It will take place in later in June.
Frederick, Md (KM) This year’s Maryland Municipal League Summer Conference will be a little different this year. It will be held on line due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Executive Director Scott Hancock says MML made this decision in April.
While there’s no need to reserve hotel rooms and conference space, and provide food for attendees, Hancock says arranging for this conference on line had its challenges. “We were able to get people to use the technology that’s available today to do all of the things, some of the social events and some of the educational opportunities,” he says.
The virtual summer conference will take place on Monday and Tuesday, June 29th and 30th.
Hancock says one of the seminars this year will deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. “We’re actually very, very pleased to have the Minority Leader of the Maryland Senate, J.B Jennings, participating in a conversation about where we go from here with COVID-19. Also, Comptroller Peter Franchot will be involved in that, and Attorney General Brian Frosh,” Hancock says.
He says another topic out of the headlines will also be discussed. “The events of recent days with the killing George Floyd in Minneapolis has also presented a new and very timely topic of Black Lives Matter and that movement. So we’ll be spending some of our time talking about that as well,” says Hancock.
The education sessions during the conference include “Co-messaging the 2020 Census with COVID-19;’ “Vote by Mail: A Stopgap or the Future of Municipal Election;” and ” Rebuilding Main Street: Downtown Success Strategies with Post-COVID.”
Hancock says this year’s theme for the conference is “Re-Imagine the Future.” “We are re-imagining our summer conference. We’re re-imagining the way we do business in our cities and towns. It’s perfect for this particular year,” he says.
Hancock says so far 300 people will be participating in the virtual 2020 MML Summer Conference.
The Maryland Municipal League represents all 157 of Maryland cities and towns.
By Kevin McManus