﻿<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><rss version="2.0"><channel><title>MRSC In Focus</title><link>http://www.mrsc.org/focus/focusarclist.aspx</link><description>MRSC In Focus - Local Government News &amp; Information</description><copyright>(c) 2008, Municipal Research and Services Center of Washington - All rights reserved.</copyright><ttl>5</ttl><item><title>New FMLA Rules</title><description>New rules have been adopted governing the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA); they go into effect January 16, 2009.  &lt;a href="http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/esa/esa20081703.htm"&gt;More from the U.S. Department of Labor&lt;/a&gt;.</description><link>http://www.mrsc.org/focus/focus_rssarticle.aspx?fc=2658</link><pubDate>Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:35:05 PDT</pubDate></item><item><title>The Unofficial Role of the Administrator</title><description>Many mayor-council communities, looking for the benefits of professional management without the requirement of going through a formal election to change the form of government, have chosen to create a city administrator position to serve under the mayor. Lynn Nordby, MRSC Public Policy and Management Consultant, discusses the unofficial role of the city administrator in these communities. More from &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.mrsc.org/focus/0811administrator.pdf"&gt;Public Management&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.</description><link>http://www.mrsc.org/focus/focus_rssarticle.aspx?fc=2659</link><pubDate>Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:35:16 PDT</pubDate></item><item><title>A Few Good Sets of 2006 RCWs Available from MRSC</title><description>We've replaced our 2006 RCWs with new 2008 editions and have 12 complete sets of the old 2006 editions (along with the 2007 supplements) to give away. If your city hall or county courthouse could use a set of pre-owned 2006 RCWs, contact &lt;a href="mailto:ezwick@mrsc.org?subject=2006-2007 RCWs"&gt;Erica Zwick&lt;/a&gt;, MRSC Technical Services Librarian, who will be happy to mail you a set, while our limited supply lasts.</description><link>http://www.mrsc.org/focus/focus_rssarticle.aspx?fc=2648</link><pubDate>Thu, 13 Nov 2008 10:30:09 PDT</pubDate></item><item><title>Smart City - Tall Buildings and Public Spaces</title><description>This week on &lt;a href="http://www.smartcityradio.com/smartcityradio/past_shows.cfm?showsmartcityID=428"&gt;Smart City&lt;/a&gt;: Public space is important in both cities and in buildings. This week's guests include two people who are attempting to re-imagine those public spaces both inside and out.</description><link>http://www.mrsc.org/focus/focus_rssarticle.aspx?fc=2660</link><pubDate>Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:35:49 PDT</pubDate></item><item><title>Testing the Waters</title><description>Looking to introduce a bit of innovative programming at your aquatic center? It may be time to consider the options. &lt;a href="http://nrpablog.typepad.com/prnow/Nov08online/TestingWaters.pdf"&gt;More from &lt;em&gt;Parks &amp; Recreation&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.</description><link>http://www.mrsc.org/focus/focus_rssarticle.aspx?fc=2661</link><pubDate>Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:36:38 PDT</pubDate></item><item><title>Broken Benefits Promises?</title><description>Will public employers be able to actually afford their past promises for retiree health care? They need to conduct a formal sustainability audit. &lt;a href="http://www.governing.com/articles/0811gmillerc.htm"&gt;More from &lt;em&gt;Governing&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.</description><link>http://www.mrsc.org/focus/focus_rssarticle.aspx?fc=2662</link><pubDate>Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:37:05 PDT</pubDate></item><item><title>Regional Fire Authority Implementation Guide</title><description>In a joint venture, the Washington Fire Chiefs and the Washington State Council of Fire Fighters have developed a &lt;a href="http://www.wsafc.org/Assets/dept_1/PM/pdf/Regional%20Fire%20Authority%20Implementation%20Guide.pdf"&gt;&lt;em&gt;Regional Fire Authority (RFA) Implementation Guide&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; (545 KB) to assist agencies in determining if an RFA is right for them and, if so, how to initiate the RFA process.</description><link>http://www.mrsc.org/focus/focus_rssarticle.aspx?fc=2663</link><pubDate>Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:37:31 PDT</pubDate></item><item><title>Vancouver Selected to Receive Technical Assistance on Afterschool Systems</title><description>Seven cities, including Vancouver, WA, have been selected to participate in phase two of a National League of Cities (NLC) project to improve and expand out-of-school time learning opportunities for children and youth. &lt;a href="http://www.nlc.org/articles/articleItems/NCW111008/AfterschoolProjects.aspx"&gt;More from NLC&lt;/a&gt;.</description><link>http://www.mrsc.org/focus/focus_rssarticle.aspx?fc=2664</link><pubDate>Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:38:06 PDT</pubDate></item><item><title>Is The Mall Dead?</title><description>With lighter wallets and heavier burdens, Americans are rethinking their conspicuous consumption. That's bad news for retailers. &lt;a href="http://www.newsweek.com/id/168753"&gt;More from &lt;em&gt;Newsweek&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.</description><link>http://www.mrsc.org/focus/focus_rssarticle.aspx?fc=2665</link><pubDate>Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:38:48 PDT</pubDate></item><item><title>Rethinking Police Training</title><description>Ever since the U.S. Congress passed the Safe Streets Act of 1968, which provided substantial federal assistance to local law enforcement agencies for training, basic recruit peace officer training has been a significant and ongoing issue across the country. &lt;a 
href="http://policechiefmagazine.org/magazine/index.cfm?fuseaction=display&amp;article_id=1667&amp;issue_id=112008"&gt;More from &lt;em&gt;The Police Chief&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.</description><link>http://www.mrsc.org/focus/focus_rssarticle.aspx?fc=2666</link><pubDate>Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:40:33 PDT</pubDate></item><item><title>Self-Reliant Cities - Energy and the Transformation of Urban America</title><description>Originally published in 1982, The New Rules Project is making available, as a free download, "&lt;a 
href="http://www.ilsr.org/pubs/selfreliantcities.pdf"&gt;Self-Reliant Cities&lt;/a&gt;" since many of its discussions are as relevant today as they were 25 years ago.</description><link>http://www.mrsc.org/focus/focus_rssarticle.aspx?fc=2667</link><pubDate>Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:41:00 PDT</pubDate></item><item><title>Web Sightings - Fiscal Crisis in Local Government</title><description>This month we’ve selected a variety of &lt;a href="http://mrsc.org/focus/focusarchive.aspx?y=08&amp;m=11#2650"&gt;articles addressing the fiscal crisis facing local governments&lt;/a&gt; in the fall of 2008.</description><link>http://www.mrsc.org/focus/focus_rssarticle.aspx?fc=2650</link><pubDate>Thu, 13 Nov 2008 10:51:17 PDT</pubDate></item><item><title>Finance Advisor - Long-Term Budget Strategy Considerations</title><description>In this month's &lt;a href="http://www.mrsc.org/focus/finadvisor/fina1108.aspx"&gt;Finance &lt;em&gt;Advisor&lt;/em&gt; column&lt;/a&gt;, Tracey Dunlap, Director of Finance &amp; Administration, City of Kirkland, suggests that while future downturns cannot be avoided, they can be planned for by continuing to be prepared and pursuing conservative budget policies.</description><link>http://www.mrsc.org/focus/finadvisor/fina1108.aspx</link><pubDate>Thu, 20 Nov 2008 08:10:00 PDT</pubDate></item><item><title>What's New</title><description>The Federal Trade Commission's recent rules on identity theft, known as "Red Flag Rules", require financial institutions, utilities, and other creditors to set up programs aimed at preventing identity theft.  Because of the definition of "creditor"in the rules,  these rules appear to apply to local government utilities.  The joint final rules and guidelines were effective January 1, 2008. The mandatory compliance date for this rule is November 1, 2008.  Our new page on &lt;a href="http://www.mrsc.org/subjects/pubworks/utilbill/RedFlag.aspx"&gt;Identity Theft "Red Flags" Rules &lt;/a&gt; provides information developed by several of the state municipal leagues on the compliance measures, as well as  the FTC regulations.</description><pubDate>Fri, 26 Sep 2008 10:58:49 PDT</pubDate></item></channel></rss>