frostburg

District 8 Vice President
Jefferey A. Cline - Councilman, Williamsport

District 9 Vice President
Micah L. Watson - Councilmember, Cheverly

District 10 Vice President
John J. Bunnell - Mayor, Cecilton

District 11 Vice President
Christopher M. Nevin - Councilman, Hampstead

Member-at-Large (10 seats)
David L. Anderson - Mayor Pro Tem, New Carrollton
Michael E. Bennett - Mayor, Aberdeen
Judith M. Cox - Mayor, Rising Sun
Kelly S. Cromer - Councilwoman, Hagerstown
Judith F. "J" Davis - Mayor, Greenbelt
Gregory Dotson - Councilman, North Beach
Marcia A. Hall - Alderman, Frederick
Frank M. Johnson - Mayor, Mount Airy
Paul E. "Eddie" Kuhlman, II - President, Poolesville
Malinda A. Miles - Mayor, Mount Rainier
Mabel Mumford-Pautz - Councilmember, Chestertown
Vic E. Newman - Councilman, La Plata
Roger E. Rudder - Councilman, Brentwood
Elenora Simms - Council President, Seat Pleasant
Margaret G. Terry - Councilwoman, Brentwood

The deadline for advance registration for MML's convention is Friday, June 6 (postmark). After this date, you will have to register on-site in Ocean City. On-site registration fees cost more, and because of the deadline for meal guarantees, MML cannot sell meal tickets in Ocean City. MML's convention will be held June 22-25, 2008 at the Ocean City Convention Center. You can register for MML's convention on-line Online Registration Form or call the MML office to request that a registration form be faxed to you.

The 2008 convention will feature 230 exhibit booths -- the most in MML's history. Exhibit space is sold out and there are several companies on the waiting list for space. A wide array of products and services will be on display in Exhibit Halls A, B and C. You can view the list of exhibitors by visiting this link 2008 Exhibitor List. The exhibit halls will be open on Monday, June 23 from 11:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. and on Tuesday, June 24 from 10:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Municipal department heads and employees who do not normally attend MML's convention are invited to visit the exhibits on Tuesday, June 24 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The cost is $30 per person and includes lunch. There is no pre-registration for Commerce Day - just show up at the Convention Center on June 24 after 10:00 a.m. and pay the $30 fee to receive a special pass to the exhibit areas. Commerce Day Flyer

The opening general session of MML's convention on Monday, June 23 will begin with a parade of city and town flags. There is a mandatory rehearsal for all flag parade participants on Monday at 8:30 a.m. in Ballroom 1 of the Ocean City Convention Center. Flag bearers should wear a navy blue jacket, white or blue shirt/blouse, and khaki or white skirt/slacks.

To date, the following cities and towns have indicated that they will participate in the Parade of Flags: Barclay, Barnesville, Bel Air, Brentwood, Brunswick, Bowie, Cecilton, Cheverly, Chevy Chase Section 5, Chestertown, College Park, Colmar Manor, Cottage City, Cumberland, District Heights, Eagle Harbor, Elkton, Emmitsburg, Forest Heights, Frederick, Gaithersburg, Galena, Greenbelt, Greensboro, Hagerstown, Hampstead, Hancock, Hurlock, Hyattsville, Kensington, La Plata, Landover Hills, Laurel, Leonardtown, Morningside, Mount Airy, Mount Rainier, New Carrollton, New Windsor, North Beach, North Brentwood, Oakland, Oxford, Perryville, Pocomoke City, Poolesville, Princess Anne, Rock Hall, Rosemont, Salisbury, Seat Pleasant, Somerset, Union Bridge, Walkersville, Westminster.

Please submit any registration changes, corrections or cancellations to Jessica Barnes, jessicab@mdmunicipal.org, as soon as possible. All changes should be submitted in writing by Friday, June 6 at 5:00 p.m. The cancellation deadline is Friday, June 13 at 5:00 p.m., and all cancellations must be submitted in writing. Thank you in advance!

If you want to play in MML's golf tournament you must register by June 10. The golf tournament will be held on Sunday, June 22 beginning at 7:30 a.m. at Eagle's Landing Golf Course in Ocean City. Please visit MML's website for more information about the tournament Golf Information.

The Maryland Municipal League needs your help in protecting municipal governments against a potential unfunded mandate requiring local governments to take over maintenance of abandoned cemeteries. In order for the League to be most effective in preserving municipal interests, we're asking that any municipality with a cemetery inside its borders contact MML Research Manager Tom Reynolds prior to Friday, June 6. You can reach Tom at TomR@mdmunicipal.org or 800/492-7121.

This informal roundtable format will allow attendees the opportunity to meet and speak with convention exhibitors on a one-on-one basis. This session takes place before the exhibit halls open on Monday, June 23 from 8:15 - 9:45 a.m. in the Ballroom on the second floor of the Convention Center.

Participating vendors are offering prizes to the attendees of this event. The participants and the prizes, as of today, are listed below. Please attend this new event and learn about the products and services these companies provide and get the chance to win some wonderful prizes! You must attend entire session to be eligible for the prize drawings.

• E.S.R.I. - FREE give-a-ways
• Jakubiak and Associates
• General Code - TermTracker Software
• Granicus
• Greenhorne and O'Mara - Electronic Toolkit
• M & T Bank
• MainStreet Maryland - DHCD
• MEDI
• Miller Environmental
• Pay Your City.com - Flat Screen TV
• Playground Specialists - 1 week of NEOS use (free)

On March 13, 2008 more than 90 code enforcement, public safety, and elected officials attended a full-day forum on residential housing overcrowding. A discussion of the findings and outcomes of that session will take place on Sunday, June 22, at 1:00 p.m. at the MML convention in Ocean City. Anyone interested in this issue is strongly encouraged to attend. In addition, a summary of the original forum discussion is available here: Overcrowding Forum. For copies of the presentation and survey materials referenced in the summary, contact MML Research Manager Tom Reynolds at TomR@mdmunicipal.org.

The Banner City/Town designation is MML's highest city/town member achievement award. The program is designed to encourage and reward exceptional participation in MML programs and activities and to foster teamwork among municipal officials to achieve the program criteria.

The following cities and towns have earned the 2008 designation of Banner City/Town. If you submitted a participation documentation form before the deadline of May 30 and are NOT included on this list, please notify Linda Burrell at MML immediately. Barnesville, Bel Air, Brunswick, Gaithersburg, Greenbelt, La Plata, Laurel, Mount Airy, Mount Rainier, North Beach, North Brentwood, Perryville, Rising Sun, Seat Pleasant, Somerset.