skip navigation

Have a Research Question?

Ask MRSC

Research Tools

Ask MRSC

Eligible government agencies can use our free one-on-one inquiry service.

With one call or click you can get a personalized answer from one of our trusted attorneys, policy consultants, or finance experts!

Ask MRSC

Our Tools

Ask MRSC Archives

City & County Websites Search

City & Town Profiles

County Profiles

Local Ballot Measure Database

Sample Document Library

Legal Research

City Codes

County Codes

Find Your Contracting Requirements

RCW, WAC, and Court Decisions

Utility Liens and Shut-offs
Explore Topics

Popular Topics

Public Records Act

Open Public Meetings Act

Purchasing and Contracting

Budgeting

Recent Court Decisions

Growth Management Act

All Topics

Economic Development

Environment

Finance

Governance

Legal

Management

Parks and Recreation

Personnel

Planning

Public Safety

Public Works and Utilities

Transportation
Stay Informed

Recent Blog Posts

You’ve Been Elected: Now What?
November 29 2023

Don’t Get into Back-and-Forth Exchanges During Public Comment
November 27 2023

Boosting Retention Among Gen Z and Millennials in the Local Government Workforce
November 14 2023

VIEW MORE BLOG POSTS

Information You Need

MRSC E-Newsletters

MRSC Insight Blog

MRSC Print Newsletter

Local Governments In The News

Landlord/Seller Disclosure Requirements
Training

Upcoming Events

Upcoming Trainings – Attend our live webinars, virtual workshops, and in-person trainings to learn about key local government issues!

Digging Into Public Works – In-person regional forums and training resources for public works staff and local contractors

On-Demand

On-Demand Webinars – Watch pre-recorded versions of our recent webinars, at your own convenience.

PRA/OPMA E-Learning Courses – Free video courses for city/town elected officials on the Public Records Act (PRA) and Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA).
Publications

View/Download Publications

2024 Budget Suggestions

Annexation by Cities and Towns

City Bidding Book

Contracting for Services

County Bidding Book

County Commissioner Guide

Getting Into Office

Guidance for Accessory Dwelling Units

Homelessness and Housing Toolkit for Cities

Knowing the Territory

Local Ordinances

Mayor & Councilmember Handbook

Open Public Meetings Act

Public Records Act

Revenue Guide for Cities

Revenue Guide for Counties

VIEW MORE PUBLICATIONS
About Us

What We Do

About MRSC – Learn about MRSC's mission and history.

MRSC Services – Learn more about the many services MRSC provides for local government staff and officials.

Related Services

MRSC Rosters (mrscrosters.org) – Connect with businesses for small public works contracts, purchases, and service or consultant contracts.

Who We Are

Staff Directory – Learn more about our staff members or email them directly.

Join Our Team – See our current job opportunities and learn about our guiding values and benefits.

Board of Directors – See our current board membership.

Contact Us – Send us your comments, submit media requests, let us know about broken links, and more.

About Our Blog Our Authors

MRSC Insight Blog

Posts for William Simpson

4 Takeaways from the 2016 National Planning Conference

May 17, 2016 by William Simpson
Category: Guest Author , Planning

Last month over 4,300 planners, policymakers, and students attended the American Planning Association conference in Phoenix. I’ve selected a few takeaways that might be of interest to planners and community leaders throughout Washington.

The Importance of Population Forecasts for your Comprehensive Plan

January 26, 2016 by William Simpson
Category: Guest Author , Comprehensive Planning-Growth Management

Selecting a population forecast is a critical step for communities beginning the review and update of their comprehensive plan. This post provides some answers to common questions for those beginning the update process.

MoreHide

MRSC Insight Blog

Posts for William Simpson

Blog Archives

Email Updates