11th Annual Public Construction Update
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Issues in Public Construction
“Do the best you can until you know better. Then do better.” – Maya Angelou
2020 was a tumultuous year in many ways. The COVID-19 pandemic transformed our very way of life. An election for the ages tested the boundaries of our American democracy. The tragic killing of George Floyd and protests across the country by the Black Lives Matter movement which came in the aftermath, inspired renewed and meaningful discussions surrounding social justice, antiracism and similar issues. Recognizing the increasing demand on local governments and their legal counsel to address these issues across the spectrum of municipal operations, the goal of the 11th Annual Public Construction Update in 2021 is to provide a closer and up-to-date examination of the issues of diversity, equity and inclusion as these concepts touch on public construction. An outstanding slate of panelists who are well-recognized leaders in this area will speak on topics such as gender and minority workforce participation goals, MBE/WBE certification and goals, prevailing wages, and other related issues.
This year’s panelists are expected to include:
- Christopher J. Petrini, Program Chair & Moderator, Petrini & Associates, P.C, Framingham, MA
- Dr. Yvonne M. Spicer, Mayor, City of Framingham
- Deborah Anderson, Assistant Attorney General, Construction Bid Unit
- Susan Moir, ScD, Research Director, PGTI: The Policy Group on Tradeswomen’s Issues and
Founder, Tradeswomen Building Bridges, the North American Network of Women Working in the Construction Trades - Barbara Dillon DeSouza, Assistant Attorney General, Fair Labor Division
- Anatoly Darov, Esq., Darov & Associates US PLLC, Boston, MA
- Steven Torres, Esq., West Group Law PLLC, Boston, MA
The cost for this in-person event is $55 and includes a post-program dinner at the Publick House. For attendees who are not interested in attending the dinner, the cost is $20. Registration is open to both MMLA members and non-members, and thanks to the generous donations of our membership, grants are available to attorneys (whether they are members of MMLA or not) who are new to the practice of municipal law and want to see what MMLA and our programming is all about. If you or a colleague wish to attend this program through MMLA’s grant program, please contact James Lampke at jlampke@massmunilaw.org.
Feel free to also invite your municipality’s officials to attend with you, such as procurement officers, town managers/administrators, and other personnel.
Topic: 11th Annual Public Construction Update
When: Wed. October 20, 2021 3:00pm-6:30pm followed by dinner
Location: Publick House Historic Inn, 277 Main Street, Sturbridge, MA
Register in advance for this in-person program at the link below:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MMLAOct2021Event
Based on current guidance from the CDC, for the safety of all our panelists and attendees, everyone attending the program will be required to wear a face covering while inside at the venue (except while eating or drinking) regardless of vaccination status.