MACo’s 2025 Winter Conference, held December 10–12 at the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Hotel in Cambridge, brought together county officials, state leaders, and partners for three days of meaningful dialogue and collaboration. Guided by the theme Local Leadership, Lasting Impact: Shaping What’s Next, the conference served as a timely forum ahead of the 2026 Maryland General Assembly session.This year’s general sessions anchored the conference with focused discussions on the issues most directly shaping county decision-making.…

The Streamlining Engagement: Maximizing Communication Tools for Government session offered county communicators a practical roadmap for improving public engagement without overextending staff and resources. Led by Beth Malasky, Public Information Manager for Queen Anne’s County and President of MACo’s PIO & Communications Professionals Affiliate, and Renesha Alphonso, Director of Strategic Communications at the Office of the Comptroller of Maryland, the session emphasized that effective government communication is not about flashy design, but about clarity, consistency,…

Transparency matters. At the MACo Winter Conference, attendees received an overview of Maryland’s Open Meetings Act law, which guides public officials in the requirements for providing public notice of the meetings that public bodies hold to conduct public business and for closing meetings when appropriate.  The Maryland Open Meetings Act is a fundamental statute to promote government transparency, build public trust, and ensure residents have meaningful access to the decision-making process. The Act requires public…