Seminars on Municipal Governance and Policy

The Greater Boston area offers one of the most diverse collections of local government anywhere. While some municipalities have well-paid elected officials and civil servants, others operate on a part-time basis with few resources and little compensation. Whatever the form of local government, elected officials and others need to keep in touch with the latest thinking on planning, housing, transportation, finance, capital budgeting, and other issues. Local elected officials are sometimes the "odd person out" in regional discussions of major policy challenges. While the mayors, councilors, and selectmen tend to the immediate needs of their communities, they are not engaged fully in larger discussions about sprawl, capital budgeting, and related issues.

Beginning in 2002, the Rappaport Institute established an annual training program on topics of interest to local elected officials. The Seminars on Municipal Governance and Policy gather experts and practitioners to provide cutting-edge approaches to policy and management. The free seminars provide overviews of the major issues faced by local government, offer commentary by experts from Harvard and other universities, and an opportunity to interact with state officials about programs offered by the Commonwealth. Subjects covered include: planning and zoning, transportation, housing, municipal finance, capital planning, environment, and parks.

The format of the seminars is simple. Seminar participants meet once a month for eight months from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. After a brief introduction of the issue, experts from Harvard and other universities highlight the most critical challenges. State officials then discuss their programs and policies. A lively discussion then follows. These seminars are provided at no cost to local elected officials and those who complete six of the eight seminars receive formal recognition of their achievement.