May 6, 2025

Don’t miss your chance to apply for the Washington Collaborative Elected Leaders Institute!
Amazing experience… One of the best decisions you will make as an elected official… I was blown away by the depth and quality of training. These are just a few of the glowing reviews from members of the first cohort of the Washington Collaborative Elected Leaders Institute (WA-CELI). This immersive, three-month training program for city elected officials equips participants with the collaborative leadership skills to tackle real-world challenges facing our cities and towns. Learn more and apply by May 12 to join the second WA-CELI cohort.

ballot-box-art-150 Send your city's voting delegates to the AWC Annual Meeting
Mark your calendar for AWC's Annual Meeting on Thursday, June 26. This important meeting takes place in Kennewick in conjunction with our Annual Conference. Your city can designate up to three voting delegates to vote on candidates for the Board of Directors. (See who’s running.) To designate your voting delegates, complete the voting delegate form by 5 pm on June 19. If you have any questions, please contact betsyh@awcnet.org.

Engage your community in your city budget process
May 14 | Online
AWC’s five-part Elected Officials Essentials webinar series is created specifically for elected officials—join one or join them all! The upcoming webinar equips elected officials with the knowledge and tools to effectively engage their communities in the budget process. Learn about the importance of community involvement, strategies for fostering transparent and inclusive dialogue, and best practices for incorporating public input into budget decisions. Don’t wait—register today!

WAstatecapitolbuilding Register for AWC’s 2025 legislative session recap
May 22 | Online
Join the AWC Advocacy team for a full recap of city-related issues from the 2025 legislative session. Hear AWC’s team of lobbyists provide an overview of outcomes on AWC’s legislative priorities, summarize the impacts of passed legislation on cities, and talk through the adopted state budget. Stay to the end to learn how to make the most impact during the legislative interim to prepare for 2026. Register now. (AWC city members only.)

nwWLA150 Find your path to leadership through the Northwest Women’s Leadership Academy
Are you a Washington state woman or non-binary person looking to advance your career in city, county, or tribal government? Apply now to be part of the next cohort of the Northwest Women's Leadership Academy, sponsored by the Washington City/County Management Association. The 2025-26 Academy will take place over a series of in-person and half-day virtual sessions, starting with an in-person retreat in the fall and concluding in March of 2026. Check out this Cityvision article showcasing the results of the program, then learn more and apply through May 26.

New opportunity! Applications now being accepted for District 14
Due to a mid-term vacancy, the AWC Nominating Committee is calling for applications to serve in the AWC Board District 14 position (representing cities in Island, San Juan, Skagit, and Whatcom Counties). Apply by Thursday, May 15. Please note that this is a special filing deadline, as the call for applications to all other AWC Board positions has closed. Learn more and apply!

Get involved! Apply to serve on a state board or council
AWC is recruiting city elected officials and select staff to serve on various boards and councils at the state level. View all opportunities or click on individual committees below for details. The deadline to apply has been extended to May 22.

Building Code Council (city elected official)
Public Works Board (city elected official)
Puget Sound Partnership Ecosystem Coordination Board (city elected official from a city near the Puget Sound basin)
Washington State Board of Health (city elected official)
Select Committee on Pension Policy (city manager, administrator, or finance director)
LEOFF Plan 2 Retirement Board (city manager, administrator, or finance director)
Capital Projects Advisory Review Board (senior city staff)

Other news & resources

It’s not too late! Need more time to submit data for the AWC Salary and Benefit Survey? Deadline extended to May 16. More

JLARC’s lodging tax report data for jurisdictions that have already reported is available for technical review. Cities must complete reporting or make corrections to reported data by May 16. More

The family of former Speaker Frank Chopp invites all of his city friends and colleagues to celebrate his life and legacy at a public event in Bellevue on June 1. Register by May 26. More

Let Commerce know how the agency is doing: Don’t miss this opportunity to provide the new agency director with feedback on how Commerce is serving your city. The survey closes at the end of May. More

Weigh in on AWC’s 2026 legislative agenda—complete this survey by June 5. More

Know of someone retiring? Honor them with AWC’s civic service recognition. More

White House issues new executive order reiterating the federal government's role in enforcing immigration law and detailing penalties to state and local jurisdictions labeled as being in violation of federal immigration and criminal law. More

Funding downtown revitalization projects with tax increment financing. More

How cities can spark economic transformation through entrepreneur-led economic development. More

clapping-hands-150 We’re overflowing with appreciation this May!
The month of May is full of opportunities to honor the many people who play a part in the success and vitality of our cities and towns:

Public Service Recognition Week (May 4-10): Big thanks to all of Washington’s local elected officials and city and town staff for the vital work they do every day to support our communities! More
Municipal Clerks Week (May 4-10): Acknowledging the critical role municipal clerks play in our cities and towns—clerks are the backbone of local government operations. More
Infrastructure Week (May 12-16): Recognizing the vital role of infrastructure in addressing our nation’s toughest challenges in transit and transportation, water systems, energy, connectivity, and more. More
National Public Works Week (May 18-24): Celebrating the many public works professionals who work tirelessly behind the scenes to enhance our safety, health, and quality of life. More

AWC trainings & events

AWC: Elected Officials Essentials webinar series | Multiple dates | Online

May 14 | Community budget engagement
September 10 | Understanding Washington’s ethics laws
November 12 | Comprehending quasi-judicial hearings

D&A: Supervisor training | Multiple dates | Multiple locations

AWC: Preventing fraud in local government | Multiple dates | Multiple locations

May 15 | South Bend
May 29 | Dayton
May 30 | Chewelah
June 11 | Granger

AWC: 2025 legislative session recap (AWC city members only) | May 22 | Online

AWC: Small City Connectors | Multiple dates | Multiple locations

May 29 | Dayton
May 30 | Chewelah
June 11 | Granger

AWC: 2025 Annual Conference | June 24-27 | Kennewick

Other trainings & events

Euna Solutions: Weathering the storm: Actionable grants management strategies for a shifting federal landscape | May 14 | Online

Local Government Legal Center: Impacts of federal immigration policy on local governments (Part 2) | May 19 | Online

Ecology: 2025 Washington Brownfields Conference | May 20-21 | Yakima

MRSC: Tools for wildfire preparation and response | May 28 | Online

Grant Writing USA: Grant writing class | June 2-3 | Bellingham

State Archives: Records management workshops | Multiple dates | Online

NLC: Webinars and events | Multiple dates | Online

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