Registration is now open for this year's August Half Day Program! We are returning once again to the Publick House Historic Inn in Sturbridge on Thursday, August 7th for a luncheon and awards ceremony, followed by a full afternoon of programming. The August Half Day Program has long been a great opportunity for our members and their guests to spend a summer afternoon at this scenic location to catch up with each other and the latest legal issues our communities are facing. The focus of this year's program is effective and efficient code enforcement. This program is open to local officials, employees and other involved in Code Enforcement. Please feel free to share this invite to our program with others.
Date: August 7, 2025
Location: Publick House Historic Inn, 277 Main Street, Sturbridge, MA 01566
Presenters:
Registration/ Pricing
Panel 1
Conservation & Environmental Enforcement Issues-
Speakers: Karis North & Kathleen Connolly
1. Practical steps and tips on the process for obtaining administrative search warrants and use of other means.
2. Conservation Commission Effective Enforcement – advising municipalities on effective local enforcement steps from inspection and record-keeping phases through litigation phases; including advice on working effectively with MassDEP on enforcement of violations of the state Wetlands Protection Act and other statutes and regulations.
Panel 2
Enforcement Via the Courts and Receiverships
Speakers: Caitlin Castillo and Maja Kazmierczak
1. Effective and Efficient Enforcement Action Through the Housing Court and other Courts
a. Introduction and Overview to the Housing Court b. Code enforcement citations and the State Sanitary Code c. Petitions to Enforce the State Sanitary Code
a. Introduction and Overview to the Housing Court
b. Code enforcement citations and the State Sanitary Code
c. Petitions to Enforce the State Sanitary Code
2. Making Receivership Law Work for Your Municipality
a. Requests to appoint a receiver under MGL c. 111 sec 127I b. Identifying a Receiver c. Motions to be filed by receiver’s attorney while in court and the municipalities’ roles d. Dissolution of a receivership
a. Requests to appoint a receiver under MGL c. 111 sec 127I
b. Identifying a Receiver
c. Motions to be filed by receiver’s attorney while in court and the municipalities’ roles
d. Dissolution of a receivership
Panel 3
Effective and Efficient Enforcement of Zoning and Land Use Laws
Speakers: Barbara Saint Andre and Carolyn Murray
1. Effective enforcement of zoning bylaws and ordinances, beginning with preparing the enforcement order from the Zoning Enforcement Officer;
2. How to handle appeals to the ZBA;
3. Strategies for seeking enforcement from the courts, including choice of venue and whether to use noncriminal disposition and contempt proceedings.
Save the dates to join us this fall as we return to picturesque western Massachusetts for our Annual Conference on Thursday, October 23rd and Friday, October 24th. We are delighted to host this year's conference in the City of Northampton at the historic Hotel Northampton. Room reservations at the special MMLA rate of $157.00, plus tax can be made by calling the Hotel at 413-584-3100 and asking for the Massachusetts Municipal Lawyers Association group for October 23-24. If you want to arrive earlier (such as Wednesday evening), our special rate should be applicable. If you want to stay later, inquire about rates. Lots to see and do in the area! Other program information coming soon.
1.781.749.9922executivedirector@massmunilaw.org
Massachusetts Municipal Lawyers Association115 North StreetHingham, MA 02043