March 6, 2024

Honoring the women leading Washington cities
Washington’s women leaders are innovative, resourceful, and powerful change-makers. In honor of Women’s History Month—and International Women’s Day coming up on Friday—check out this Instagram reel showcasing just a few inspiring women leaders from Washington cities. Then follow us on social media for more posts honoring Washington women leaders throughout the month! (You can connect to our social media accounts using the icons at the bottom of this email.)

Register today for Labor Relations Institute!
May 8-10 | Yakima
AWC’s Labor Relations Institute is the premier training event for public sector human resources professionals in Washington, offering legal updates, labor relations strategies, networking opportunities, and practical guidance to help you navigate the complex and ever-changing world of HR. This year’s Institute is full of timely and relevant topics, from the emerging impacts of artificial intelligence on hiring and data privacy, to making sense of compensation analysis. Register today. Note: Attendance at the Institute is limited to those who solely represent the interests of management.

030423SessionRoundupVideo Watch our end-of-session roundup
Sine die is tomorrow, and AWC lobbyists recently got together to discuss the final days of the 2024 session. Watch this nine-minute video to review the highlights and themes of the short 60-day session—and to preview the long legislative interim, the campaign season, and the 2025 session. Watch for the Legislative Bulletin on Monday for updates on the state budgets and other city priorities.

Legislature passes three of the six initiatives
Three of the six initiatives to the Legislature passed the House and Senate on March 4 and will become law (I-2111, Prohibiting an income tax; I-2113, Vehicular pursuits; I-2081, Parental rights in education). The other three (I-2109, Capital gains tax; I-2117, Repealing the Climate Commitment Act; I-2124, Making the WA Cares Fund voluntary) will likely head directly to the November ballot. AWC’s role with regard to initiatives is to provide educational information on the potential impacts of an initiative on cities, where applicable. City officials should familiarize themselves with PDC rules regarding ballot measures. Read our coverage of the initiatives.

raised hands Update on Johnson & Johnson and other opioid settlements
Washington local governments will receive up to $61.6 million in June 2024 from the recent Johnson & Johnson opioid settlement if all eligible cities and counties participate. The sign-on deadline for this settlement is May 11, 2024. Learn more about this and other opioid settlements and the Health Care Authority’s upcoming learning collaboratives to discuss the use of settlement funds.

Wellness health image Interested in running for the AWC Board of Directors? Learn more and apply!
March 26, 2-3 pm | Online
Have you considered running for the AWC Board of Directors, but aren’t sure what serving on the Board entails? Join current AWC Board members and CEO Deanna Dawson for an informal Q&A to get answers, learn about Board member roles and responsibilities, and find out how to apply and run for a position. Mark your calendar and register now.

The AWC Nominating Committee is calling for applications for even-numbered AWC Board districts through April 8. Members of the AWC Board play a critical role in AWC’s success—learn how you can join in this important work.

Other news & resources

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

U.S. Dept. of Labor makes $200 million available in grants to expand registered apprenticeships; cities eligible to apply. More

Third funding round of AWC’s Alternative Response Team Grants opens March 11. Register for an information session on March 7. More

Learn about local emerging contaminants projects funded through Clean Water State Revolving Fund dollars at EPA’s March 13 webinar. More

Seattle City Light invites your utility staff to an in-person workshop on the EPA’s new water infrastructure decision-making tool on March 21. Check out the event flyer and agenda for more information.

USDA’s Rural Development to open a funding round for its Broadband ReConnect Program on March 22. More

Funding is still available from Commerce to help cities and counties plan together for their lowest-income housing needs. Apply by March 29. More

$67 million available for Community Decarbonization Grants from Dept. of Commerce; apply by April 5. More

City officials who serve on their local 911 board or agency are encouraged to apply to serve on the Enhanced 911 Advisory Committee by April 15. More

Federal grant opportunity offers resources to support first responders training, administering, and distributing naloxone and other FDA-approved overdose reversal medications and devices. Apply by April 15. More

Submit your city’s highest-priority funding needs for freight mobility projects by April 19 to be considered for inclusion in the FMSIB’s Six-Year Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Program. Attend a Q&A on March 26 and apply soon. More

The Joint Legislative Audit & Review Committee lodging tax system is open for required annual reporting on city and county 2023 lodging tax expenditures. Submit the annual report by April 22 for technical review. More

Wellness health image Elected Officials Essentials: Your first 100 days
Advocacy is a year-round job
Session may be almost over, but your role as a strong city advocate isn’t. The legislative interim is a critical time for communicating with your legislators and building relationships. Take a moment to thank them for their service during the session and invite them to attend an upcoming council meeting to provide an update on what happened this session. Check out our year-round advocacy tools.

AWC trainings & events

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

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

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: 2024 Legislative Sesson recap (AWC members only) | April 11 | Online

AWC: Small City Connectors | Multiple dates | Multiple locations

April 24 | Napavine
May 2 | Roslyn
May 9 | Medical Lake

Other trainings & events

PDC: Understanding the F-1 Personal Financial Affairs Statement | March 14 or on-demand | Online

U.S. DOE: Energy code enforcement challenges and opportunities in rural communities | March 21 | Online

MRSC: PRA deep dive: Personnel and employment records | March 26 | Online

MRSC: Public Records Act basics & more – Virtual workshop | April dates | Online

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

State Archives: Records management workshops | Multiple dates | Online

Enhance your efforts to find great talent—make JobNet part of your recruiting strategy!

Featured jobs:
City of Ridgefield | Project Manager (Capital)
Town of Odessa | Deputy Clerk/Treasurer
City of Bremerton | Public Works Operations Manager