Washington State Association of Counties

U.S. Supreme Court Ruling May Increase Counties' Exposure to Retaliatory Arrest Claims: On June 20, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a per curiam (unauthored) ruling in Gonzalez v. Trevino, a case with implications for retaliatory arrest claims against local law enforcement. In the case, Ms. Gonzalez asked the Court to reconsider the standard of evidence needed to meet an exception to the rule established in Nieves v. Bartlett that arrests with probable cause do not qualify for retaliatory arrest litigation. She also asked the court to limit the application of Nieves to "split-second" arrests. https://lnkd.in/g-cGdeGH

Congratulations, Doug McCormick, PE and Snohomish County, WA!

Local Governments Want Say in Crafting Washington’s New Wildfire Protection Rules: The last time the state Building Code Council crafted rules for protecting homes from the threat of wildfire, city and county officials criticized them as confusing, expensive and overreaching. Those rules are gone. As the state looks at drawing new wildfire risk maps and implementing new codes, local governments want more say in hopes of producing regulations that are understandable, affordable and help the communities most at risk. https://lnkd.in/gi6f8gzj

Call for Session Proposals at this Year's County Leaders Conference! We invite you to submit a session presentation proposal to be offered in-person at this year's County Leaders Conference, November 19-21, 2024. These sessions will provide opportunities for skill development, the exchange of knowledge, and a collaborative learning atmosphere related to county government. We encourage you to be creative, innovative, and interactive with your session ideas! We do anticipate more proposals than session time slots available, so we may combine some proposals with others, and not every proposal can be included in the conference agenda. The initial deadline for submitting proposals is June 14, 2024. WSAC will discuss the proposals received and notify you of your proposal status by mid-July.

'Ready, Set, Go!' Evacuation Campaign Introduced This Wildfire Awareness Month: Thurston County has introduced "Ready, Set, Go!," evacuation campaign as part of Wildfire Awareness Month. This campaign aims to deliver the evacuation message clearly to the residents to ensure their safety during emergencies, particularly wildfires. With wildfires becoming an annual threat, especially in areas west of the Cascades, the campaign aids the community through enhanced wildfire emergency response.

Thank you Lieutenant Governor Denny Heck for speaking with #WAcounties on civility tonight!

Stevens County Commissioner and WSAC Board of Directors Member Wes McCart being sworn in as our National Association of Counties WIR President! Congratulations, Commissioner McCart!

How WA Republicans and Democrats are Trying to Bridge Political Divide: As political tensions threaten to boil over, finding common ground is one way to turn down the heat. Here, a discussion about Palestinians and Israelis takes place on Whidbey Island. The April 7 event was moderated by Braver Angels, one of a growing number of groups trying to bridge partisan divides.

USDA Forest Service Invests More Than $62 Million to Support Pacific Northwest Communities: The USDA Forest Service announced it is issuing more than $232 million through the agency’s Secure Rural Schools program. This includes more than $62.9 million in investments to support public schools and roads in the Pacific Northwest Region, which encompasses the states of Oregon and Washington.

Justice Project Aims to Provide Ex-Convicts With Options Outside of Jail: Whatcom County Executive Satpal Sidhu and Deputy Executive Tyler Schroeder met on April 15 with Lynden and Ferndale city councils to discuss the county’s Justice Project. This new initiative looks to bundle the creation of resources and solutions for Whatcom County residents facing mental health and housing crisis with that of a new jail to be built in Ferndale. According to Schroeder, the purpose of the presentations was two-fold: one, to inform the public, also to unite city officials under the mutual understanding of a shared goal.