Yakima City Mayor Receives Special Training

There's no requirement to have any kind of special training to be a Yakima City Council member or the mayor but Yakima Mayor Patricia Byers is now certificated. A press release from the city of Yakima says Byers recently received a Certificate of Municipal Leadership from the Association of Washington Cities or AWC. The Certificate of Municipal Leadership program trains city and town elected officials in a variety of areas including Roles, responsibilities and legal requirements, Public sector resource management, Community planning and development and Effective local leadership.  AWC Chief Executive Officer Peter B. King says the training is valuable because cities and towns are always changing to meet new challenges and opportunities “Our Certificate of Municipal Leadership program helps mayors and council members sharpen the tools they need today to understand the legal landscape, plan for the future, manage their resources, and foster strong relationships. The elected officials who earn this certificate demonstrate a commitment to continuous learning and a desire to bring new ideas back to their community.”
Yakima city Mayor Byers earned the certificate after 30-hours of training. Byers is not only the mayor but also the council member that represents District 3.

The Yakima City Mayor is not an elected position but rather the mayor is elected by fellow council members to lead city council meetings. The Mayor is also the city representative in formal meetings and settings. Fellow council members elect the mayor and the position is usually shared among council members during the time they serve.