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MRSC Insight Blog


Posts for February 2015

Drones: Whether Local Governments Can Regulate Unmanned Aircraft

Drones: Whether Local Governments Can Regulate Unmanned Aircraft

February 25, 2015  by  Robert Sepler
Category:  Licensing and Regulation

Can or should local governments in Washington regulate the use of drones?

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Are Personal Notes Public Records Under the Public Records Act?

Are Personal Notes Public Records Under the Public Records Act?

February 19, 2015  by  Joe Levan
Category:  Public Records Act

If you're a local government official or employee and you take notes at a meeting for your personal use, are those notes considered public records? It depends on how the notes are created, used, and retained.

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Hiring the Right Person: Getting Started

Hiring the Right Person: Getting Started

February 17, 2015  by  Marci Wright
Category:  Guest Author ,  Recruitment and Hiring

Vacancies often occur with little notice and at a bad time.  As busy as you are, you lack time and energy to devote to an unexpected, time-consuming recruitment and selection process. You need to refill this job as soon as possible. But, as busy as you are, a wise manager will spend a little time thinking about the vacant position and the process requirements before rushing to hire a new employee.

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What are “Land Use Control Ordinances” for Purposes of Subdivision Application Vesting?

What are “Land Use Control Ordinances” for Purposes of Subdivision Application Vesting?

February 11, 2015  by  Bob Meinig
Category:  Subdivisions and Planned Developments ,  Vested Rights

What are "land use control ordinances" in the context of vesting for subdivision and short subdivision applications? The phrase is not defined by statute, but court decisions provide some insight.

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Do Public Employees Lose Their Freedom of Speech?

Do Public Employees Lose Their Freedom of Speech?

February 3, 2015  by  Lynn Nordby
Category:  Administrative and Elected Officials

I suspect every local government executive has experienced the situation where an employee unexpectedly steps to the microphone during a public comment period or gets a letter published about a government issue in a local newspaper. When this happens can, or should, the executive prevent an employee from speaking out on issues or take any action against an employee?

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Why is Property Tax So Complicated?

Why is Property Tax So Complicated?

February 1, 2015  by  Tracey Dunlap
Category:  Guest Author ,  Property Taxes

In this month's Finance Advisor column, Tracey Dunlap, City of Kirkland Director of Finance and Administration, gives us a "property tax 101" overview of the limits on regular property taxes.

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