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About 60 cities in the state have adopted initiative and referendum powers, according to the Seattle-based Municipal Research and Services Center.

The cities of Arlington, Issaquah, Kent, Kirkland, Maple Valley, North Bend, Poulsbo, SeaTac, Snohomish and Tukwila have also adopted moratoriums on dispensaries or gardens or both, according to the Municipal Research and Services Center of Washington. Castle Rock, Everett and Ellensburg have adopted interim regulations on gardens.

Lester said her consultations with the Municipal Research and Services Center of Washington indicated council members could use city money to hire legal advisers in "rare instances" when the city's in-house attorney has a conflict of interest.

Lester said that she felt confident that there was a conflict of interest after speaking with the Municipal Research and Services Center of Washington.

It’s unclear how many city councils in Washington open meetings with invocations or moments of reflection. Pat Mason, senior legal consultant for the Seattle-based Municipal Research and Services Center, said it doesn’t keep track. The center does get occasional inquiries from local governments about the legality, he said.

In Washington state, about 30 or 40 cities have passed moratoriums on collective medical marijuana gardens allowed under state law, said Jim Doherty, legal consultant for the Municipal Research and Services Center of Washington. Some residents see medical marijuana sales as a nuisance, he said.

It was unclear if the town could have started the new year without a new budget. Municipal Research and Services Center of Washington (MRSC), which advises town and city governments, said last month that the question is “legally a bit fuzzy,” but councils are “required to adopt the budget before the end of the year or there are significant uncertainties, including potential liability for city officials who approve any expenditures without lawful appropriations.” MRSC offered no evidence of municipal governments that have been shut down for lack of a current budget.

She cited information from Municipal Research and Services Center of Washington (MRSC), which advises town and city governments. A memo from one of MRSC's legal consultants states that the issue is "legally a bit fuzzy," but councils are "required to adopt the budget before the end of the year or there are significant uncertainties, including potential liability for city officials who approve any expenditures without lawful appropriations."

The review would be performed by Department of Commerce Municipal Research and Services Center.

The state would coordinate the reviews through Municipal Research and Services Center of Washington. The organization is a Seattle-based nonprofit ...

Looking for some answers, Campbell contacted the Municipal Research and Services Center of Washington, an organization that serves as a resource for elected officials and employees of cities and towns dealing with complex issues.

According to the Municipal Research and Services Center of Washington website, “Public employees may have the right to a pre-disciplinary ‘Name-Clearing’ hearing which is referred to as a Loudermill hearing.

Langley officials said the city attorney, and an outside attorney from the Municipal Research and Services Center of Washington, agreed that the hiring of a chief was a promotion.

“(Cities) are trying to encourage development and make things a little bit easier due to the economy,” said Carol Tobin, planning consultant at the Municipal Research and Services Center.
Tobin said she’s unaware of any community other than UP that provides a credit on the fee from sales-tax generating businesses.

Mielke, Hayes deny dating conflict - Spokesman Review, October 23, 2011

Spokane County Commissioner Todd Mielke says his dating relationship with a District Court judge poses no conflict as commissioners prepare to fill a vacancy on the court.
Mielke said his understanding of state law is that conflicts of interest must involve personal gain. Published research by the nonprofit Municipal Research and Services Center of Washington supports Mielke’s view.

No more mayor in Lynnwood? - The Weekly Herald, October 17, 2011

Proposition 1 on the Nov. 8 ballot would toss out Lynnwood’s current form of government in which voters directly elect a mayor to be the city’s chief executive officer.
In its place, it calls for switching to a model in which a professional city manager is hired and supervised by the City Council to oversee Lynnwood’s day-to-day operations.
The majority of cities and towns in Washington operate with the strong mayor form of government, according to the Municipal Research and Services Center of Washington. MSRC is a private nonprofit that gathers and disseminates information on governmental services.

Home rule charter -- Government by the people? - Yakima Herald-Republic, October 8, 2011

The issue is Proposition 1: Do county voters want a proposed charter written and who should prepare it?
Ten other counties have tried and failed. Only Whatcom and Clallam were able to adopt a charter on the first try, according to the state Municipal Research and Services Center, a nonprofit group that provides support to local governments.