Tiny Homes: Coming to a Neighborhood Near You?

December 30, 2015 by Steve Butler
Category: Development Regulations and Zoning

Tiny homes are all the rage these days! However, our zoning and building/construction regulations create significant barriers against them, especially if someone wants to live in a tiny home on a permanent basis. This blog covers some the things to consider in the regulation of tiny homes in local communities.

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Tax Changes for Recreational Services and Athletic/Fitness Facilities

December 29, 2015 by Toni Nelson
Category: Revenues

Recent legislation has changed the definition of a retail sale and the new change becomes effective on January 1. Here is some guidance on what this change may mean for your 2016 tax report.

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NLRB’s Joint Employer Decision Adds Complexity to Legal Landscape

December 21, 2015 by Sarah I. Hale
Category: Personnel , Guest Author

The National Labor Relations Board’s recent ruling in Browning-Ferris Industries of California, Inc., 362 NLRB No. 186 (Aug. 27, 2015), lays out a new standard for the meaning of “joint employer.” 

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Social Media Management is Now a Full-Fledged Government Discipline

December 17, 2015 by Josh Mahar
Category: Social Media

The importance and complexity of social media have turned this once fledgling activity into a critical piece of government communication resources and it may be time for your organization to take it more seriously.

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Do Prevailing Wages Always Prevail? Lessons Learned from our Recent Webinar

December 15, 2015 by John W. Carpita, PE
Category: Purchasing and Contracting

This blog post highlights some key takeaways from a 2015 MRSC webinar on prevailing wages.

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Budgeting During Periods of Economic Instability

December 4, 2015 by Stan Finkelstein
Category: Budgets and Budgeting , Guest Author

Many local governments have been significantly affected by the Great Recession and its aftermath, making it more difficult to address a variety of critical financial issues. This blog post provides seven rules of prudent fiscal management.

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Lean on Me: A Culture of Respect in the Workplace

December 3, 2015 by Larisa Benson
Category: Performance Management-Measurement , Guest Author

In this third of a 3-part series on understanding the people side of lean we explore how focusing on staff can help overcome the common obstacles to lean implementation. 

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New PRA Decision: Good Procedure Nets Good Result

December 2, 2015 by Jim Doherty
Category: Court Decisions and AGO Opinions , Public Records Act

The recent court of appeals decision in Benton County v. Zink holds a number of lessons to be learned regarding procedures for dealing with electronic records and developing an effective strategy for dealing with a litigious requestor.

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