Last week, Plymouth City Attorney Sean Surrisi was elected president of the Indiana Municipal Lawyers Association (IMLA) at the group’s annual meeting in Indianapolis.
Founded in 1983, IMLA is a professional organization that promotes continuing education of attorneys on issues affecting municipal law, and provides forums for attorneys practicing municipal law to meet and exchange ideas and experiences. IMLA is open to all Indiana city, town, and county attorneys and currently has approximately 350 members. Since 2012, Surrisi has served on the organization’s litigation committee that reviews requests from municipal governments for filing “Friend of the Court” briefs with the Indiana Court of Appeals and Supreme Court in cases involving legal issues of concern to local government. He joined IMLA’s 11 member board of directors in 2013 and later held the office of vice-president. “My work for Plymouth has benefitted from insights learned from IMLA attorneys ranging from the Corporation Counsel for the City of Indianapolis to the Town Attorney for Etna Green,” Surrisi said. “I’m honored to work with IMLA’s long-time executive director Jodie Woods and incoming vice-president, Boone County Attorney Bob Clutter, to lead the group this year,” Surrisi also stated.
In recent years, Plymouth officials have served in various capacities in state-wide organizations. Mayor Mark Senter is currently a member of the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns’ board of directors and previously served as president of the Indiana Conference of Mayors. Clerk-Treasurer Jeanine Xaver has been actively engaged with the Indiana League of Municipal Clerks and Treasurers. The Mayor’s Secretary, Laura Mann, is a past president of the Indiana Mayors Assistants Association and former-City Attorney, now-Prosecutor, E. Nelson Chipman, Jr., was also once IMLA president. Mayor Senter stated, “Plymouth is a unique city, but the issues we face are often not unlike those faced by our neighbors; participation in state-wide organizations can provide our city’s leaders with helpful perspective on how others are grappling with similar challenges in their communities.” “I congratulate Sean on his election as IMLA president,” Mayor Senter also said.
