Council Member Ransier awarded with Certificate of Municipal Leadership

Council Member Ransier awarded with Certificate of Municipal Leadership

OLYMPIA, WA City of White Salmon Council Member Jim Ransier recently earned a Certificate of Municipal Leadership from the Association of Washington Cities (AWC).

AWC’s Certificate of Municipal Leadership program recognizes city and town elected officials for accomplishing training in five core areas:

• Roles, responsibilities, and legal requirements
• Public sector resource management
• Community planning and development
• Effective local leadership
• Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging

“Being a city leader in Washington is a complex job,” said AWC CEO Deanna Dawson. “Through our CML program we are providing our elected officials with the knowledge they need to effectively operate within the law, plan for the future, secure and manage funds, foster strong relationships, and work to build more equitable communities.”

Ransier completed more than 30 hours of training to earn this distinction.

Ransier joined city council in July 2020, filling Position 4, and was then re-elected in 2022. In his role as a councilor, he has chaired the city’s Community Development Committee as well as the CityLab Board. Under his leadership, the Community Development Committee has overseen the mural installation in Rheingarten Park, the launch of the Community Halloween event in 2022, the council’s Heritage Month presentations, the Memorial Bench program, and continued partnerships with the Downtown Business Alliance and Mt. Adams Chamber of Commerce to support community-wide events. As a founding member of the CityLab Board, he has been a strong advocate for completing the city’s Climate Action Plan and addressing inequities in proposed housing code changes.

“Councilor Ransier achieving this designation speaks not only to his commitment to our community, but also his belief in the role of good governance. We’re fortunate to have such leadership within our City Council,” said Mayor Keethler.

AWC serves its members through advocacy, education, and services. Founded in 1933, AWC is a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan corporation that represents Washington's 281 cities and towns before the state legislature, the state executive branch, and with regulatory agencies. AWC also provides training, data and publications, and programs such as the AWC Employee Benefit Trust, AWC Risk Management Service Agency, AWC Workers’ Comp Retro, AWC Drug and Alcohol Consortium, and AWC GIS Consortium.