MRSC FOCUS
› Focus - May 2000
Note: Some of the information on this archival Web page may no longer be current.
Focus - May 2000
Inquiry of the Week
[Previous inquiries of the week]
Supreme Court Rules Public Employers May Require Use of Accrued Comp Time
The U.S. Supreme Court, in a decision issued May 1, has determined that a public employer may require its employees to use their accumulated compensatory time, allowing the employer to avoid the potential adverse fiscal consequences of large leave balances. In reaching its decision, the Court in Christensen v. Harris County (
68kb), 68 U.S.L.W. 4343 (2000), rejected the argument raised by employees that
a forced use of compensatory time was only possible if agreed to by the parties.
The New MRSC Discussion Forum is Up and Running!
MRSC has launched the new Discussion Forum area of our Web site. You can use the discussion forums to collaborate with other city and county officials and to share information, ideas, experience and resources relating to local government. The permanent link to the Discussion Forum area is listed under the "Communicate" menu on the left hand side of the home page. Sign up as a "new user" on the Welcome page, get your password, and join the discussion. You can also enter as a "guest", but you will then be limited to "read-only" access. Please join the discussion!
MRSC Library Catalog Now Available Online
Find out what documents we have in our library available on loan to Washington city and county officials and staff. Search our entire library holdings of more than 10,000 documents by subject, author or title. If you find items that you would like to borrow, you may either submit the library loan request form or call the MRSC library. While we have the full text of many city and county documents posted on our Web site, the library catalog contains records of materials that are not available in electronic format.ESA (Endangered Species Act) in the City
Are you looking for practical advice, or are frustrated or confused about what you should be doing to address ESA listings? Do you want to find out what other cities are doing? Do you have ideas about how your city or town can work more effectively with state and/or federal agencies? If the answer is YES to any or all of the above, AWC's Interactive ESA Forum (Friday, June 2, 2000, Embassy Suites, Seattle-SeaTac) for City/Town representatives across the state is for you!
MRSC Welcomes Erica Zwick
Erica Zwick joins the MRSC library staff this month. She replaces Drew Derby as our new Technical Services Librarian, and will be responsible for the Information Partnership Program. For the past eight years, Erica has worked for the Book Publishing Co. where she was a technical editor and software support specialist. Previously, she had been the librarian for a local law firm. Erica's responsibilities will include cataloging, indexing and library collection development.Pipeline Safety
A number of cities and counties in Western Washington are uniting to deal with a common issue: the safety of liquid petroleum and natural gas pipelines. This movement was largely precipitated by the Bellingham tragedy. An interlocal agreement will be presented to various local government legislative bodies for review and approval. The intent is to form an entity which will be funded by the member jurisdictions and will use legal and engineering experts to fully explore what can and should be done to adequately protect the communities through which these pipelines pass. There are significant pipelines in Eastern Washington and Southwestern Washington, and it is hoped that eventually all the impacted jurisdictions will join together for this common goal. Contact Jim Doherty at Municipal Research for further information.Small Works Roster Changes in 2000
ESSB 6347 regarding small works rosters has passed the Legislature, been signed by Governor Locke and will become effective June 8, 2000. This legislation, Chapter 138, Laws of 2000, changes small works roster provisions for awarding public works contracts. More …PTI Conference Papers Online
If you missed the Public Technology, Inc. (PTI) Annual Member Conference, April 6-8, 2000, in Denver, Colorado, many of the conference presentations are available on PTI's site. The conference theme was "Convergence: Connecting Government, Technology and the Citizen."Access Washington Through New LISTSERV Service
Washington State is providing a new e-mail list distribution service called LISTSERV through which citizens can request to be notified via e-mail about current events in specific areas of government. With this service, citizens will also be able to participate in discussion groups for the issues and topics of interest to them. The service will also enable state and local government agencies to reach out directly to businesses, organizations and the general public in a much quicker and more efficient manner. For more information see the listserv.wa.gov site.Woodinville's False Alarm Ordinance Gets Results
The number of false alarm calls within the City of Woodinville is only about half that of a year ago, a statistic that is music to the ears of Sgt. Ken Wardstrom, Woodinville's chief of police services. More information can be found on Woodinville's Web site.Port Angeles' Gift Catalog
Port Angeles' community parks gift project provides an opportunity for residents to be personally involved in maintaining the special character of their community. From trees to trails, drinking fountains to outdoor play equipment, the gift project catalog contains a partial listing of those projects within the city's parks that need funding. We like it!Participation Through Citizens Juries
Looking for a different approach to citizen participation? A Citizens Jury is a process through which representative panels of citizens meet for several days to examine public policy issues and present their recommendations to decision-makers and the public. Developed by the Jefferson Center, a non-profit, non-partisan organization located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Citizens Juries are designed to allow decision-makers to hear the people's authentic voice. More information is available on the Jefferson Center site.Web Sightings - Water Resources
There's a wealth of information available on the Web on water resources, stormwater management, and watershed protection. Here are a few of our favorite sites:- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Wetlands, Watersheds and Oceans - Includes information on wetlands, shorelines and oceans, watersheds, water quality, and runoff.
- Center for Watershed Protection - Provides information on techniques to protect and restore urban watersheds and serves as a technical resource for local and state governments on stormwater and watershed protection programs.
- Water Environment Federation - A non-profit organization of water quality experts dedicated to preserving and enhancing the global water environment. Includes technical information center, publications, links, and more.
- National Stormwater Best Management Practices Database - Provides a tool for evaluating stormwater BMP effectiveness and includes BMP performance data for over 70 studies conducted within last 15 years. Developed by American Society of Civil Engineers.
- National Watershed Network - Know Your Watershed - Watershed information network includes guides, glossary, library of tools, and allows you to search for information on your specific watershed.
- American Public Works Association Resource Center, Water Resources - Links to some of the best water resources sites.