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MRSC Insight Blog


Posts for November 2023

A woman celebrates winning her election with her supporters

You’ve Been Elected: Now What?

November 29, 2023  by  MRSC Insight
Category:  Newly Elected and Appointed Officials

Now that you've been elected there are a number of steps you'll need to take before assuming office, as well as some resources you might want to check out to get ready for your new adventure. 

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Man asks question during political meeting

Don’t Get into Back-and-Forth Exchanges During Public Comment

November 27, 2023  by  Ann G. Macfarlane
Category:  Guest Author ,  Legislative Body

The public comment period of a public meeting can be a great time to hear from constituents and to be heard. However, elected officials should not use this period to get into back-and-forth exchanges with members of the public — for a variety of reasons.

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An ethnically diverse group of young professionals in an office

Boosting Retention Among Gen Z and Millennials in the Local Government Workforce

November 14, 2023  by  Alicia Bones
Category:  Compensation ,  Recruitment and Hiring

Government agencies looking to boost retention among younger employees should consider improving their compensation packages, offering more flexibility, regularly highlighting employee contributions, and developing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

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Utility trucked parked on sidewalk with a road sign noting that utility work is being done

A Compendium of 2023 Utilities Legislation

November 13, 2023  by  Steve Gross
Category:  Environmental Laws and Regulations ,  Utilities ,  New Legislation and Regulations

It was a mixed bag for utility legislation in 2023. There are some new obligations for utilities, but certain non-project and project actions are now categorically exempt from SEPA review.

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Diverse group of seated people participating in a meeting

Comprehensive Planning Tips, with a Focus on Implementation

November 8, 2023  by  Steve Butler
Category:  Comprehensive Planning-Growth Management

A successful comprehensive plan will help guide community growth for decades into the future. When updating a plan, a local government should focus on using a strong planning process, conducting robust community engagement, and focusing on plan implementation. 

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When Hate Comes to Town: Addressing Racist and Anti-Semitic Public Comment at Meetings

November 6, 2023  by  Oskar Rey
Category:  Inclusive Communities ,  Legislative Body ,  Public Participation

In recent months, some city council meetings have had their public comment period hijacked by bad actors whose purpose is to make hateful comments. Local governments have some options for minimizing the chance that their meetings are compromised in such a manner.

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A surprised man holding a laptop

I Didn’t Know MRSC Had That!

November 1, 2023  by  Cheryl Grant
Category:  MRSC Topics

The MRSC website has a variety of resources to offer local government staff, especially clerk/treasurers from small cities. MRSC Finance consultant Cheryl Grant gives us a preview of her favorite resources.

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