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Municipal Research News - MRSC Celebrates 75 Years
MRSC Celebrates 75 Years
A municipal research and services program for Washington local governments has been around a long time. In fact, on July 5, 2009, the program will be 75 years old. The concept for a local government research and service program came out of the national public administration movement of the 1930s, a concept aided by the Rockefeller Foundation with its focus on enhancing public administration. However, unlike many of the other local government research and service programs started at that time, Washington State’s has survived.
History
The history of the organization now called Municipal Research and Services Center (MRSC) began 75 years ago with the Bureau of Governmental Research and Services (the Bureau) at the University of Washington. The Bureau came into being with investment from a diverse set of stakeholders. The Association of Washington Cities (AWC), which began operating in 1933, provided the impetus behind the creation of a research bureau. AWC saw the need for the research and study of conditions and practices making for good local governance and then for sharing that information with municipalities in the state. The University of Washington saw itself as a natural setting for a laboratory for studying local governance and thus agreed to house the research bureau and provide additional funding. At this time, there were a number of municipal research organizations sprouting all over the country as an outgrowth of the rebuilding years of the Great Depression. The American Municipal Association, an organization that had been assisting many of these organizations, decided this new venture in the Pacific Northwest was a worthy investment and contributed funding support. Also, with help from the American Municipal Association, the fledgling Bureau applied for and received grant funding from the Rockefeller Foundation Spelman Fund, a charitable grant organization set up posthumously by the Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial for the advancement of good civic projects. Thus, in 1934, the Bureau of Governmental Research and Services was born.
For several years, AWC and the Bureau functioned as one unit. Both organizations worked with and out of the University of Washington, using staff and equipment from the political science department. Correspondence, records and files, bookkeeping and budgeting – all were handled for both organizations in a single office. Although the primary purpose of the Bureau was to provide services to all governmental agencies and political subdivisions of the state, the Bureau’s program specialized in municipal research and services, due, in large part, to the close affiliation with AWC. Finding strength in unity, both organizations patterned their association after similar relationships between leagues of municipalities and university bureaus of research in other states.
As AWC grew in size and the Bureau expanded its activities, the need to separate the two organizations became increasingly apparent. From the beginning, it was evident there was a need to maintain a distinction between the research and services rendered by the Bureau and the political and legislative activities carried out by AWC. This was not always an easy task with both operating as one unit. Also, the expanding work load of both organizations demanded that each employ larger staffs as well as a full-time executive director. Although still sharing offices at the university, the two organizations separated in 1939 and established a more clearly defined working relationship between them.
From 1939 through 1945, the two organizations continued to maintain a close working relationship as they enlarged their respective programs. However, during this period, the Bureau was finding it increasingly difficult to keep up with the larger demand for its services due to its limited budget. It became evident that either the university would have to increase its funding or revenue from other sources would need to be found. Increased university funding was not made available, so AWC took the matter into its own hands. After World War II, AWC presented to the 1945 legislature a bill proposing that an allocation of a portion of the cities’ share of the motor vehicle excise tax be diverted to the Bureau through the university and in cooperation with AWC. The monies would be used for increased research and consultative services to the cities and towns in the state. The bill passed unanimously, and for the next 25 years, this funding for the Bureau continued.
With the increase in funding, the staff and program of the Bureau expanded over time. As a consequence of this expansion, the organization evolved into a more autonomous one. The Bureau’s relationship and ties began shifting away from the university which, in time, brought about major changes for the Bureau. In 1969, a state agency, the Municipal Research Council, was created to provide oversight and funding of the local government research and services program. At this time, the Bureau’s program at the University of Washington was terminated. Many of the Bureau’s staff left the university to continue the program under a new organization called Municipal Research and Services Center of Washington (MRSC). MRSC was created as an independent, non-profit organization and was given a contract by the Municipal Research Council to continue the programs of the Bureau of Governmental Research and Services.
During the time the Bureau was affiliated with the university, the Bureau and AWC shared offices. After MRSC was formed as an independent entity, the two organizations continued sharing office space off campus in Seattle until 1989. At that time, AWC moved its offices to Olympia, where it continues to operate today. MRSC, after relocating its offices to Kirkland for a few years, moved back to Seattle and has been operating there for the past 14 years.
Funding
Since its inception, funding of the research and services program has come from diverse sources, eventually evolving into an appropriation received through city-derived funds. As stated earlier, starting in 1945, the program for cities and towns was partially funded, and later fully funded, through a small portion of the cities’ share of the motor vehicle excise tax. When the passage of I-695 eliminated the motor vehicle excise tax, funding for cities was shifted to a small portion of the cities’ distributions of the Liquor Board profits. In 1997, the program was expanded to include Washington counties, funded from a distribution of the counties’ share of liquor excise tax. In 2007, special purpose districts were added to the program with a small appropriation from the state legislature. However, as of 2009, the state legislature eliminated the special purpose district funding due to the severe budget crisis. Total funding is provided through a biennial contract with the Municipal Research Council.
Services
From the beginning, the purpose for creating our organization was to provide research and services that would benefit local government in the state of Washington. In conjunction with AWC, the Bureau, and later MRSC, instituted many activities relating to municipal governance, including the preparation of research and study reports, information bulletins, and publications; the creation of an ordinance reference file; the establishment of a municipal government reference library; and the provision of consultative and advisory services.
Publications
Publications have always been an important part of the services extended to local governments, first by the Bureau and then by MRSC. These publications were then, and continue to be today, comprehensive and timely and designed to assist local officials in carrying out their duties, as well as to provide practical information about emerging issues. The first publications issued by the Bureau were research studies that reflected matters of everyday concern to municipal officials of that time, such as “Liquor Revenue for Washington Municipalities, “Salaries of Municipal Officials in Washington, 1934,” and “Street Lighting in the State of Washington.” Today, our publications cover a broad range of subjects and topics and continue to deal with the concerns of local government, ranging from The Appearance of Fairness Doctrine in Washington State to Nuisance Regulation for Washington Cities and Counties; and from Personal Services Contracting Manual for Washington Ports to Public Records Act for Washington Cities and Counties. Today, we significantly rely upon the web for distribution of information to local governments; most publications may now be viewed and downloaded from the MRSC website.
Library
Fortunately, when the Bureau’s program was terminated in 1969, all informational holdings dating from 1934, including correspondence and inquiry records, were transferred to MRSC. Today the MRSC library contains the state’s largest collection of local government reference documents, including local ordinances, codes, budgets, comprehensive plans, and other documents illustrating virtually every function and operation of local government.
Inquiry Service
One of the most valuable services provided by our organization has always been, and continues to be, the consultative and advisory service, or inquiry service as it is called today. Over the years, inquiries have covered many aspects of local government. In 1939, the first few “part-time research assistants” responded to approximately 139 inquiries in the first nine months of operation. Today, MRSC has a consultant staff of 12 highly-qualified professionals with experience in the areas of budget and finance, municipal law, public management, growth management, public works, utilities, and local government policies. Last year MRSC responded to over 7,500 requests for professional assistance.
"Newer" Services
In keeping with our purpose of providing timely research and services to Washington State local governments, MRSC has added in the last few years other services to those we have provided since 1934.
Web Site www.mrsc.org
The development of the MRSC website has occurred over the past several years. The major goals of the website are to provide a “virtual” collection of local government library materials, and to facilitate self-service research about local government matters. Information on our site is constantly being revised, updated, and developed. Our website may be the most comprehensive local government site in the United States. It contains information relevant to Washington State local government, including weekly news, sample documents, state statutes and administrative rules, articles, publications, court decisions, responses to common questions received by MRSC, and much more. Our website is available to anyone with web access from anywhere in the world. Nearly 250,000 local officials, state officials, and citizens currently visit our site every month.
Professional Development Services
MRSC helps a number of local government organizations carry out their professional development services by supplying administrative support. We serve the Washington Association of Municipal Attorneys (WSAMA), the Washington City/County Management Association (WCMA), the Washington Finance Officers Association (WFOA), the American Public Works Association (APWA), and the Washington Municipal Treasurers Association (WMTA). Each of these organizations has an MRSC professional staff member as a liaison and an assigned administrative staff member who is responsible for any or all of the following: managing the organization’s membership services, including the membership database; preparing and mailing newsletters and other informational materials; and handling conference mailings and registrations.
Rosters Program
The newest addition to the services offered by MRSC is the rosters program (MRSC Rosters). Traditionally, municipalities have managed and funded individual small public works contractor rosters. Now MRSC has developed MRSC Rosters, a statewide shared roster system, to provide municipalities with a cost-effective and more efficient way to search for potential bidders. Also, MRSC Rosters offers contractors a more convenient way to market their services to municipalities statewide. This program is open to all Washington cities, counties, and special purpose districts; to contractors having a current Washington UBI number and are eligible to perform small public works projects (under $200,000); and to consultants with a current Washington UBI number. To find out more and/or to register, visit our website: www.mrs.org.
Legacy
MRSC is proud of its history. The Bureau began helping cities in Washington State back in 1934, exhibiting a dedication to local government that continues today with MRSC.
Our founders recognized the extraordinary value of sharing resources for common purposes. Our services and resources enable local governments to freely borrow upon the experiences of other local governments. Smaller jurisdictions with few resources are able to get information and advice that would otherwise not be affordable.
Thomas Jefferson believed that democracy at the national level could not exist without strong local democracy. Local government is closest to the people, and people expect government to be open, transparent, inclusive, fair, responsible, and responsive. For 75 years, MRSC’s programs and services have helped jurisdictions in Washington State provide strong local government.
MRSC plays an important role in supporting all levels of local government in Washington State – cities, towns, counties, and special purpose districts. We are proud of our mission – “working together for excellence in local government through professional consultation, research and information services.” We are proud to celebrate 75 years of service and look forward to the next 75 years!
Much of the history information in this article was taken from the book Twenty-five Years of Governmental Research and Service, published by the University of Washington, Seattle, April 1959.
This article was a collaborative effort by Connie Elliot, MRSC Research Associate; Erich Dewald, MRSC Library Technician; Rich Yukubousky, MRSC Executive Director; and Lynne De Merritt, MRSC Senior Research Consultant.
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