MARYSVILLE — Marysville City Council member Michael Stevens recently earned his Certificate of Municipal Leadership from the Association of Washington Cities, completing more than 30 hours of training to earn the distinction.

The Municipal Leadership program is designed to enhance the ability of elected municipal officials. The program provides mayors and council members in Washington with the knowledge and skills required for effective governance. For the initial certificate, officials attend a variety of AWC workshops, and learn the essentials of municipal service.

Stevens was elected to the Marysville City Council in November of last year, after being appointed in September of 2010. He is an Associate Principal with Everett-based Dykeman Architects, and most recently served on the city of Marysville Planning Commission for more than two years. Stevens holds a bachelor’s degree in architecture from the University of Kentucky-Lexington, and a master’s degree in architecture from the University of Pennsylvania.

AWC is a private, nonprofit, non-partisan organization that represents Washington’s cities and towns before the legislature, state executive branch and regulatory agencies. The goal of AWC is to create and maintain livable cities and towns throughout the state.