On June 22, 2008, MML's Board of Directors met and adopted the MML FY 2009 operating budget.

The MML annual Business Meeting was convened in Ocean City on June 24, 2008. The following actions were taken:

1. Election of the following to MML's Board of Directors for 2008-2009:

PRESIDENT: Sidney A. Katz - Mayor, Gaithersburg

FIRST VICE PRESIDENT: Craig A. Moe - Mayor, Laurel

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT: Stewart B. Cumbo - Councilman, Chesapeake Beach

DISTRICT VICE PRESIDENTS:

District 1    Gary A. Comegys - Councilman, Salisbury
District 2    Robert C. Willey - Mayor, Easton
District 3    Sheila Dixon - Mayor, Baltimore City
District 4    Leslie E. Roberts - Councilwoman, Leonardtown
District 5    Jeffrey Z. Slavin - Mayor, Somerset
District 6    Wayne S. Creadick, Jr. - Mayor, Myersville
District 7    Susan M. Keller - Public Works Commissioner, Frostburg
District 8    Jeffrey A. Cline - Councilman, Williamsport
District 9    Micah L. Watson - Councilmember, Cheverly
District 10  John J. Bunnell - Mayor, Cecilton
District 11  Christopher M. Nevin - Councilman, Hampstead

MEMBERS-AT-LARGE:

Carl L. Anderton, Jr. - Commissioner, Delmar
Michael E. Bennett - Mayor, Aberdeen
Judith M. Cox - Mayor, Rising Sun
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 - President, Poolesville
Malinda Miles - Mayor, Mount Rainier
Mabel R. Mumford-Pautz - Councilwoman, Chestertown

DEPARTMENT REPRESENTATIVES:

City and Town Administrators
Elaine Murphy - Administrator, Hyattsville

Municipal Attorneys
Suellen M. Ferguson - Attorney, College Park, Edmonston, Glenarden, Kensington, University Park

Municipal Clerks
Kimberley A. Rau - Clerk, Laurel

Code Enforcement and Zoning
Jerry Hampton - Director, Office of Code Enforcement, Hyattsville

Municipal Parks and Recreation
Joe McNeal - Assistant Director of Recreation Operations, Greenbelt

Municipal Police Executives
J.D. Ervin - Police Chief, Pocomoke City

Municipal Public Works
Lee E. Henry - Director of Public Works, Hyattsville

National League of Cities Board of Directors Liaison
Henry F. Marraffa, Jr. - Councilman, Gaithersburg (ex officio)


2. The membership adopted a Resolution thanking Chesapeake Beach Councilman Stewart B. Cumbo for his leadership as President of the Maryland Municipal League in 2007-2008.

On June 25, 2008, MML's Board of Directors elected the following Board Members to its Executive Committee:

President
Sidney A. Katz - Mayor, Gaithersburg

First Vice President
Craig A. Moe - Mayor, Laurel

Immediate Past President
Stewart B. Cumbo - Councilman, Chesapeake Beach

Treasurer
Christopher M. Nevin - Councilman, Hampstead

Secretary
Malinda Miles - Mayor, Mount Rainier

Scott A. Hancock, MML Executive Director, recently received the Credentialed Manager designation from ICMA, the premier local government leadership and management organization. Mr. Hancock is one of more than 1,000 local government management professionals currently credentialed through the ICMA Voluntary Credentialing Program.

To receive the prestigious ICMA credential, a member must have significant experience as a senior management executive in local government, have earned a degree, preferably in public administration or a related field, and demonstrated a commitment to high standards of integrity and to lifelong learning and professional development.

Hancock is qualified by nearly 30 years of professional local government executive experience. Prior to his appointment in 1995 as Executive Director of MML, he served as a Town Manager in Centreville, Maryland, York, Maine and Narragansett, Rhode Island.

Highlights of Hancock's ICMA membership include leadership roles in ICMA's Government Affairs and Policy Committee including chair and his election last year as northeast regional vice-president on the ICMA Executive Board.

For more information regarding the ICMA Voluntary Credentialing Program, contact Amanda Relyea at ICMA, 777 North Capitol Street, N.E., #500, Washington, D.C. 20002-4201; arelyea@icma.org; 202/962-3556; fax 202/962-3565.

ICMA is the premier local government leadership and management organization. Its mission is to create excellence in local governance by developing and advocating professional management of local government worldwide. ICMA provides member support: publications, data, and information; peer and results-oriented assistance; and training and professional development to more than 9,000 city, town, and county experts and other individuals throughout the world.

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) recently received new authority to help state and local governments in purchasing homeland security equipment and services. This new law authorizes the GSA Administrator to allow state, local, and tribal governments to buy homeland security goods and services through the cooperative purchasing program, thereby taking advantage of GSA's volume discounts.

Officials will be able to use GSA's Schedule 84 to buy items such as: alarm systems, facility management systems, firefighting and rescue equipment, law enforcement and security equipment, and marine craft. This approach allows the GSA to leverage the federal government's enormous buying power to provide goods and services at best value and then pass the savings on to state and local governments. The system also has the advantage of creating greater interoperability possibilities across the federal, state and local environment. For more information visit GSA Advantage! at www.gsaadvantage.gov and click on homeland security.

A recent contract award to Apex Companies, LLC for Environmental Hazard Abatement by Howard County contains a Cooperative Purchase clause, allowing any public entity to utilize it, including any other Maryland counties, cities, towns, municipalities, school districts, community colleges, universities, and others. The contract contains labor and equipment rates and is for services such as: underground/aboveground storage tank leak abatement and removal, contaminated soil/water testing and removal or treatment, waste and chemical spill cleanup, buried waste/drum removal, mold cleanup, asbestos/lead paint surveys and abatement, oil/water separator cleanout, and any other tasks related to hazardous or toxic waste or remediation of environmental hazards. Also included are services such as preparation of health and safety plans, regulatory compliance reviews, and work plans. Organizations in need of these services should contact Audrey Kunkler at Apex Companies at 301/417-0200 or akunkler@apexcos.com.

The Advisory Council to the Office of Cemetery Oversight operating under the Maryland Department of Labor Licensing and Regulation (DLLR) has been asked to develop a legislative proposal addressing issues surrounding abandoned and neglected cemeteries in the State of Maryland. The Advisory Council has completed preliminary research, exploration, fact finding and discussion and is now ready to take public testimony from concerned parties who hold interest in this matter.

The Public Hearing will be held from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 24, 2008 in DLLR's 2nd Floor Conference Room located at 500 North Calvert Street in Baltimore. Advanced registration is required. If your municipality is interested in presenting testimony before the Advisory Council and the Director of the Office of Cemetery Oversight, please call 410/230-6229 or e-mail the office at cemet@dllr.state.md.us (include your name, phone # and the name of the organization/interest you represent) by no later than 5:00 p.m. on Monday, July 21, 2008.

The Maryland Economic Development Association (MEDA) will hold the Chesapeake Basic Economic Development Course July 14 – 18, 2008 at the Higher Education and Conference Center @ HEAT in Harford County. The course is accredited by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) and satisfies a requirement for those who wish to advance to the certification process. Courses of study include 2-hour classes in subjects such as “Business Retention and Expansion,” “Technology-Led Economic Development,” “Economic Development Financing,” among others. Also, a highlight this year will be a site visit to downtown Dundalk in Baltimore County for the “Community Redevelopment” class, a visit to downtown Baltimore and the offices of BDC for the “Managing Economic Development Offices” class, and a tour of the Route 40 corridor in the Harford County area for an in-depth look at “Real Estate Development and Reuse.” Instructors for all classes include experts in their field.

As part of the week of activities, there will be a Crab Feast and baseball game at Ripken Stadium on Thursday, July 17. This is an excellent way to welcome our visitors to Maryland who have come from all over the country (and the world!) to take the course. The crab feast is open to everyone (bring family and friends) and has an additional fee of $45. You do not have to attend the course to attend the crab feast.

The cost of the course for MEDA and IEDC members is $450. Non-members can take the course for $600 which includes membership in MEDA, a $25 savings (a separate application is required). For a complete agenda and for registration information visit www.medamd.com today! Seating is limited.

The 2008 Mid-Atlantic Life Safety Conference will take place on September 23, 2008 at the Johns Hopkins APL Kossiakoff Conference Center in Laurel. This year's theme is "Working for Tomorrow's Solutions" and includes workshops on street gangs, emergency management, and overcrowding in residential housing. For registration information and a complete conference schedule, see the Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute brochure at www.mfri.org.

The Public Employees Safety Association of Maryland (PESA) will hold its summer conference entitled "Excavation and Trenching Safety" on July 30, 2008 at the Howard County Public Safety Training Center. For details visit www.pesamd.com