Navigating City Action Days required some pivots this year. With the unexpected closure of AWC’s usual Olympia venue, the event shifted dates and moved to Saint Martin’s University in Lacey. While change often means new challenges, city officials are a resilient bunch. Overall, we enjoyed being in a bright space and getting to spend so much time together in one place.
It was a full house with around 250 city officials in attendance. Also notable was the number of newly elected city officials—nearly a quarter of attendees. As always, there were great panels and presentations and lots of time for conversation, collaboration, and sharing city priorities. Be sure to check out the video and photos of your colleagues!
Here are some takeaways gleaned from the event:
- Advocacy doesn’t just happen when the Legislature is on the hill—it's a year-round job. Reaching out during the interim, when legislators are less busy, will help you build strong relationships that you can call on when conversations get tough. Consider setting regular check-ins with your legislators throughout the year to keep them apprised of the issues facing your city.
- Let your legislators know you’re staying informed and involved. While it’s important to communicate when you disagree with them, it’s equally important to share what’s positive and what you appreciate—and even to ask about the programs and projects they care about. You’re serving many of the same constituents. Talk about where your goals and priorities align and thank them for their time and energy.
- Members were excited to hear about AWC’s new bill tracker tool. It’s a great way to find up-to-date information on where bills stand and how you can make a difference.
- Transportation (including ferries), public safety, behavioral health, housing, and city funding are all top of mind for cities this year. With cities taking on more and more responsibilities (on top of all of their current work) in the public sphere, elected officials are finding new challenges and opportunities as they lead their communities.
- Budgeting is more art than science. Speakers shared these budget tips: Understand your numbers and know where you can be flexible. There are a lot of moving pieces, choices to be made, and always unexpected changes. Early in budget writing, things tend to balance out, but be prepared because there are times when you may get bad news twice in a row. Always have a plan but be thinking about alternatives and options.
- Come prepared to council meetings. An expert panel advised new and experienced elected officials to always invest the time to read the materials in your packet. City staff work hard to put together the materials for you so you can effectively engage with your council and use the meeting time efficiently. Get to the meeting early if you need to. When that’s not possible, be sure to at least skim the content or ask your city manager or staff for highlights.
- Delegate to city staff and build trust with them. Another helpful tip from the experts, who reminded members that you vote on things at the policy level: macro not micro. Avoid getting upset with staff in public. It can paint the picture that they aren’t doing their jobs, undermines confidence, and may encourage others to criticize too, instead of focusing on policy.
- Use your resources. The network you have available through AWC (and MRSC) is invaluable. Save the dates for AWC’s Annual Conference in Vancouver, Washington, June 18-21. Watch the Legislative Bulletin and CityVoice newsletters for registration details, year-round learning opportunities, and other key information cities care about.
- “Be excellent to each other!” This one might have originated with Bill and Ted (vis-à-vis their Excellent Adventure), but it was exalted by a city manager and city attorney on a well-lauded panel providing key guidance to cities.
- Avoid stepping on the grass at all costs as you make your way around the Capitol campus to visit with your representatives. The AWC lobbyists shared hot advocacy tips during their panel. Among the gems they shared was that the grass on the Hill is swampy. In addition to that bit of practical advice, they also recommended keeping testimony brief and avoiding repetitive testimony.