MRSC FOCUS
› Focus - September 2000
Note: Some of the information on this archival Web page may no longer be current.
Focus - September 2000
Inquiry of the Week
[Previous inquiries of the week]
National Marine Fisheries 4(d) Rule Workshops
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is hosting several 4(d) rule workshops for local jurisdictions and interested citizens throughout the state between September 25 and November 14. The rules, which protect salmon listed under the Endangered Species Act, go into effect on January 6, 2001. For listed steelhead populations, the rules went into effect on September 8, 2000, pursuant to a court order . Please see the NMFS Web site for more information on workshop locations and dates. Registration is required.Initiative 722 and 745 Information
MRSC has assembled basic information on two initiatives that affect local government in Washington State and will be on the ballot this November:- Initiative 722 - Repeal of Certain Tax and Fee Increases and Limitation of Property Tax Levies.
- Initiative 745 - Making Road Construction and Road Maintenance the Top Priority of the State Transportation System.
New Local Ballot Title Legislation
New legislation enacted at the 2000 legislative session changed somewhat the procedures for local governments to draft ballot titles for future ballot propositions. The legislation was effective on June 8, 2000 and applies to all elections, commencing with the September 19, 2000, primary election. An article prepared by Lee Voorhees and Jim McNeill, bond attorneys for Foster, Pepper & Shefelman, provides more information and examples of ballot titles.New Storm and Surface Water Management Page
Our new Storm and Surface Water Management page covers the complex array of water quality and storm water regulations as well as storm and surface water plans, best management practices, erosion and sediment control, sewer and storm water conservation and efficiency loans, surface water utilities, and public education.The Bidding Book for Washington Cities and Towns
MRSC's updated The Bidding Book for Washington Cities and Towns (
799kb) is now available. This publication is designed to familiarize city officials
with the requirements imposed by the state statutes on competitive bidding, recommended
bidding procedures, and public purchasing procedures.
Best Available Science Alert
On August 27, 2000 the Best Available Science (BAS) Rule went into effect. This rule requires counties and cities to use “best available science” in developing local policies and regulations for critical areas and for preserving or enhancing anadromous fisheries. It will take the Department of Community Development up to six months to develop technical assistance pieces to help local governments respond to the rule. In the interim, if your city or county is preparing strategies or procedures in using best available science, we would appreciate your e-mailing any documents you have prepared to MRSC or mailing hard copies to: MRSC, 1200 5th Ave., Ste 1300, Seattle, WA 98101. More on the BAS Rule…E-Government Services Increasing
An increasing number of local governments have begun using the Web to provide online permitting and licensing, conduct auctions, solicit bids, accept service requests, take testimony, and conduct surveys. We have reorganized our e-government page by service type, and added links to services that have recently come online. Please let us know if you are aware of other local governments that provide e-government services.Housing America's Seniors
A new publication from the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University, Housing America's Seniors, addresses public policy issues associated with housing for the elderly, an area of increasing concern with the aging of the baby boom generation.Debut of Tacoma's Districtspace.com
Tacoma's new Web site, Districtspace.com helps market commercial properties in the city's neighborhood business districts. This site assists property owners in marketing their buildings and helps potential businesses find their ideal location. Tacomaspace.com provides the same service for downtown business properties.Best of the Web – Seattle and North Carolina at Top of the List
North Carolina and Seattle beat close to 200 state and local government entries in the sixth annual Best of the Web contest conducted by the Center for Digital Government and Government Technology magazine."Seat Management" in Virginia
"Seat management,” in which a government contracts for computers and services on a per-user basis, is an increasingly popular way for governments to get up-to-date computer equipment without purchasing and managing the pieces themselves. Virginia has a plan in the works to be the first state to implement a statewide seat-management program. More …Web Sightings – Downtown Revitalization
Many communities are working to bring new life to their downtown, whether they are older cities or newer suburban centers. This month we offer selected Web sites on downtown resources and communities with successful revitalization projects.- National Main Street Center, National Trust for Historic Preservation - This comprehensive site includes excellent resources, contacts, programs, conferences, and technical assistance for historic communities.
- Port Townsend, winner of one of five nationwide Great American Main Street Awards
- Historic Downtown Walla Walla
- Tacoma’s renaissance is well-documented in the media. Here’s one article on “The Selling of Tacoma.”
- Marysville – Downtown revitalization
- Port Orchard – Downtown revitalization planning
- For more information, MRSC has a Web page on Central Business District – Downtown Development.
Washington City/County History Quiz
This eastern Washington community is rich in historical resources. The first Euro-American settler, H.M. Chase, arrived in 1855, and the town was platted in 1871. In 1872, the post office was moved here from nearby Touchet. This community boasts the oldest train depot in the state (1881). German immigrant Jacob Weinhard, Henry Weinhard's nephew, recognized the potential of the prime barley growing land in the area and established a brewery here in the 1880s.Between 1880 and 1910, prosperous businessmen and farmers built large impressive homes and commercial buildings in the Queen Anne, Italianate, Gothic, and Craftsman style. Today 90 of these are on the National Register of Historic Places, and this small city has two historic districts. What city is it? And the answer is ~drum roll~ …
Selected New MRSC Library Materials
Browse through a selected list of new MRSC Library materials (listed by subject). The list includes new library books, videos, articles, government publications, and more.Get MRSC Web Site Updates by E-mail
You can get a monthly e-mail notifying you of selected updates to MRSC's Web site by subscribing to the mrscweb mailing list (listserv). Simply send an e-mail to the MRSC E-mail List Administrator. Include your first and last name and your e-mail address. You may also have your name removed from the list at any time by sending us an E-mail with your request.Unlike most listservs, mrscweb is not a discussion list to which all subscribers may post messages, but a free subscription to a monthly notice updating you on major changes and additions to the MRSC Web site.