January 8, 2025

Governor Inslee’s budget proposal includes reductions to city priorities
The proposed operating, capital, and transportation budgets for the 2025-27 biennium include reductions to several of AWC’s priorities, notably the Public Works Assistance Account and basic law enforcement training, but fund other city priorities. The operating budget released in December is $72 billion, but that reflects a $10-12 billion gap over the four-year budget outlook. To bridge the gap, the budget includes program cuts, new revenues, and a $1 billion transfer from the LEOFF 1 pension fund. Learn more about budget impacts for cities.

Public Works Assistance Account at risk of losing over $100 million
Governor Inslee’s 2025-27 budget proposal takes aim at the PWAA by sweeping $100 million to the state’s general fund and increasing existing diversions to other accounts. The proposed budget is a strong signal that the account is at risk this year, with state revenues down and state agency budgets restricted. Now is the time to act: Tell your local legislators how critical this funding is and how it has helped your community. Cities must rally to protect the PWAA—find out what you can do.

Register for AWC’s Elected Officials Essentials Forum
February 28 | Tacoma
AWC is excited to announce our upcoming Elected Officials Essentials Forum, designed to equip newer elected officials with the tools they need to support their work at city hall. The forum convenes mayors and councilmembers who have come into office since fall 2023 to engage in sessions about real-world legal scenarios, develop proficiency in parliamentary procedure, share lessons learned, and build relationships with other newer elected officials. Register now.

AWC submits comments on proposed PRA Model Rules changes 
AWC has submitted informal comments to the Attorney General’s Office on the changes to the Public Records Act (PRA) Model Rules that were proposed by news organizations in October. The letter highlights concerns that parts of the proposal may violate the PRA or other statutes, may be technically impractical to implement, could delay processing records requests, and could interfere with cities' record retention schedules. 

Team building
Cityvision magazine sat down with AWC Board Secretary and Marysville Mayor Jon Nehring to discuss the importance of building—and sustaining—strong partnerships at the state and local levels. Learn how he and the mayor of a neighboring city have teamed up to co-lead an organization focused on public safety, and how accountability factors into Nehring’s philosophy of partnership-building. Read the interview.

Get involved: Apply to serve on a board, committee, or council
AWC is recruiting city officials and select staff to serve on several boards, committees, and councils, both with AWC and at the state level. View all opportunities or click on individual committees below for details. The deadline to apply is February 6, unless otherwise noted.

AWC:

• AWC Board of Directors (District 5 city elected officials) Deadline January 16
• Large City Advisory Committee (city elected officials or city managers/administrators)

State councils and committees:

• Affordable Housing Advisory Board (city elected official from Eastern WA)
• Building Code Council (city elected official)
• Emergency Management Council (city elected official, primary and alternate positions)
• Puget Sound Partnership Ecosystem Coordinating Board (city elected official from a city near the Puget Sound basin)
• Bridge Replacement Advisory Committee (senior city staff member)
• Local Government Investment Pool Advisory Committee (senior city staff member)

Other news & resources

Dive into the AWC Salary and Benefit Survey on the latest CityVoice Podcast. More

Apply for the Department of Ecology’s 2025-27 flood control grants—$1.5 million is available to help develop comprehensive floodplain management plans and mitigate flood hazards. More

$27 million available to support rural communities in hiring technical assistance staff to advance transportation projects. Attend a U.S. Department of Transportation informational webinar on January 14. More

Local government staff working on climate-related issues are invited to join the next quarterly meeting of the Washington Climate Action Peer Network—coordinated by MRSC, AWC, and WSAC—online January 16. More

Reminder: Nominate a local graduating senior for a $3,000 AWC Center for Quality Communities scholarship by January 27! More

Apply by January 31 for AWC’s new grant for energy audits of city-owned buildings. More

The 2025-26 Local Records Grants cycle opens in February. Learn more from the Washington Secretary of State’s office and prepare to apply. More

Building bridges, not walls: These conflict resolution tools from MRSC can foster collaboration, understanding, and a more harmonious workplace. More

The JLARC lodging tax reporting system is now open for reporting 2024 lodging tax expenditures—due May 16. More

Need grants to improve roadway safety in your community? Join the Safe Streets for All (SS4A) Grant Writing Bootcamp. Register by January 22—classes begin the week of January 27. More

Load Ratings: Millions in federal funding at risk for Washington state unless cities and counties can hit a tight deadline. More

Check out our updated OPMA and PRA eLearnings
AWC and MRSC are excited to announce an updated eLearning training opportunity. These free, on-demand courses provide an overview of the Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA) and Public Records Act (PRA), customized for mayors and councilmembers. Taken together, these updated eLearnings fulfill the requirements of the Open Government Trainings Act (OGTA).

All elected and appointed officials must complete trainings under the OGTA within 90 days of taking office, with a refresher course at least every four years. If you are a newly appointed councilmember, or it’s been four years since you’ve completed the trainings, get started today!

AWC trainings & events

AWC: District 13 meeting (rescheduled) | January 10 | Maple Valley

AWC: District 8 meeting (in partnership with Snohomish County Cities & Towns) | January 16 | Everett

AWC: Mayors Exchange | January 24 | Olympia

AWC: ROC the house: Mobile home park solutions | February 5 | Online

AWC: 2025 City Action Days | February 19-20 | Lacey

AWC: Elected Officials Essentials Forum | February 28 | Tacoma

Other trainings & events

MRSC: Good faith efforts and penalties in apprentice utilization | January 28 | Online

MRSC: Design review—Tips and recommended practices | February 12 | Online

CRAB: 2025 Road Design Conference | March 19-21 | Chelan

State Archives: Records management workshops | Multiple dates | Online

NLC: Webinars and events | Multiple dates | Online

Enhance your efforts to find great talent—make JobNet part of your recruiting strategy!

Featured jobs:
City of Port Townsend | Housing Grants Coordinator
AWC | Government Relations Advocate
AWC | Registration and Meeting Coordinator

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