WASHINGTON MUNICIPAL CLERKS ASSOCIATION

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MONTHLY REPORT

JANUARY 2008

 By Sheryle Wyatt, WMCA Treasurer

HAPPY NEW YEAR – 2008!

Happy New Year! As we reflect on the past year and appreciate the many blessings it brought us, another year is upon us with as much anticipation and hope for the new year. I want to thank each and everyone of you for your commitment to WMCA and for all that you do for your profession and communities.

As you can see from the contents of this month's Executive Committee's Report, many Committees have been working hard on making our upcoming annual conference an educational and fun event! I hope you will take the time to invest in yourself and join us at the conference. I look forward to seeing you there.

May you and your loved ones have a safe and wonderful year!

Alice M. Bush, MMC
President

Wenatchee – Coast Wenatchee Center Hotel - www.wenatcheecenter.com

Before we know it, our annual conference will be here!  It will be held in Wenatchee.  The dates are: Spring Academy: March 18, 2008 Conference: March 19-21, 2008.  Registration costs and lodging for the Spring Academy (March 18, 2008) and Annual Conference (March 19-21, 2008) are listed below.

• $125 - Registration fee for Spring Academy (lunch provided)
• $300 - Registration for annual conference

Registration forms and conference information are now on the website at:

http://www.wmcaclerks.org/2008Conference.htm
 

As we stated last month, we are seeking potential vendors and sponsors at the WMCA 2008 Conference in Wenatchee that may offer information and services to provide efficiencies you can take back to your municipality. While the Planning Committee's goal is to offer our members another worthwhile and top-notch event with a good line-up of training sessions, networking, teambuilding activities, and closing with an excellent keynote speaker, it will only be successful with a good line-up of vendors and sponsors.

For vendor booths, please email Irene Mock at imock@ci.lynnwood.wa.us and for donations/sponsorships, please email Gina Anderson, andersong@ci.woodland.wa.us and they will make sure to send the vendor or donation information packets and coordinate any follow-up that is needed.

Remember there will be a Silent Auction and a Live Auction at the Conference!   Start now planning what items you can bring! Proceeds help fund scholarships for members who might otherwise not be able to attend these times of valuable training. Our Silent Auction and Live Auction are always a highlight at the conference!

Just stop and think about what you could do with $1500!  Would you go shopping….. pay off Christmas……$1500 could be all yours.

You have the opportunity to purchase raffle tickets for $5 per ticket for a chance to win a $1,500 VISA GIFT CARD!! Tickets are for sale now and will be available at the 2008 WMCA Annual Conference. You can contact Diane Foss, City of Ocean Shores, and she will be happy to sell you as many tickets as you would like to buy (or provide you with tickets to sell to your coworkers, family or friends)!  The drawing will be held during the 2008 WMCA conference in March.  There are only of total of 1,000 tickets being sold, so the chances of winning are really good – be sure to contact Diane today!  dfoss@osgov.com.  All of the proceeds go to the WMCA Scholarship fund to provide training for our Clerks across the state. 

Scholarship Committee News:

Members of the Scholarship Committee would like to remind you that next year’s

Professional Development Institute dates are:

Professional Development I……………….................JUNE 1—6

Professional Development II…………………….…....JUNE 8—13

Professional Development III....................................JUNE 15—20

Master Academy (Professional Development IV)….JUNE 11—14

The application deadline for scholarships for Institute classes is February 15^th.  First time Institute scholarship applicants are eligible for award of both registration and lodging if needed.  PD II and PD III scholarship awards are for registration only.  You can find more information about scholarship awards and requirements at WMCA’s website. 

As a reminder, the Marge Price Scholarship is also available to clerks who are working towards their MMC accreditation. 

Our Committee is always looking for new members, so if you’re a new clerk (or experienced!) and want to join a fun relatively easy committee, please feel free to contact me (Carol Etgen) at carol.etgen@ci.bremerton.wa.us or 360-473-5323. 

Registration for PD I, II, III will be:

• $495 registration

• $425 housing/meals

• $125 commuter package

Costs for the PD IV - Master Municipal Clerks Academy will be:

• $475 registration

• $275 housing/meals

• $75 commuter package.

If you’re working on your MMC, be sure to plan on attending the Northwest Clerks Institute Master Academy session June 12-14, 2008.  “Persuasive Communication” will be taught by Dr. Michael Shadow, one of our most popular NCI presenters.  The session includes 20 hours of face to face instruction, required reading prior to the class, and preparation of a three minute presentation.  The course has received pre-approval from IIMC for 12 points toward your MMC. In addition to this very valuable education experience, you will also meet clerks from Alaska, Oregon, and Washington to share some stories, information, and fun!  Complete informational brochures will be mailed to all members in late January or early February.  The class location is the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma.  Mark these dates on your calendar now and stay tuned for further information. 

Do you want to get more involved in WMCA? Do you have a talent that you are ready to share with our membership?  Consider signing up for one or more of our 12 committees: Audit, Awards, Bylaws, Communications, Conference Planning, Education, Elections, Fundraising & Special Projects, Historical, Legislative, Membership, and Scholarship. 

For more information about the committees see the descriptions on the WMCA website.  Some of these committees work all year round while some are mostly busy around conference time.  Have you served on the same committee for a few years and are looking for something new?  We encourage you to try another committee and help make WMCA the organization you want it to be. 

Sign up sheets will be at the annual conference in Wenatchee or you can contact President-Elect Ali Spietz at ali.spietz@mercergov.org for more information.

Don’t forget the MCEF Scholarship deadline of January 4, 2008!  These are for attendance at CMC Institutes and MMC Academies.

The deadline for applications for the two grants for the IIMC Annual Conference in Atlanta, GA, is January 31, 2008.  More information and applications are available at www.iimc.com

WMCA is pleased to congratulate Bonnie Barney, CMC, Deputy City Clerk, City of Maple Valley and Ronald Moore, CMC, Deputy City Clerk, City of Shoreline, for earning the prestigious Certified Municipal Clerk (CMC) designation from the International Institute of Municipal Clerks (IIMC).

Congratulations to JoAnne Giesbrecht, Skagit County Clerk of the Board, who was elected President of the Washington Association of Commission/Council Clerks.  JoAnne began working for Skagit County in 1985, serving 14 years in the Treasurer’s Office. She has been Clerk of the Board for the Skagit County Commissioners since 2001. In 2004, JoAnne received her Certified Municipal Clerk (CMC) designation. JoAnne is a native Skagitonian who grew up in Anacortes and resides in Mount Vernon with her husband Richard and their two cats Chloe and Dallas.

Congratulations to Betty Garrison, CMC, WMCA Treasurer, on her new position as Clerk-Treasurer  for the City of Tenino. 

Call to action!

Please consider applying for an IIMC Committee!  Help represent Region IX on these policy deliberations.  You can find an application at www.iimc.com or in the November issue of the News Digest.

You do not need to travel to participate.  Call Region IX Directors Colleen Nicol or Pam Kolacy if you would like an idea about time commitment or charge of the individual committees!  Let us know when you apply so we can lobby for your appointment!

Happy Holidays!

Colleen J. Nicol, MMC

951 826-5818

cnicol@riversideca.gov

Pam Kolacy, MMC

360-379-5045

pkolacy@cityofpt.us

The latest issue of the Region IX Report is on the website at:

http://www.wmcaclerks.org/Region%20IX%20Reports/Region%209%20Newsletter%20December%202007.pdf

We look forward to seeing all of you at the Annual Conference in March!  Please put it on your calendar and plan to join us.  See you in Wenatchee!

Updated: 04/24/2008