Washington State

Office of the Attorney General

Attorney General

Bob Ferguson

AGO 1964 NO. 108 >

(1) A city or town may acquire and operate a public park located within the corporate limits of another city. (2) Two or more municipalities coming within the provisions of RCW 67.20.010 may jointly own or operate a public park located within the boundaries of one of the municipalities concerned. (3) A county may acquire and operate a park within a city. (4) A city or town may operate a park within the boundaries of a park and recreation district. (5) State parks and recreation commission may obtain land for park purposes located within a city or town without any special legislative authority.

AGO 1962 NO. 109 >

In determining whether or not the owners of property subject to at least sixty percent of the cost of a proposed local improvement have protested the improvement, a city must, under RCW 35.43.180, include as a part of the total cost whatever amount of money the city voluntarily contributes thereto.

AGO 1966 NO. 114 >

(1) A city which is contiguous to a weed district is required by RCW 17.04.160 to provide for the destruction, prevention and extermination of species of weeds designated for control by the weed district pursuant to RCW 17.04.030 on private as well as public property located in such city. (2) A city is authorized to expend public funds to carry out the duty imposed by RCW 17.04.160.

AGO 1962 NO. 114 >

Subject to certain qualifications, cities of the first, second and third classes have the authority to enter into collective bargaining agreements concerning wages, hours and working conditions with duly authorized representatives of employee organizations.

AGO 1964 NO. 115 >

Where a city and a fire protection district have an agreement for mutual fire protection under the terms of which the district agrees, in part, to pay the city a sum equivalent to the salary of one full-time fireman and an additional sum equal to the salary of one full-time fireman‑-this money must be paid into the current expense fund (if the city has not established a payrolls fund).

AGO 1957 NO. 117 >

Any disease, including poliomyelitis, contracted by a fireman in connection with the performance of his duties as a member of the fire department would entitle him to a disability pension.  The burden of establishing a right to pension ordinarily rests on the claimant.  The pension board in passing upon and allowing or disallowing a fireman's claim for pension, bases its decision on a determination of fact.  Before disposing of any claim adversely to the claimant such a board must accord the claimant an opportunity to be heard and to present testimony in support of his claim.

AGO 1957 NO. 118 >

1. Chapter 232, Laws of 1957, chapter 70.94 RCW, requires that an entire county be included within an air pollution control district but does not require that two or more cities, exclusive of any unincorporated county area, be contiguous. 2. Chapter 232, Laws of 1957, chapter 70.94 RCW, requires each city, town or county to conduct tests and surveys prior to the enactment of air pollution control measures for the formation of an air pollution control district. 3. Chapter 70.94 RCW, chapter 232, Laws of 1957, does not require that each component city, town or county of an air pollution control district separately enact air pollution control measures but does provide that the district as a governmental unit may promulgate rules and regulations for this purpose. 4. It is not necessary that a city, town or county follow the procedure established in chapter 232, Laws of 1957, chapter 70.94 RCW, in order to enact or enforce air pollution control measures. 5. Amendment 17 to the Washington State Constitution requires that any tax by a city, town, county or district in excess of the 40-mill limitation must be [[Orig. Op. Page 2]]submitted to the electorate each year that such governmental unit seeks to levy the additional tax.

AGO 1964 NO. 118 >

A city or town may, in a proper case (see in this connection AGO 61-62 No. 71) expend city funds to defend the acts of one or more of its officers in a civil action brought against them for a cause arising out of the performance of their official duties.

AGO 1953 NO. 122 >

A fourth class town may by ordinance provide for either a partial or complete sewage system without submitting such proposition to the voters provided that the system can be financed without incurring a general indebtedness of the town.

AGO 1964 NO. 128 >

(1) A city of the fourth class utilizing the provisions of RCW 35.23.460 may pay all or a part of the costs of disability monthly income coverage for its employees if the coverage is obtained on a group insurance basis.(2) A city of the fourth class having less than twenty-five employees is authorized but not required to make payroll deductions for purposes of paying the costs of group health and accident disability coverage.