Most municipal authorities in the Commonwealth have some iteration of rules and regulations to govern and guide the use of equipment, services provided, and authority-owned facilities. Sometimes these regulations simply cover the basics including fees for tapping, services, etc., and yet other municipalities have more robust regulations that dictate, for example, how repairs are to be completed and who is responsible for costs associated with the same. As a general rule, authorities should regularly review their rules and regulations and ensure that those rules and regulations are sufficient and enforceable based upon current operations and services, and ensure both the system and the authority are protected from unauthorized actors and a constantly evolving legal and regulatory landscape. Our presentation will discuss the source of municipal authorities’ authority, the framework within which municipal authorities can and should develop rules and regulations and further discuss basics and best practices for promulgating and enforcing sensible authority rules and regulations.

Learning Objectives:

• Provide an overview of the statutory and regulatory rules around authority creation and governing instruments for each authority.

• Emphasize the importance of the underlying relationship between authorities and the entities that created them.

• Underscore the importance of understanding an authority’s infrastructure– who owns it, who manages it and who pays when it needs replaced.

• Review best practices for how to develop internal rules and procedures for authority operations, personnel and municipal relationships.

• Deliver tips and best practices for developing authority rules and regulations for customers and constituents. 

Presenter:
Elizabeth Dupuis, Esq., Babst Calland
Morgan Madden, Esq., Babst Calland

Cost:  $49