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MRSC Insight Blog


Posts for County Officials

November 2025 Ballot Measures: Counties and Special Purpose Districts

December 17, 2025  by  Steve Hawley
Category:  County Officials ,  Port Districts ,  Fire Protection ,  Parks and Recreation Districts ,  Ballot Measures ,  Special Districts ,  Property Taxes ,  Sales and Use Taxes

Levy lid lifts, bond measures, sales taxes, charter amendments, and a ban on cannabis sales and production:These and more were proposed county and/or special purpose district ballot measures voters tackled in the November 2025 general election. 

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Bundle of mail marked "return to sender"

Residency Requirements for Local Government Officials and Appointees

January 29, 2024  by  Flannary Collins
Category:  County Officials ,  Boards and Commissions ,  Running for Office ,  City and Town Officials ,  Elected and Appointed Officials

Must an elected official, advisory (e.g., volunteer) board member, or city or county administrator reside in the jurisdiction they serve or work for? The answer to this question depends on the position, and in some cases, local policies. 

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Close up of newspaper with headline, "Changes coming in 2023."

County-Focused Bills from the 2022-2023 Legislative Session

July 24, 2023  by  Steve Gross
Category:  County Officials ,  Forms of Government-County ,  New Legislation and Regulations

The 2023 legislative session saw a number of bills that specifically impact counties, including amending the process to appoint members to a salary commission in noncharter counties and removing the deadline by which counties may choose to join the Voluntary Stewardship Program.

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Legislation Aimed at Counties Impacts Coroners, Operational Continuity

August 9, 2021  by  Steve Gross
Category:  County Officials ,  Emergency Management ,  New Legislation and Regulations

This blog offers an overview of two recent bills that affect county officers: ESHB 1326 and EHB 1271.

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Roles and Responsibilities: Questions and Answers

April 5, 2021  by  Linda Gallagher
Category:  County Officials ,  City and Town Officials ,  Elected and Appointed Officials

This blog explores frequently asked questions related to roles and responsibilities of elected officials versus local government staff.

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Troublesome Behavior: Defending Against Harassment of Public Officials and Employees

March 18, 2021  by  Sarah Doar
Category:  County Officials ,  Personnel Policies ,  City and Town Officials ,  Elected and Appointed Officials

This blog explores strategies for dealing with members of the public who cross the line into harassing elected officials or local government staff.

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Who’s the Boss? Separation of Powers in Local Government

February 18, 2021  by  Linda Gallagher
Category:  County Officials ,  City and Town Officials ,  Elected and Appointed Officials

This blog post discusses the importance of the roles and responsibilities of elected and appointed officials working together in local governments.

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Political Speech and Lobbying by Local Government Employees: What are the Rules of Engagement?

April 17, 2017  by  Oskar Rey
Category:  County Officials ,  City and Town Officials ,  Elected and Appointed Officials

Wherever you fall on the political spectrum, it is important for government employees to know the rules of engagement. While everyone has First Amendment rights, there are certain restrictions on speech and lobbying that apply to employees of local public agencies. 

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Do Public Employees Lose Their Freedom of Speech?

February 3, 2015  by  Lynn Nordby
Category:  County Officials ,  City and Town Officials ,  Elected and Appointed Officials

Many local government executives have experienced a situation where an employee says something during a public comment period or gets a letter published about a government issue in a local newspaper. Can or should an executive prevent an employee from speaking out on issues?

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