The Association of Washington Cities has announced that Port Townsend Deputy Mayor Amy Howard was recently appointed to its board of directors.

“I respect the way AWC brings together people from a broad range of viewpoints,” Howard said.

“We face similar challenges in our communities, and we are often in agreement on what the best outcomes might be – but we’re not always sure how to get there. Working through AWC helps us get there together.”

Howard will represent District 12, which includes the 21 cities and towns in Clallam, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, Kitsap, Mason, Pacific, and Wahkiakum counties.

She has served on the Port Townsend City Council since 2016.

The board of directors is the association’s governing body, comprised of 25 directors, 23 of whom are mayors or city councilmembers from Washington cities or towns, and two non-elected city officials who also serve as the president and past president of the Washington City/County Management Association.

AWC serves its members through advocacy, education, and services. Founded in 1933, the association is a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan corporation that represents Washington's cities and towns before the state legislature, the state executive branch, and with regulatory agencies.

Membership is voluntary, however, AWC consistently maintains 100 percent participation from Washington’s 281 cities and towns. The association provides training, data and publications, and AWC specific programs such as the Employee Benefit Trust, Risk Management Service Agency,  Workers’ Comp Retro, Drug and Alcohol Consortium, and the GIS Consortium.