President's Update

Dear MMTA Members,

I am honored to serve as your MMTA Board President for 2024-25 term. I currently serve as the elected Treasurer for the City of Kentwood, and I am so excited to work alongside each of you to strengthen our association and continue our shared journey of professional growth.

First, I want to extend my deepest gratitude to our past president, Rachel Piner. Thanks to her exceptional leadership, we have surpassed 1,000 members—a significant milestone that reflects the collective strength of this organization.

For those who attended the 45th Fall Conference, I emphasized that my vision for the year is centered around “community”—a concept that is deeply important to me in both my personal and professional life. In my municipality, our mission revolves around ‘it takes a community effort’, a value that has deeply resonated with me. I love the word community, and I felt it perfectly describes MMTA.

When I was elected Treasurer in 2014, one of the first things I did was join MMTA. As an elected Treasurer, there’s no training manual and rarely someone to train you. The MMTA became my saving grace—a community I could lean on. This sense of community is the heart of our association and what makes MMTA so special.

Looking ahead to the 2024-25 year, my vision is focused on nurturing this community:

  • Implementing a Treasurer Training Manual: a resource for new Treasurers to help navigate their roles.
  • Launching President’s Updates: providing updates on upcoming events and important information to keep members informed and engaged.
  • Create a 5 Year Strategic Plan: reviewing our growth and developing a plan focused on membership engagement, professional development, and preparation for the national joint conference.
  • Reviewing the Associate Board Members Selection Process: working with our Associate Board member and liaison to review the associate board selection process to ensure it is logical and serves the best interests of the organization.

Together, we can achieve great things, and I look forward to fostering this spirit of community throughout the year! If you have any ideas, questions, or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to reach out—I would love to hear from you!

Sincerely,

Laurie Sheldon, City of Kentwood Treasurer
MMTA Board President 2024-25