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Free Cybersecurity Help + Grant Opportunity

Don't miss out on this once-in-a-decade opportunity to receive free cybersecurity supportApplications due 6/17.

Apply for the ISO Shared Services Program where jurisdictions can receive support for cybersecurity assessments, vulnerability management, and receive consultations on how to reduce risk, improve security, cyber readiness and resilience, and hardening networks from the Department of Information Technology’s Office of Security Management.

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MML Strategic Partners are Headed Down the Ocean!

We are delighted to see so many of our Strategic Partners joining us for the MML Summer Conference this month! Many have booths in the expo hall and are a great resource for municipal leaders. As experts in their fields, please be sure to stop by and get to know each one. All Partners can easily be spotted, as they have a blue ribbon on their booth. Click here for a full listing of The Leagues 2024 Strategic Partners.

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2024 Final Legislative Report Now Available!

 

The MML 2024 Final Legislative Report is now available! Each year MML staff compiles the legislation that passed through the General Assembly and has impact on municipal governments into this one document. The Final Report includes a short summary of each passed bill plus a link to the General Assembly for more detail.

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Local Cybersecurity Grant Application Now Open

The application for FY22 State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP) funding is now open.

The application can be accessed on the Maryland Department of Emergency Management (MDEM) website. If you are interested in either the Information Security Officer (ISO) program or submitting for a subgrant award, please find the relevant section and follow the step-by-step instructions.

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From Our Community To Yours – Join Our Inaugural MMLCon24 Community Service Project

How many times have you been spotted in a grocery store and a constituent has made a passionate plea for you to meet a community need? City and town officials and staff are the pulse of the community, and your residents understand the importance of your support. The Maryland Municipal League recognizes the impact of community and we’re asking our local government community to band together through community service. 

Maryland Municipal League is proud to partner with Diakonia, a comprehensive provider for homeless men, women, families, and veterans on the Lower Eastern Shore, for our first summer conference community service project. Diakonia offers an array of services: emergency shelter, rent/financial assistance, food assistance, veteran homeless assistance, and operates a local thrift store.  

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MML Main Street Event

If you’re looking for additional visibility for your city or town, join the cities of Cambridge, Frederick, Hagerstown, New Carrollton, Pocomoke City, The Port Towns, Westminster, Williamsport, and MML’s Police Executive Association (PEA) for Municipal Tuesday’s MML Main Street event, an exclusive member municipality showcase opportunity.

Registration for the MML Main Street event includes:

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Tours - Exploring Maryland’s Eastern Shore

From the sun-soaked beaches of Ocean City to the charming streets of historic Berlin and the bustling city of Salisbury, Maryland's Eastern Shore offers a diverse tapestry of culture, history, and community. Our mobile tours are an opportunity to tour these cities with a focus on one of their best practices.
 
Although our Berlin tour is already sold out, a few spots remain open for Ocean City and Salisbury.
 
Salisbury
Start your day with a warm welcome from Mayor Andy Taylor at City Hall. Indulge in light refreshments before hopping a trolley to tour the Anne Street Village, Salisbury's first transitional housing community for unhoused residents. Get your questions answered and discover how Salisbury was able to bring this vital project to life.
 
Ocean City
Interested in public safety? Ocean City's Emergency Services Director is prepared to give you an insider's look at their City Watch system, complete with a PowerPoint overview followed by a live demonstration in the Emergency Operations Center (EOC).
 
Next, head to the museum where the City Engineer, the mastermind behind the museum's refurbishment, will share insights into its history, funding, design, and construction.
 
Wrap up with a visit to the newly reimagined park downtown. Learn all about the park's transformation, including the grants and donations that made it possible.
 
Either of these tours pique your interest?
Contact Dionna Richardson to indicate which tour you'd like to participate in and snag one of the few remaining spots.
 
 

In Memoriam

 

As we prepare for our summer conference, we also reflect back on the memory of those whom we have lost.  The League will recognize municipal officials who have passed away since June of 2023 at the conference as we have done in the past.  We are calling upon you, our members, to make sure that all are remembered. 

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Maryland Tough Baltimore Strong coalition

The Maryland Municipal League is proud to be one of the 130 partners to support the Maryland Tough Baltimore Strong coalition. If you know someone impacted by the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse, please see the resources available below.

To date, more than 130 partners have joined the alliance, committing more than $15 million and providing other non-monetary support for port workers and to the broader recovery. 

The Maryland Tough Baltimore Strong Fund, established by the Baltimore Community Foundation (BCF) has been the primary resource for alliance members to support port workers, first responders and their families, and impacted Key Bridge communities.   The fund has received support from over 300 contributors. The consistent needs identified by each community include immediate support for basic human needs. This includes the ask for private financial support for workers affected by the port closure, with assistance to cover basic essentials.  

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African American Heritage Preservation Program Grant Workshops and Webinars

Applications are now being accepted for the African American Heritage Preservation Program FY2025 grant round. Applicants are strongly encouraged to read the grant guidelines, view a recorded webinar and contact program staff with any questions, including whether your project is eligible. All applications must be completed and submitted by 11:59 pm on July 1, 2024.

The African American Heritage Preservation Program (AAHPP) provides grants to assist in the preservation of buildings, sites, or communities of historical and cultural importance to the African American experience in Maryland.

The AAHPP is administered as a partnership between the Maryland Historical Trust and the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture (MCAAHC). The program typically receives an annual appropriation of $5,000,000 for grants per year.

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MML Digital Library Webinar May 14

Join us for a Lunch and Learn webinar on May 14, noon to 1 p.m., to learn how to use the MML Digital Library, a new tool designed to  provide access to a myriad of documents and data that may help your municipal operations. 

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Keeping up with the Supreme Court - NLC

NLC routinely pulls together great resources for cities and towns following Supreme Court decisions. Below are some recent offerings:

In case you missed our webinar last month on the Lindke v. Freed decision in which the Supreme Court set forth the test for when local government officials are considered "state actors" for the purposes of the First Amendment when they post on social media. Please find a recording of the webinar, as well as an FAQ on the court decision, here. 

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EPA Mid-Atlantic Summit

The EPA Mid-Atlantic Summit is a one-day virtual event geared towards addressing environmental health topics relevant to the Mid-Atlantic Region. The summit is held annually and features an opening plenary with state environmental secretaries and concurrent sessions focused on various topics, including equity, environmental justice, sustainability, grant opportunities, and more. This year's Summit will be held on Thursday, May 16, 2024, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

The Summit is free and open to the public.  Additional information, including how to registration is available here. The Summit will convene representatives from communities; non-profit organizations; Tribes; professional associations and advocacy groups; businesses; academia; and federal, state, and local government in the Mid-Atlantic Region (Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia).

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Stay in Contention: 2024 Banner City Town Designation

We are nearing the end of the 2024 Banner City/Town year. Based on 2023 summer conference and 2023 fall conference attendance, our records indicate that 87 municipalities remain in contention for a 2024 designation.  Now is the time to ensure that your city/town makes it to the finish line to receive recognition for your engagement in the League. 

We are excited to announce that all Banner Cities and Towns will be recognized in this year's Closing General Session at the summer conference. Our Closing Session will shine the light on our most engaged municipalities. Those obtaining the 2024 designation will be provided closing session details closer to the summer conference.

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The Maryland Municipal League Announces 2024 “If I Were Mayor” Essay Contest Winners

(April 29, 2024) Annapolis, Md. – The Maryland Municipal League (MML), which serves as the collective voice of 160 municipal governments, announced the 2024 “If I were Mayor” Essay Contest winners Friday, May 26, at the Maryland State House. Students shared their thoughts on how they would lead their city or town as Mayor and were recognized by Governor Wes Moore. 

Utilizing this year’s theme – Inspiring Leadership in Your City/Town/Community – students wrote about improving youth sports complexes, creating more public spaces for community engagement, and inspiring others to use their voice.  

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National Civic Review - Spring Edition

Read about transformative proposals for improving community governance, public health outcomes, local elections, city management, and local decision-making in the Spring 2024 National Civic Review. Also, the importance of hope in efforts to bring about positive community change.

The Review's online edition is now open access. You can read it here.

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Looking for Ways to attend #mmlcon24? Register Now for Municipal Tuesday

 

Municipal Tuesday Staff Registration 

Registration for our inaugural Municipal Tuesday at MMLCon24 is now open. This day has been crafted as a one-day intensive for municipal professionals designed to get busy staff members out of the office and into a collaborative environment to springboard new ideas and innovations to support municipal operations. The heavily discounted registration fee of $150 gives municipal staff attendees access to all of Tuesday’s sessions and events. 

Municipal Staff-Focused Workshops 

  • Navigating the Maze: A Guide to Securing State and Federal Grants for Municipalities (E) 
  • Ethics (C) 
  • License Plate Reader Best Practices  
  • Tips for Hosting Community Events 

 Municipal Tuesday Features 

  • Showcase Solutions 
  • Cabinet Secretaries Roundtables
  • Population Forums 
  • Additional Academy Core and Electives 
  • A.M. Keynote session featuring Brandon P. Fleming, renowned speaker, nationally acclaimed educator, and author of MISEDUCATED

Staff lunches

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MML ByLaws Amendments

All formal requests for an amendment to the MML Bylaws for the upcoming 2024 Annual Business Meeting must be submitted in writing no later than April 12th to MML CEO Theresa Kuhns. A formal letter with direct wording, background of the request, and member municipality is required. If the amendment request is on behalf of an MML-sponsored group, please include a cover letter, approved meeting minutes, action item and vote.

Please submit requests to:
Theresa Kuhns
Chief Executive Officer
The Maryland Municipal League
[email protected]
 

Time to Register is Ticking Away

Member pricing for our summer conference is still available.  Our lowest rates since 2017 gets you the most sessions we’ve ever had. The regular registration fee is $725 through May 31.

The conference’s 53 sessions include:
  •     Optional mobile tours of an innovative local solution (Berlin, Ocean City, Salisbury)
  •     Convening of MML Caucuses
  •     5 Academy for Excellence in Local Governance Core Courses
  •     7 Academy Electives
  •     Address from Governor Wes Moore
  •     Maryland’s Best Block Party
  •     General sessions featuring:  
    •         Nationally acclaimed speaker Brandon Fleming
    •         Bayside Chat with Senator Ben Cardin (Invited)
  •     Access to nearly 300 vendors in our award-winning expo
  •     Cabinet Secretaries Office Hours
  •     And much more...



 




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Lunch & Learn Webinar: Rail Safety April 25

Maryland Municipal League (MML) leadership invites you to learn more about an important municipal rail safety communication system. On Thursday, April 25 from 12:00-1:00 p.m., MML will be hosting a webinar in partnership with Maryland Class I freight carriers to facilitate increased direct communication between local governments and rail operators. Presenters from CSX and Norfolk Southern will focus on existing information sources that will assist local leaders and municipalities to better understand details about freight rail shipments and how best to coordinate emergency response.

Rail safety has been an important issue for years touching on public health, emergency response, infrastructure damage, and environmental impact. Rail has been identified as an anticipated transportation option with the loss of the Key Bridge for the current trucking industry routes of hazardous materials through the I-95 corridor. We highly encourage you or a representative from your municipality to participate in the webinar.

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