January 31, 2024

City Action Days logo Deadline approaching: CQC scholarship nominations due Feb. 8
Time to get your nominations in for the AWC Center for Quality Communities (CQC) scholarship! Don’t miss this chance to spotlight a civic-minded student leader from your city. Visit the CQC website to find all the details on how to nominate students. Up to three $3,000 scholarships will be awarded in April 2024. City nominations are due to the CQC by February 8. Questions? Email CQC.

Attorney General’s Office announces new opioid settlement with Johnson & Johnson
Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced last week that the State of Washington has entered into a settlement agreement with Johnson & Johnson for the company's deceptive marketing practices that helped fuel the opioid epidemic in our state. The settlement agreement splits the $123.34 million evenly between the state and local governments. If all eligible cities and counties join, the payment will be made in June 2024.

City Action Days logo AWC 101: An overview of your association
February 15 | Online
Join this sure-to-be lively Q&A with AWC CEO Deanna Dawson—the first of our seven-part Elected Officials Essentials webinar series. Whether you’re a new or seasoned member of AWC, you’re sure to learn something valuable. Explore the wide range of services AWC offers you and your city—from education, research, and networking to legislative advocacy and member pooling programs. Register for AWC 101, then check out the rest of the series!

2024 AWC Board Nominating Committee appointments announced
AWC President Betsy Wilkerson has appointed members to the AWC Board Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee recruits, interviews, and selects a list of candidates for election to the AWC Board of Directors at AWC's Business Meeting on June 20. See who is serving on this year’s committee.

raised hands Improving city resilience with cyber checkups: Five things cities can do now
Cities of all sizes could be only one click away from a cyberattack. Since 2016, governments in Washington have reported over 100 cyber incidents totaling $25 million in losses—with 60 local governments reporting they experienced a cyberattack in just the past two years. Check out this Cityvision article for tips and resources from the State Auditor’s Office to safeguard your systems. For a deeper dive, watch AWC’s eLearning on local government cybersecurity.

Other news & resources

Listen to the latest CityVoice Podcast for an update from AWC's Carl Schroeder on housing policy in the 2024 legislative session. More

Stay current with AWC’s new bill tracker to find the latest information on bills of interest to cities. More

AWC’s legislative priority fact sheets now available with bill numbers. More

JLARC’s online reporting system for lodging tax expenditures is open for required 2023 reporting. More

U.S. Supreme Court will hear Ninth Circuit’s Grants Pass homelessness case. More

Enter Jurassic Parliament’s "How to Be a Good Mayor" contest to win prizes. More

Learn about the state’s Clean Buildings standards and requirements at one of several upcoming events. More

Broadband service mapping: Local government participation needed. Find out how at this informational webinar on February 1. More

Attend a February 1 webinar to learn about a funding opportunity to expand the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion/Let everyone advance with dignity (LEAD) programs. More

Need funding for outdoor recreation or habitat conservation projects? RCO kicks off its biennial grant application cycle with a series of webinars on February 14. More

Apply by March 24 for the David Bohnett Leaders Fellowship – an intensive executive education program aimed at developing a strong cohort of LGBTQ+ public officials. More

Wellness health image Elected Officials Essentials: Your first 100 days
AWC Equity Resource Guide: Tools and case studies for Washington cities
As we head into Black History Month, be sure to check out AWC’s Equity Resource Guide for tips and resources on improving diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) in your community. Explore opportunities for local governments to use an equity lens to highlight historical disparities and find inspiration for future improvements—no matter your city’s size or location.

AWC trainings & events

AWC: City Action Calls (AWC members only) | February 2 at 12:30 | Online

AWC: City Action Days | February 7-8 | Lacey

AWC: Elected Officials Essentials webinar series | 2024 dates | Online

February 15: AWC 101
March 21: Ethics 101
April 18: GMA planning 101
May 16: Finance 101
September 12: Social media 101
October 17: Tribal government relations 101
November 7: Human resources 101

AWC: Mayors Exchange (Join wait list) | February 22 | Olympia

Trust: Healthy Worksite Summit | March 13-14 | Lynnwood

Other trainings & events

MRSC: Digging into public works fundamentals (Free)
February 8 | Vancouver
March 21 | Wenatchee

MRSC: Using surplus public property for affordable housing | February 20 | Online

MRSC: The OPMA – Common challenges and practical considerations | February 29 | Online

NLC: Congressional City Conference | March 9-13 | Washington, D.C.

RDI: Regards to Rural conference | April 19-20 | Kennewick

State Archives: Records management workshops | Multiple dates | Online

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