Richard Neal
Being a Municipal Officer or Municipal Official can be a challenging task in many of the small communities in Maine or any other state. Most of these positions are part time and do not draw the best of salaries. Unfortunately, there is little training and no certification requirements for these positions. In many cases, newly elected officers or elected/appointed officials depend on the past practices of their predecessors. These past practices may be OK or not OK and may not meet today’s standards. The budgets are much bigger and there are more state and federal laws/regulations to comply with. In the State of Maine, the Maine Municipal Association (MMA) offers some basic training/workshops and provides legal counsel for member communities for those that choose to participate. Many are not willing to spend the time in attending these training classes/workshops.
