A statewide association of municipal attorneys has named state Rep. Kristin Kassner its Legislator of the Year, an honor the group hasn’t given out in seven years, according to a news release from Kassner’s office.
The Massachusetts Municipal Lawyers Association (MMLA) presented the award to Kassner, D-Ipswich, at its annual conference in New Bedford on Oct. 1, the release said.
The group gives the award only occasionally, it was last handed out in 2019.
MMLA President Christopher L. Brown said in the release, Kassner has worked “tirelessly and collaboratively” with local officials and helped give cities and towns a stronger voice on Beacon Hill, particularly on land use issues, the release said.
“With this award, we acknowledge her dedication and advocacy on issues impacting municipalities and all residents of the Commonwealth,” Brown said in the release.
Two of the bills Kassner filed after consulting with the association are now part of the omnibus Economic Development bill, her office said. One would codify Site Plan Review in state law, and the other would require training for municipal land use boards. The release did not say where the larger bill stands in the legislative process.
Kassner, who sits on the Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government, has also filed budget amendments aimed at increasing Unrestricted General Government Aid, the money the state sends to cities and towns for general operations, according to the release.
In a statement released by her office, Kassner said she was “deeply grateful” to the association and described its members as “the attorneys who stand with our communities every day.” She said working with them helps ensure that new laws are workable at the local level.
According to the release, the MMLA was founded in 1946 and is the municipal law bar association for Massachusetts. The release said its members are attorneys who represent cities and towns or devote a substantial portion of their practice to municipal law, and that the group provides education to its members and public officials.
Kassner represents the 2nd Essex District, which includes Ipswich, Hamilton, Rowley, Georgetown, Newbury and part of Topsfield. Before joining the Legislature, she spent two decades in planning and community development, including as Planning Director in Burlington, her office said. She is a past president of the Massachusetts Chapter of the American Planning Association.
