North Bend Mayor Ken Hearing has earned an award for leadership and service.

Hearing received the Advanced Certificate of Municipal Leadership (CML) from the Association of Washington Cities, by completing more than 60 hours of training credits.

Hearing got his initial certificate in 2005 and currently has 85 training credits.

The CML program is designed to enhance the ability of elected municipal officials. The program provides mayors and councilmembers with knowledge and skills required for effective governance.

To earn the advanced certificate ,officials must attend a variety of municipal workshops, including sessions on budgeting, land use planning, personnel, and leadership.

Hearing has been mayor since 2004. Prior to that, he served as a planning commissioner from 1999 to 2003.

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