Newsletter - Winter 2025-2026

President's Message

Hello WCMA Members,

It’s an exciting time for WCMA, and I’m pleased to share an update on the important work your board is doing to support the continued growth and impact of our organization.

Last week, the WCMA Board gathered in Maple Valley for our annual retreat. This year’s retreat marked the first step in updating WCMA’s strategic plan, a process that will guide our organization’s direction over the next several years. We are fortunate to be working with Una McAlinden of Creative Strategy Solutions, who is facilitating this important effort.

Our retreat focused on big-picture thinking and asked us to consider:
“Building on our current momentum, how will we work together over the next 3–5 years to strengthen WCMA, deepen member value and connection, and ensure our long-term sustainability and impact?”

This is just the beginning of a thoughtful and inclusive process. In the coming months, we’ll be holding follow-up sessions to shape our organizational priorities and goals, and to develop actionable steps that will help us bring those goals to life. I look forward to sharing more as this work progresses and to engaging with you along the way.

I also want to highlight two exciting opportunities to connect in person in the coming year:

• Northwest Regional Managers Conference – Sitka, Alaska | March 30 – April 3, 2026
• WCMA Summer Conference – Kennewick, WA | August 11 – 14, 2026

Mark your calendars, we would love to see you there!

Finally, my sincere thanks to the WCMA Board for their thoughtful time and dedication to this organization and their contributions at the retreat, and to the team at MRSC (especially Melanie Harding) for their continued support and partnership.

As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Your ideas, feedback, and involvement are what make WCMA strong.

Warmly,

Laura Philpot
WCMA Board President

The Future of Local Tax Compliance: Data, Efficiency, and Results

Guest Author & Featured WCMA Sponsor: Tom Fagan of Azavar

In today’s evolving digital economy, Washington cities and counties face growing challenges in ensuring they receive the local revenues they’re owed. From online travel companies to short-term rental platforms and digital marketplaces, the ways in which revenue is generated and reported have changed dramatically. Yet, local governments still depend on these critical funds to provide essential services and maintain community infrastructure.

At Azavar, we partner with local governments across Washington to identify, recover, and sustain the revenue that rightfully belongs to your community. Our approach combines advanced data analytics, secure online tax administration tools, and deep compliance expertise to deliver measurable results  without burdening staff or local taxpayers.

Traditional tax audits often rely on manual processes and outdated reporting methods that can miss key discrepancies. Our audit solutions are designed to uncover hidden or misallocated revenue by comparing state and local taxpayer data, verifying business activity, and ensuring that taxes collected by third-party platforms are correctly remitted.

In recent projects, our audits have revealed substantial underreported revenue from hotel, sales, and utility taxes often due to misallocations or marketplace reporting errors. By addressing these gaps, cities and counties have been able to reclaim funds that directly support police, fire, and public works departments.

Beyond audits, our online tax administration platform streamlines how local governments manage collections, reporting, and compliance. With intuitive dashboards, secure online filing options, and automated reporting tools, finance and administrative teams gain transparency and efficiency freeing up time to focus on policy and planning rather than paperwork.

At Azavar, we view every engagement as a partnership. Our team works closely with city and county managers to ensure that every audit and compliance initiative aligns with your community’s broader financial goals. From conducting initial revenue analyses to implementing ongoing monitoring solutions, our mission is simple: help local governments secure every dollar they’re owed.

If your city or county has experienced unexplained revenue declines or wants to ensure compliance in emerging sectors like short-term rentals and online marketplaces, we’d love to help.

Visit azavar.com or send me a note at tfagan@azavar.com to learn more.

As the new year approaches, WCMA members have two options for their 2026 WCMA membership: Membership packages and traditional individual memberships. 

For 2026, we recommend renewing or registering for a Packaged Membership. These packages provide members with the opportunity to invite staff members that they see as future municipal leaders to join WCMA as an Associate Member. Our Packaged Memberships are not only an opportunity to grow the overall membership of the WCMA, but also an opportunity for you to encourage professional development amongst your staff. There are also packages available that include two Full Memberships, great for agencies with a Deputy or Assistant role.

WCMA Membership dues are adjusted annually for inflation, capped at a maximum increase of 3%, and then rounded to even totals. (The Student and Retired Membership rates are an exception and are evaluated individually.) More information and 2026 membership rates are now posted on the WCMA website.  

Accepting Applications for King County Puget Sound Senior Advisor

The Washington City/County Management Association (WCMA) is soliciting letters of interest for a Senior Advisor position from qualified applicants throughout the state. WCMA has a current vacancy in the King County Puget Sound area, and applicants from this area are especially encouraged to apply. Others are encouraged to express interest at this time for consideration for future vacancies.

Senior Advisors must:

• Be a resident of Washington at the time of appointment.
• Have at least ten years’ experience as an appointed chief administrative officer (CAO) and/or an assistant/deputy CAO in local government.
• Have a willingness to actively participate in the program for the duration of the appointment.
• Have a commitment to follow the outline of responsibilities for Senior Advisors and the ICMA Senior Advisor Program Guidelines and Manual.
• Be a member of ICMA and the WCMA at time of appointment and to maintain such memberships during service as a Senior Advisor.
• Have an active phone number and email address.
• Not be engaged in consulting work that includes the responsibility for soliciting business or for client development/maintenance for purposes of future business.

Statements of interest can be submitted to Melanie Harding by email at mharding@mrsc.org and should include a resume and letter of interest. 

For more information, please visit WCCMA’s Senior Advisor web page.

ICMA is celebrating completion of the 12-year effort to review their Code of Ethics. Read more in this ICMA Article – ETHICS MATTER!™ A Victory for the Profession’s Commitment to Ethical Leadership! | icma.org

Leadership Transitions

Congratulations to these individuals who’ve recently been appointed to top manager or administrator positions in the following communities:

Troy Rayburn was recently named City Administrator of College Place. He brings more than 25 years of public service to the role, including past positions with the City of Sisters, OR; Redmond, OR; the Oregon State Legislature;  Clark County, WA; City of Aspen, CO; and most recently as the City Administrator of White Salmon, WA. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration from Oregon State University (OSU) and attended both Portland State University and OSU for graduate studies in Public Administration.

Ginny Fuerst was appointed to the role of City Administrator and Community Development Director for the City of Entiat in September 2025. She brings 15+ years of experience to the role in guiding high-impact teams, leading strategic initiatives, and driving sustainable growth across public, private, and non-profit sectors. Her most recent leadership roles included more than four years of consulting, non-profit operations and business development, and utilities asset management for Chelan County Public Utility District. She holds an MBA from University of Kansas School of Business and a Bachelor’s Degree in Professional, Technical, Business, and Scientific Writing from Texas A&M University.

Teri Killgore was appointed Kenmore’s City Manager in September 2025. She her public service career in 1995 and has held leadership roles in cities across Arizona and California, including Assistant City Manager in Vallejo and Walnut Creek, Assistant to the City Manager in San Jose, Downtown Redevelopment Manager in Chandler, and most recently, Economic Development Director in Scottsdale. She holds a Master of Public Administration and a bachelor’s degree in sociology.

Jeff Swanson was appointed as the City Manager of Medina in July 2025. He has prior experience as a city manager and economic development director. Jeff is also the Principal and Managing Director of EXIGY Consulting, a firm he founded in 2018 primarily serving public sector clients. Some of his engagements have included serving in interim roles as city manager, city administrator, finance director, and community and economic development director, in addition to numerous facilitation, advising, research, and public policy projects. A graduate of Portland State University, Swanson holds a Ph.D (ABD) in systems science, MS degrees in economics and systems science, graduate certificates in environmental/resource economics and computer modeling/simulation, and a BS in economics.

Amber Emery was confirmed as the new City Administrator at the June 17 meeting of the North Bend City Council. She has worked in the public sector for more than 10 years, first working in the court system before serving as the Deputy County Manager for Clark County, Washington. She has a Master’s degree in Criminology.

Harold Stewart was named Pasco's City Manager in July 2025, citing his collaborative leadership style and dedication to public service. He has more than 20 years of public service experience, including 17 years in city management. He has been the city manager of Minot, North Dakota; Warrensburg, Missouri; Knoxville, Iowa; and Ogallala, Nebraska. Harold has a bachelor’s degree in political science and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Kansasially as Assistant to the City Manager and then as Assistant City Manager.

Sean Wells was offered the position of City Administrator by the City of Pullmann in August. He brings more than 29 years of experience, leadership, and public service to the role. Sean began his public service career in 1997 as a Senior Engineering Technician with the City of Issaquah, Washington, and has served in engineering and management positions with the City of Covington, Kitsap County, and the Cities of Federal Way, Kent, and Bellevue. He came to the City of Pullman in 2023 as the Public Works Director. Sean holds a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Washington State University and is a licensed Professional Engineer with the state of Washington.

Mark Ziegler was selected by the Shelton City Council to serve as their new City Manager. In his 30 years of local government experience, Ziegler previously served as Shelton’s interim City Manager; the city’s Parks, Recreation, and Facilities Director; and their Community Development Director. He is an active volunteer with numerous community groups and holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Central Washington University. .

Gregory Cobb is the new City Manager of Union Gap. After 13 years as Union Gap’s Police Chief, Gregory Cobb retired from that role this summer to later be appointed to serve as the next City Manager. Gregory Cobb has a long history of public service to their community, having been with the Union Gap Police Department for 27 years.

Upcoming events

Registration Open: 2026 Northwest Managers Conference – March 30 – April 2, 2026 – Sitka, AK

Save the Date: WCMA Conference – August 11-14, 2026 – Three Rivers Convention Center, Kennewick, WA