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MRSC Insight Blog


Posts for September 2024

car siren

Waiving Competitive Bidding Requirements in the Event of an Emergency

September 30, 2024  by  MRSC Insight
Category:  Purchasing and Contracting ,  Emergency Management

An emergency can allow an agency to quickly make emergency expenditures, bypassing normal, sometimes time-consuming procedural requirements related to budgeting and contracting, but local government should understand when this is appropriate and what steps to take.

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Melanie Harding

Announcing MRSC’s Next Executive Director, Melanie Harding

September 24, 2024  by  MRSC Insight
Category:  MRSC News and Updates

Melanie is currently serving on an interim basis as Deputy City Manager for the City of Tacoma. She will start at MRSC on October 21 and work closely with our retiring executive director, Tracy Burrows, during a two-week transition period. Welcome aboard, Melanie!

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A checklist for 2024 with a pencil

What’s on Your Agency’s Year-End Financial Checklist?

September 23, 2024  by  Eric Lowell
Category:  Budgets and Budgeting ,  Financial Reporting

With the end of the year on the horizon, many local government finance departments are considering what needs to be done to successfully close out the year, including deadlines met, reports filed, and budgets finalized. 

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An older, multi-unit affordable housing building in Seattle

Protecting Your Community’s “Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing”

September 18, 2024  by  Steve Butler
Category:  Housing

Within every community exists naturally occurring affordable housing, which can help community members who might otherwise be priced out of a hot local housing market. Local governments can help to preserve this housing through specialized policies and programs.

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a broken storefront window

Overcoming Roadblocks: How Federal Funds Can Support Local Business

September 16, 2024  by  Harry Boesche
Category:  Financing Economic Development ,  Gift of Public Funds ,  Federal Funding

Businesses that experience interruptions due to public street projects can impact a whole community. Local governments may want to help, but they also must follow the statewide gift of public funds prohibition. Use of federal grants funds may help accomplish both objectives.

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Dashboard showing performance measurement metrics

Incorporating SMARTIE Outcomes and KPIs Into Your Performance Measurement Plans

September 11, 2024  by  Alicia Bones
Category:  Leadership and Management

Local governments across Washington State have developed or have been interested in developing performance measurement systems to help with program evaluation and promote greater accountability to the public. 

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A bicyclist rides pass a variety of election related yard signs

Regulating Signs During Election Season

September 9, 2024  by  Jill Dvorkin
Category:  Sign Control ,  Elections and Voting

MRSC gets many questions regarding the regulation of political signage, before and after an election, but jurisdictions must be careful in drafting and enforcing regulations so as to not improperly infringe on a person’s right to free expression.

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Sunset with Port of Everett in background

Recapping the August 2024 Local Ballot Measure Results

September 4, 2024  by  Steve Hawley
Category:  Parks, Recreation, and Culture ,  Transportation ,  Port Districts ,  Emergency Medical Services ,  Fire Protection ,  Law Enforcement ,  Ballot Measures

Local governments placed 90 ballot measures in the August primary election, including many levy lid lift proposals, various public safety taxes, fire benefit charges, a citywide cannabis sales ban, and proposed service expansions.

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