Governance

This page is intended to provide information on governance issues for city and county officials. If you have information to share (e.g., ordinances, sample policies, issue papers, etc.) or if you are aware of other Web sites to which we should link, please contact Byron Katsuyama, MRSC Public Policy Consultant, at bkatsuyama@mrsc.org, Pam James, MRSC Legal Consultant, at pjames@mrsc.org, or call (206) 625-1300.

Contents

• Best Practices in Local Government
• Boards and Commissions
• Candidate Information Resources, for Washington City and County Elective Offices
• City/Town Government Organization
  • Classification and Organization
  • Forms of Government
  • Incorporation
  • Annexation
• County Government Organization
  • Overview and History
  • Classification and Organization
  • Forms of Government
  • Elected Officials
• Contacting Your Government Representatives
• Demographic Change and Local Government
• E-Government and E-Commerce
• Effective Communication and Citizen Involvement
  • Guides and Toolboxes
  • Effective Approaches for Getting the Word Out to Citizens
  • Focus on Feedback (Is Anyone Listening?)
  • Involving Citizens in Community Improvement
  • Communicating About Government Spending (What we get for our Dollar)
  • Communicating About Government Services (What's in it for You?)
  • Comprehensive Citizen Involvement/Public Relations Programs
  • National/State Opinion Polls about Government Performance
• Election Campaigns
• Ethics - Sample Codes
• Fiscal Guides
• Guides and Handbooks
• Creating Inclusive Communities: Cultural and Ethnic Diversity
• Intergovernmental Cooperation
• Legal Issues
  • Appearance of Fairness
  • Conflicts of Interest
  • Open Public Meetings Act
  • See also Legal Page
• Legislative Process/Policy-Making
  • Introduction
  • Making Policy is Job #1 for Legislators
  • Roles and Responsibilities
  • Is it Policy or Administration?
  • The Policy-Making Process
  • Effective Public Participation
  • Reading List
  • The Council Meeting
  • Council/Board of Commissioners Rules of Procedure
  • Agendas
  • Forms of Official Action
  • Parliamentary Procedures
  • Initiative and Referendum ( 306kb)
    • Cities and Counties That Have Powers of Initiative and Referendum
  • Open Public Meetings Act
  • Public Hearings: When and How to Hold Them
  • Robert's Rules Web Site
• Local Government Broadcasting of Public Meetings
• Local Government in Washington - An Overview
• Mandatory/Discretionary Functions of Cities and Counties
• Newly Elected County Officials Information
• Newly Elected City Officials Information
• Performance Measurement
• Removal from Office by Recall
• Roles of Elected Officials
• Special Purpose Districts
• Strategic Management Planning
• Trust in Government
• Youth
  • Local Government Education for Youth
  • Youth Participation in Local Government