Infill Development in My Back Yard? Strategies for Winning Infill Development Support

June 27, 2012 by Sue Enger
Category: Comprehensive Planning-Growth Management

Infill development, by definition, brings change to its neighborhood.  It may be an understatement to say that existing residents often view any proposed changes next door with suspicion.  But a number of...

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What are the Proper Procedures for Holding an Executive Session?

June 26, 2012 by Pat Mason
Category: Open Public Meetings Act

When legislation was introduced in 2008 that would have required tape recordings of all executive sessions, the Office of the State Auditor cited as support for this legislation a high number of violations of the Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA) by local governing bodies.  The vast majority of these violations were procedural mistakes, many relating to how the executive sessions were being...

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Getting What You Want Through Foresight and Creativity

June 25, 2012 by Lynn Nordby
Category: Management

Sometimes foresight and creativity are needed to set up an opportunity; other times they are needed to use an opportunity that is presented to you. Either way, be the facilitator. Great satisfaction in public service comes from seeing what foresight and creativity can do for your community.

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Big Results with a Small Gesture

June 20, 2012 by Lynn Nordby
Category: Management

Sometimes only a small gesture of appreciation can generate lasting benefits. Extending a simple "good job!" to let a person know they and their work are valued is more important than ever.

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Meeting Participation from Afar, by Speakerphone or Other Means

June 12, 2012 by Jim Doherty
Category: Legislative Body

Is actual physical presence required for a member of a local government governing body - city council, board of county commissioners, planning commission, etc. - to "attend" and participate at a meeting of that body?  Although state law provides no specific authorization, MRSC legal staff has taken the position that it is legal for a local government governing body to allow attendance and...

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Police Staffing - How Much Is Enough?

June 8, 2012 by Tracy Burrows
Category: Law Enforcement

Recently, Anna Halloran, Manager of the Community Indicators Initiative at Eastern Washington University, asked me to comment on trends in police staffing in Spokane County.  From 2008 to 2010,...

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Can a Majority of the Members of a Governing Body Call a Special Meeting Without Violating the OPMA in Doing So?

June 5, 2012 by Bob Meinig
Category: Open Public Meetings Act

Good question!  RCW 42.30.080, which deals with special meetings, starts out by stating that "A special meeting may be called at any time by the presiding officer of the governing body of a public agency or by a majority of the members of the governing body . . . ." Obviously, while in a regular or special meeting, a governing body may decide to hold a special meeting in the future - no Open...

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The Unassailable Right to Make Any Decision You Want: Avoiding Judicial Intervention in Local Land Use Decision Making

May 31, 2012 by Phil Olbrechts
Category: Land Use Administration , Planning Advisor , Administrative and Elected Officials

Any superior court judge in your county can single-handedly toss out a decision of your entire city council if the judge decrees your council violated the constitution or some state or federal law. Are there any decisions out of reach of your local superior court judge?

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