Learn about the past, present, and future of AWC.

By AWC staff

In 1933, after Prohibition was repealed, Yakima Mayor W.W. Stratton called on city officials from both eastern and western Washington to rally together and present a united front on liquor control legislation. The issue was to be presented at an upcoming special legislative session called by Gov. Clarence Martin. It was at this conference, on October 26, 1933, that the Association of Washington Cities (AWC) was born.

Mayor Stratton, who was elected president of the newly formed organization, appointed a six-member committee—three city officials from eastern Washington and three city officials from western Washington. They met one month later and drafted the bill that became the Washington State Liquor Act. From there, AWC became a stable organization, receiving grant funding for a traveling municipal consultant and later hiring its first lobbyist.

More city officials realized the benefits of joining AWC, increasing participation across the state. The association held its first regional meeting, attracting 90 representatives from 30 cities. AWC members took their success forward and made it clear that they favored sharing state revenues with cities and towns, including liquor and gas taxes.

AWC’s mission

Ninety years later, AWC has grown to meet the ever-evolving needs of its members with a concrete mission of serving members through advocacy, education, and services.

Advocacy

The 1930s marked the start of a successful city partnership with the state that continues to this day. Throughout the years, AWC and its city and town membership have maintained a strong presence in the legislative process. A collective city voice has been a crucial part of legislative deliberations, and AWC has seen many great successes in advocating for cities.

AWC is a 501(c)(4) organization, and while membership is voluntary, it is a point of pride that all 281 incorporated cities and towns in the state are members. AWC is governed by a 25-member board with an Executive Committee that helps inform legislative policy direction, guided by a member-adopted Statement of Policy.

In total, 49 states have their own municipal associations (excluding Hawaii, which incorporates by island/county). State municipal associations gather annually at National League of Cities (NLC) events, engage in federal advocacy, and share best practices for serving the needs of the country’s cities and towns.

AWC has grown to meet the ever-evolving needs of its members with a concrete mission of serving members through advocacy, education, and services.

Education

AWC provides top-tier training throughout the year along with networking opportunities and five major annual conferences:

• City Action Days in January or February
• Healthy Worksite Summit in March
• Labor Relations Institute in May
• Annual Conference in June
• Member Expo in October

The AWC Annual Conference is important because it hosts the annual AWC Business Meeting, where the membership elects new board members (up to three delegates from each city get to vote) and adopts the Statement of Policy and AWC bylaw amendments.

AWC educational events provide many sessions offering Certificate of Municipal Leadership (CML) credits, along with a wide range of audience-specific education, including Mayors Exchange, Small City Connectors, Elected Officials Essentials, budget workshops, lobby days, and online and on-demand instruction. Mayors and councilmembers who complete at least 30 credits of training in five key competencies can receive a CML.

Services

Over the years, AWC has responded to cities’ emerging needs by creating pooling programs to help address critical city issues. Programs include:

• The Trust (1970): The AWC Employee Benefit Trust is Washington’s premier local government benefit pool for cities and towns. The Trust provides quality, efficient, and cost-effective benefit and health promotion programs and is guided by a board of trustees. Members pool resources to access low-cost health insurance for members and their families.
• RMSA (1988): The AWC Risk Management Service Agency (RMSA) is a member-owned risk pool to share costs, address risks, and exchange information. Unlike insurance agencies, RMSA doesn’t make a profit. AWC staff provide services to RMSA, which is governed by a separate board of directors comprised of city officials.
• D&A (1995): The AWC Drug & Alcohol Consortium (D&A) helps members stay in compliance with federal drug and alcohol testing requirements.
• Retro (2004): The AWC Workers’ Compensation Retrospective Rating Program (Retro) provides training and tools that empower employers to lower risks for on-the-job injuries. Retro has its own advisory committee as well.

AWC is also the best resource for research, data, and publications to support cities’ needs. From JobNet (for both employers and job seekers), the AWC GIS Consortium, and the AWC Salary & Benefits Survey data, to the City Condition Survey data and the AWC Tax and User Fee survey data, AWC provides top-notch data cities can use.

AWC today

AWC is led by its sixth CEO, Deanna Dawson—the first woman to lead the organization. Join one of Deanna’s AWC 101 sessions for Q&A opportunities and to hear directly from other members about the value AWC brings.

Thousands of city officials have contributed their time, effort, and creative ideas to city goals over the years. Cities’ commitment to strong, effective, and responsive local government has been unwavering and is greatly appreciated. AWC is looking forward to another 90 years of serving Washington cities.

To find out more about what AWC can do for your city, visit wacities.org and engage in scheduled events and legislative efforts. Happy birthday, AWC!