Municipal Research and Services Center (MRSC)

A recent report from the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies shares that low-income renters are struggling, and sometimes failing, to pay for food, energy, and housing. https://lnkd.in/e9V_EEvd

MRSC's Finance and Administrative Manager Jon Rose met with Federal Way City Council Member Susan Honda to celebrate the city's proclamation in celebration of MRSC's 90th anniversary.

January 1st, 2025 is the deadline for assessing your development project review processes and decide whether to revise them. Learn more in Steve Butler's recent blog, Impending Deadline of January 1 to Address SB 5290’s New Development Timelines. https://lnkd.in/gwgx3bv3

MRSC is hiring a Public Policy Intern for the academic year! Apply by September 6th. https://lnkd.in/grESwemP #hiringinterns #wearehiring

Curious about how MRSC can help you? Attend our webinar Making Your Job Easier with MRSC's Services on Wednesday, August 11th at 11am. https://lnkd.in/g2BDqTxp

Looking for something to watch this weekend? We’ve got a recommendation! 😁 Check out the virtual event, “Driving the Future: Transportation and Mobility in St. Louis,” which aired earlier this month but can be watched on demand. Join the panelists – including NLC's Centennial Sponsor, Enterprise Mobility – as they explore solutions and collaborative efforts addressing City of St. Louis' transportation challenges and opportunities, highlight successful community projects, and share the vision for a more sustainable and inclusive future.

Congratulations to City of Bellevue, Washington for winning the Washington State Department of Commerce Governor’s Smart Communities Award winners announced for their Housing Stability Program! More affordable housing in King County is a step forward. https://lnkd.in/g7_J4hbJ

Established in 1853, Vancouver's Esther Short Park is the oldest public square in the Pacific Northwest. Over the years, Esther has evolved, but its role as a community gathering place has stood the test of time. Esther's evolution continues as we prepare to repair and restore the iconic Salmon Run Bell Tower and Glockenspiel. Fences are now up around the tower in Propstra Square and construction is set to begin soon. Stay updated on the bell tower restoration project and our progress at https://lnkd.in/geY_X26h

Interesting project examples here!

Home from the Washington City/County Management Association (WCMA) conference where I finished out my year as WCMA President. It was a banner year full of accomplishments and hard work by the WCMA Board of Directors. We created new membership strategies that increased our membership by more than 40%, added more than 100 new members, and led to record-high attendance at the conference. We launched a mentorship program. We sponsored a project utilizing talented grad students from the Evans School of Public Policy & Governance, University of Washington to tell the value proposition of the Northwest Women's Leadership Academy - Washington through data. We launched a new Building Resilient Local Governments Certificate Program in partnership with the Evans School (check it out here: https://lnkd.in/gdd6krmd). We approved the nation's very first affiliate agreement between I-NAPA - International Network of Asian Public Administrators and a state affiliate of the ICMA - International City/County Management Association. We completed Washington State's first Census of the Profession in collaboration with Tripepi Smith. We raised a record number of sponsorship dollars and donations at the conference, deepened our relationships with our amazing sponsors, and partnered with our very first year-long sponsor, the Association of Washington Cities. Our board committees were hard at work on regional board responsibilities, communications and membership value, and the WCMA/AWC partnership. We gave another scholarship to a worthy student pursuing a career in local government. We planned another outstanding conference. And we recruited a diverse and talented slate of statewide candidates that led to the board being majority female for the first time since our founding in 1960. It has truly been an extraordinary year. Thanks to everyone who played a part in this work including the WCMA Board and Senior Advisors, the team at the Municipal Research and Services Center (MRSC) and so many others. I wish new WCMA President Rich Huebner all the best as he takes the presidency reins - I know he will do an incredible job! Thank you to everyone who shared this journey with me! We don't do work like this to be recognized, but the standing ovation I received from my colleagues at the conference was one of my proudest career moments. I am so grateful for this past year. It has truly been an honor and a privilege to serve this association that I love so much.