PRESS RELEASE- City Manager wins Statewide Award for Management Excellence

Award announced at annual Washington City Management Association (WCMA) Conference

PORT TOWNSEND – City Manager John Mauro has won the 2024 WCMA Management Excellence Award, an annual statewide award that recognizes an outstanding administrator or manager who has enhanced the effectiveness of local elected officials and consistently initiated creative and successful programs. The award was announced at the annual conference for City Managers and City Administrators, held August 13 – 16, in Wenatchee. The theme of this year’s conference was “Navigating Innovation & Disruption.”

Mauro was nominated by a jurisdiction/individual external to Port Townsend; subsequent to the nomination, the City’s leadership team and regional colleagues wrote letters of support. John’s accomplishments during his tenure alongside the City team’s work is lengthy, including the Strategic Workplan process, Financial Sustainability Initiative, Transportation Benefit District, Gallup Employee Engagement with facilitation trainings and skills development programs, Port Townsend Paper Mill contract, Evans Vista Master Plan, and robust public engagement with EngagePT, Brewocracy Now! weekly radio shows, and monthly coffees with the community.

2023-2024 WCMA President, Stephanie Lucash, said: “John is a collaborative, hard-working, inspiring, and visionary leader. What makes him extraordinary is his ability to bring people together and his willingness and determination to put words and vision into action. He has been a fantastic addition to the Washington City/County Management Association Board of Directors and I look forward to working closely with him in the year ahead. He is incredibly deserving of this statewide recognition.”

In her role at WCMA and as the Deputy City Manager at the City of Kenmore, Lucash has been a major force behind the Northwest Women’s Leadership Academy, a program of the WCMA. The program’s mission is to prepare and promote women into leadership roles in local government. In his tenure, Mauro has supported five City staff to attend the program and graduate from the NWWLA, making a significant impact to their careers in local government.
“I am honored to be able to work with John Mauro,” Mayor David Faber said. “I admire his whip smart leadership, tenacity, and drive to collaboratively seek a path forward through tough issues. His presentation at the WCMA conference this year was about civil civic dialogue and cultivating a community of practice among his peers. It is clear that he is not only a leader in Port Townsend but also in the field of City Management, and very deserving of this award.”

About WCMA: The primary goal of the Washington City/County Management Association is to increase the knowledge, proficiency, quality and professionalism of local government management by providing education, information, and support services to members and their agencies. WCMA encourages the development of professional relationships and facilitates the exchange of ideas and information among members. WCMA also actively assists the Association of Washington Cities in its programing, legislative efforts, and support role to local government. For more information about WCMA, visit www.wccma.org