Association Information

 

Massachusetts Municipal Association (MMA) Legislative Update

By Adrienne Núñez, MMA Legislative Analyst

As we all prepare for the coming winter season, the legislature is
bustling with action and MMA’s new Executive Director Adam Chapdelaine is settling in. Adam is a
past president of the MMA and seasoned municipal leader. He joins the MMA with considerable public
management experience, understanding of the public policy
environment, and deep knowledge of the policy implications of climate change. We are excited to
start a new chapter with Adam at the helm.
Since the last newsletter, the Governor signed a $56 billion state budget bill for fiscal 2024 that
increases unrestricted local aid by 3.2% over fiscal 2023 and boosts Chapter 70 education aid by
$603 million. The budget also allocated supplemental funding for municipal roads and bridges. In
all, we are celebrating the approval of $325 million in funding over the past few months that
specifically supports municipal roads and bridges.
A transportation bond bill was signed on August 4 that included
$200 million for the Chapter 90 program as well as $25 million each for 7 grant programs. Most
notably, $25 million was authorized for a new supplemental municipal road formula program to
support rural communities. The formula for the additional $25 million authorized in the bond bill
will be calculated based on road miles, population, and
whether a municipality is considered rural (population below 10,000 and population density below
500 people per square mile).
The bond terms for this new authorization were set along with the terms for Chapter 90, but it may
take several months for this new rural road funding to be available to communities. MassDOT must
create a new formula, submit it to the Joint Committee on Transportation, and await guidance. The
Transportation Committee may decide to hold a public hearing on the proposed formula.
The state budget, signed by the governor on Aug. 9, includes $100 million for local road and bridge
maintenance funded by revenue from the voter-approved surtax on annual incomes over $1 million,
which, by law, must be spent on transportation and education programs.

Read more.

Mutual Aid Update

By David Desrosiers and Chris Bouchard for the Mutual Aid Committee
The Mutual Aid Committee is continuing to work on small improvements
and upgrades to the ArcGIS online application that will be used to dispatch
resources for large events. Thank you to MaDOT for all the work that they
have done with us on this application. Although I am certain that we will
continue to refine this application in the future, I believe it is finally at the
point now that is easy and intuitive to use.

In the near future, we will schedule some additional training for the County
Mutual Aid Coordinators (CMAC’s)on these changes and improvements.
In the meantime, we continue to use Dave Lane’s tried and true old school
methods (yellow pad and cell phone) to dispatch resources for small events.
The Mass Highway Association had a nice presentation about the Mutual Aid
Program running at the tradeshow. Special thanks to TEC and Jody Trunfio
for helping to put this presentation together.
I would also like to thank everyone who helped others with the recent
flooding in central MA. Every time that we step up and help one another, it
demonstrates that our Mutual Aid program is a valuable resource.

I am Adrienne Núñez, the new legislative analyst covering public works, transportation, and utilities policy. I joined the MMA team at the end of March and since then, the Mass. Highway board has been helping me to get up to speed on all things public works and transportation. Thank you to board members for your generosity and willingness to share your expertise.

In the past several months, I have attended Mass. Highway Association board meetings, the Annual Meeting, the Equipment Expo, and met with the legislative subcommittee to take a deep dive into current policy topics. I look forward to attending the Tri-county meeting in November and continuing to meet Mass. Highway Association members. If you see me out in the field, please say hello!

The last few months of the legislative session saw the approval of supplemental roadway funding through the Winter Recovery Assistance Program, a Chapter 90 bond bill that includes additional funding for municipal grants, and a massive transportation infrastructure bond bill.

 

2023 MHA Scholarship applications are now available

The Massachusetts Highway Association Trust Fund Trustees are pleased to announce the availability of college scholarships for Massachusetts Highway Association members and the children or grandchildren of MHA members.  The Trustees shall carry on this annual tradition and look forward to receiving applications from qualified students.

Members as well as children and grandchildren of active, life, and associate members of the MHA may be eligible.  Members who have belonged to the MHA for a minimum of three (3) consecutive years prior to the closing date for scholarship applications and who are in good standing with the MHA shall be eligible to file applications for scholarships.  Members having the same aforementioned eligibility may sponsor their children and / or grandchildren for a scholarship during the application process.

Additionally, applicants shall be enrolled at either a four-year or a two-year accredited degree granting college or graduate school.

The scholarship award program is under the direction of the Massachusetts Highway Association Trust Fund Trustees who are responsible for screening the applicants to determine their eligibility.  The Trustees establish the total amount of money to be awarded for scholarships for each yearly period and shall set the amount that may be awarded to each applicant.

Click here to learn more.

New CDL Regulations Effective in 2022

The following is a summary of a letter dated October 1, 2021, from the Division Administrator, Richard R. Bates, of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration in Burlington, MA.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has promulgatedan Entry-Level Drivers Training (ELDT rule for those drivers obtaining a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) or certainendorsements for the first time.

Effective February 7, 2022, individuals seeking a commercial driverlicense in the State of Massachusetts will be required to complete theory and/or behind-the-wheel training as described in the FederalMotor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) Part 380, Appendix A.
This requirement applies to CDL applicants:
• Obtaining a Class A or B CDL for the first time; or
• Upgrading an existing Class B CDL to a Class A CDL; or
• Obtaining a school bus (S), passenger (P), or hazardousmaterials (H) endorsement for the first time.The ELDT regulations are not retroactive. Individuals holding avalid CDL, an unexpired commercial learner’s permit (CLP), oran S, P, or H endorsement issued prior to February 7, 2022, arenot required to take the respective training for that license orendorsement. Individuals exempted by their State from CDL ortesting requirements are also exempt from the ELDT requirements.CDL applicants will be required to select a training provider listed
on the Training Provider Registry website at https://tpr.fmcsa.dot.gov to complete their required entry-level driver training, Only
training providers that have registered with and been approved byFMCSA will appear on this list. When registering, training providers
will be required to self-certify that they meet all the Federalrequirements in the ELDT regulations, as well as any applicable

State requirements.
Questions about this or any other regulation may be directed to
Division Administrator, Richard Bates, at 781-425-3210, or State
Programs Specialist Matthew Poirier at 781-425-3212.