City Manager Unfiltered (Joe Turner)
Explore every episode of City Manager Unfiltered
| Pub. Date | Title | Duration | |
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| 15 May 2024 | ICMA's Rigged Executive Board Elections with Graham Mitchell | Ep. 52 | 00:55:32 | |
Unhappy with the current direction of the International City/County Management Association, El Cajon City Manager Graham Mitchell decided to get involved and run for a seat on the executive board. In previous years when he only saw one name on the ballot for each seat -- he assumed it was due to apathy. Little did he know that the ICMA establishment created a process whereby they hand-selected the nominee who was all but guaranteed to win because voters would not have another name on the ballot to vote for. In this episode, we discuss his experience running for the board and his efforts to change the way ICMA conducts elections in the future. SHOW NOTES: Graham Mitchell's LinkedIn page The Midwest Rotation Agreement LinkedIn post discussing the ICMA's violation of the Midwest Rotation Agreement can be found here and a screenshot of it can be found here. The American Association of Municipal Executives is located at AAME.org. AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 05 Mar 2025 | From Police Chief to City Manager with Matt Jensby | Ep. 97 | 00:59:54 | |
After a lengthy and successful career in law enforcement where he served as the police chief for the fastest growing community in Kansas, Matt Jensby had a desire to become a city manager and serve the public in a different way. In this episode, Matt talks about this transition and becoming the city manager for Kechi, a small community north of Wichita. He explains the significant differences between being a department head versus the leader of an entire organization and how much of an eye-opening experience it has been for him in his first year as a new city manager. SHOW NOTES Matt Jensby's LinkedIn Profile EPISODE SPONSOR: This episode is sponsored by Holbrook Asphalt. Maintaining your roads is one of the most difficult tasks for any city government. The good news is the secret to making it easier is only 3 letters: H-A-5. HA5 extends the life of roads and reduces the financial burden on taxpayers. HA5 is an innovative pavement preservation treatment trusted by over 300 public agencies. It keeps good roads in good condition, reducing repair costs and saving taxpayer dollars. Join the hundreds of other cities making the smart choice. Choose HA5 for longer-lasting roads and a healthier budget. Learn more at holbrookasphalt.com/city. AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 14 Aug 2024 | How do we attract more women and minorities to the profession with Amy Farkas | Ep. 66 | 01:05:51 | |
Patton Township Manager Amy Farkas is passionate about recruiting more women and minorities into the profession of city and county management. In this episode, we talk about the importance of "telling a better story" to attract these candidates. We also discuss her unique approach to dealing with the stresses of the job through her hobby and what benefits she has been able to transfer over into her professional life as a result. SHOW NOTES: Amy Farkas' LinkedIn page AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 08 Nov 2023 | Unlocking Veteran Benefits for Employers & Family Members with Benjamin Effinger | Ep. 24 | 01:04:15 | |
Benjamin Effinger is a military veteran who transitioned over to the public sector and has quickly become a rising star who has built a reputation as a dynamic problem solver, grinder, and compassionate friend. Effinger currently serves as an Operations Chief overseeing cash management functions in the Los Angeles County Treasurer and Tax Collector's Office. In this episode, we discuss the benefits of hiring veterans and unpack the various veterans benefits available to veterans, their family members, and potential employers. We also learn that Benjamin and his wife pursued doctorate degrees at the same time while maintaining full-time positions and raising a family. Outside of these responsibilities and obligations, Effinger is passionate about male mental health issues and has assumed a leadership and ambassador role for the Heare Brotherhood -- an organization dedicated to building brotherhood and community where men are seen, heard, and loved. AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 01 Nov 2023 | Using Creative Financial Incentives to Lure High Quality City Manager Candidates | Ep. 23 | 00:37:27 | |
Mortgage rates have skyrocketed and homeownership is often a liability for city managers given our short life spans and transient nature. Combined with residency requirements and rampant inflation, it can be extremely expensive for city managers to relocate for a new opportunity. In this episode I discuss some inventive ways local governments can get creative to lure city managers to dump their sub-3% mortgage rates and relocate to a community in an environment where interest rates exceed 8%. SHOW NOTES: In this episode, I referenced my guest appearance with the Northeast Government Executives Council (NEGEC). You can watch my interview replay here. AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 14 Feb 2024 | Use My Simple Hack to Customize Your Resume for Specific Jobs | Ep. 38 | 00:19:41 | |
It is easy to send a custom resume that is specifically tailored to the job you are applying for if you follow my simple hack. Don't sell yourself short and send the same resume to every job. Differentiate yourself and demonstrate how you are the solution to their problem by using my system. When you build a results oriented, custom resume that illustrates how you are the perfect fit for the job, you are going to get more offers and be able to negotiate a higher salary. SHOW NOTES: Fill out this form to nominate Micah Gaudet to be an ELGL Top 100 Local Government Influencer. AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 19 Mar 2025 | Let's Talk About My Arrest in Florida | Ep. 98 | 01:06:19 | |
Two weeks ago, I drove across the country to turn myself in on an arrest warrant out of Walton County, Florida. I am facing two third degree felony charges related to carrying out my duties as the assistant county administrator. Though I am innocent until proven guilty and I am confident that I will prevail in court -- I also recognize that in the court of public opinion one is often seen as guilty until proven innocent. As someone who prides himself on being transparent and unafraid of facing difficult circumstances and challenges head on -- I wanted to give those who follow me more information and greater context about the circumstances that have brought me and my former boss, who is also facing the same charges, to this point in time. Make no mistake -- we were two outsiders who posed as an existential threat to the status quo in Walton County. In December 2023, we blew the whistle and asked the Walton County Sheriff's Office to investigate various matters. Unfortunately, the justice system has been weaponized against us and we are now the victims of political lawfare. AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 27 Sep 2023 | James Freed vs ICMA: An Orchestrated Campaign to Kill a City Manager’s Career | Ep. 17 | 01:47:51 | |
James Freed sent a polite, professional letter to the ICMA ethics director in 2018. Little did he know that that letter would haunt him for the next five years as rogue staff members from the International City/County Managers Association (ICMA) would wage a campaign to ruin his career, destroy his professional reputation, and deprive him of his ability to feed for his wife and children. Freed noticed that Martha Perego, the ICMA ethics guru, used the organization's twitter handle @ICMAethics to engage in anti-Republican and anti-conservative political activity. He simply asked her to change her handle or to refrain from such activity. Freed, an ICMA member since he was in college, cherished the organization and valued its mission statement which prohibited partisan political activity -- something Perego, the "ethics guru", knew all too well. The retaliation was immediate and sustained. Eventually, Perego and her subordinate, Jessica Cowles, would manufacture a case against him ultimately leading to his public censure and the stripping of his certified manager credential. He fought back and filed an anti-defamation lawsuit. This is his shocking story. SHOW NOTES: James Freed Letter to Martha Perego ICMA CEO Marc Ott letter to Freed Announcing Discipline of Perego Port Huron City Council Letter Rebuking the ICMA James Freed Response to ICMA Censure
AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 26 Jul 2023 | City of Weed: A Sitcom About City Manager Life with Tim Rundel | Ep. 08 | 01:28:53 | |
City Manager Tim Rundel is the city manager for the City of Weed, California. He is also a documentarian and an artist. He has been working for several years to get a sitcom about a small town city manager produced. Think of a cross between "The Office" and "Parks & Recreation". The show is called "City of Weed." A pilot is set to be filmed in the next couple of months and a casting call has been issued. Tim talks us through the development of this show and how it came to fruition. He also talks about his soon-to-be-released documentary about an Oklahoma subculture consisting of indivduals who use riding lawnmowers as their primary form of transportation. It is called the "B'CATS: Bryan County Alternative Transportation Society." Along the way, Tim recounts some of the crazy situtions he encountered as the city manager for Durant, Oklahoma in this hilarious and entertaining episode. SHOW NOTES: City of Weed Comedy Series Facebook Page AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. | |||
| 20 Dec 2024 | City Manager Wanted: Columbia Falls, Montana | Ep. 86 | 00:52:43 | |
Stale, boring recruitment brochures are played out and offer little value for candidates seeking their next city or county manager opportunity. Many of them contain boiler plate language or rehash text used in a previous announcement for a different community. Isn't it time we re-imagine what a public sector executive recruitment should look like? City managers are in an incredibly risky and volatile line of work. Resignations and terminations hurt their spouse and children.They can be financially devastating and destroy a person's confidence. Isn't it time we start thinking more about the candidates and try to provide them with actionable information so that they can do a better job of ascertaining whether they believe they are a good fit for that community and governing body? I want to introduce you to a new series of podcast episodes called: "City Manager Wanted" This is where I interview key individuals involved in the recruitment process with the goal of providing a more detailed and comprehensive examination of the opportunity. City management is a "people business." So, doesn't it make sense to try and get a better understanding of the people these candidates will work with? In this episode, we examine the opportunity in beautiful Columbia Falls, Montana. I spoke with the following people:
I hope you enjoy it and find the conversation beneficial to your job search. SHOW NOTES: Recruitment conducted by Michael Boese of Clear Career Professionals COMING SOON - Link to job listing: https://clearcareerpro.com/career-opportunities/ AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 21 Jun 2024 | The Case for Terminating ICMA CEO Marc Ott | Ep. 58 | 00:59:37 | |
ICMA CEO Marc Ott has presided over an organization that is dysfunctional, lacks accountability, and produces mediocre work product. His permissive and absentee approach to managing employees allowed ethics staffers to prosecute a personal and political vendetta against Port Huron City Manager James Freed -- a stain that will be forever left upon his legacy. Combined with an international development emphasis that has lacked focus and failed to deliver results, it has been Ott's shepherding of the organization towards the promotion of a leftist political ideology that has alienated many members who simply desire to be in a non-partisan, apolitical organization that will help them become better public sector executives. For these reasons and more, it is time for the ICMA executive board to terminate Ott and begin the process of repairing the damage done during his tenure. SHOW NOTES: Here is the court ordered motion to compel issued against members of the ICMA executive board. Here is the most recent ruling by the judge highlighting the stall tactics used by the ICMA in its case against Freed. If you want to join the American Association of Municipal Executives and become a founding member, register today at: https://community.aame.org/. AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 12 Feb 2025 | Rob Boyer Faced Petition to Adopt Strong Mayor Form of Government | Ep. 94 | 00:50:21 | |
In Illinois, Freeport City Manager Rob Boyer recently faced down a citizen's petition to move away from the council-manager form of government and revert back to the strong mayor form. Reeling from mismanagement and economic decline, Freeport abandoned the strong mayor form of government about a decade ago. Since that time, Rob and his two predecessors have done great work to turn the community around. In this episode, we discuss many of his and their accomplishments and how the residents and taxpayers are better off today. But, a recent effort that appears to be tinged with political motivations sought to undo this progress and return Freeport back to the "old way" of doing business and rewarding political allies. Never underestimate the machinations that may take place behind the scenes when someone sees an avenue to create a full-time six figure job for themselves... SHOW NOTES Founding members of the AAME have exclusive, first priority rights to sign up for the first annual conference until February 14th. Seating is extremely limited with only 150 seats available. The conference is being held in El Cajon, California from June 25-27th. Please sign up and register in the AAME community. After the 14th, it will be opened up to anyone who wants to attend. AAME will be re-opening membership very soon. If you would like to get on the wait list you are encouraged to go to this link and sign up today: https://app.youform.com/forms/f9ulo0uh EPISODE SPONSOR: This episode is sponsored by Holbrook Asphalt. Maintaining your roads is one of the most difficult tasks for any city government. The good news is the secret to making it easier is only 3 letters: H-A-5. HA5 extends the life of roads and reduces the financial burden on taxpayers. HA5 is an innovative pavement preservation treatment trusted by over 300 public agencies. It keeps good roads in good condition, reducing repair costs and saving taxpayer dollars. Join the hundreds of other cities making the smart choice. Choose HA5 for longer-lasting roads and a healthier budget. Learn more at holbrookasphalt.com/city. AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 30 Aug 2023 | Kansas Newspaper Raid: Interview with Publisher Eric Meyer | Ep. 13 | 01:11:10 | |
On August 11, City of Marion police officers and Marion County deputies raided the office of the Marion County Record newspaper; the home of its co-owners, Eric Meyer and his 98 year old mother, Joan Meyer; and the home of Marion vice mayor Ruth Herbel, 80. Joan passed away the following day with many attributing her death to the stress of the raid. The unprecedented raid sent shockwaves throughout the journalism community and generated international headlines for the small town of just 2,000 people. In this episode with Eric Meyer, we dissect the events that transpired, examine the players and possible motivations behind the raid, and discuss whether he will file lawsuit(s) against the city over the illegal raid and death of his mother. MAIN CHARACTERS: Kari Newell, Restaurant Owner
Marion Police Chief Gideon Cody
Marion City Administrator Brogan Jones
Marion Mayor David Mayfield
Marion Vice-Mayor Ruth Herbel
Marion County Attorney Joel Ensey
Judge Laura Viar Marion County Record Publisher/Co-owner Eric Meyer Marion County Record Report Phyllis Zorn Kansas Bureau of Investigation Director Tony Mattivi Pam Maag - Kari Newell's ex-friend who tipped off the newspaper
AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 03 Apr 2024 | Locking Horns Against an Entrenched Police Chief with Theo Melancon | Ep. 46 | 01:15:47 | |
Going to battle against your public safety deparment heads can be extremely perilous for a city manager, especially when you have a politically connected and entrenched police chief. City Manager Theo Melancon was tasked with doing an operational assessment of the police departmenty by his council. In Part 2 of my interview series, Theo outlines the process and approach he took to carryout the wishes of his governing body while also being mindful of the political and professional ramifications if he botched it and opened the door for the police chief to outflank him. You can catch Part 1 of the interview here: Episode 45: Surviving a Domestic Violence Arrest SHOW NOTES: During the interview, Theo mentioned the interview with former Topeka, Kansas city manager, Stephen Wade. You can listen to that episode here: Episode 11: Suicidal City Manager Addresses Mental Health Struggle Theo Melancon (LinkedIn Profile) AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 10 Jan 2024 | Disgruntled ICMA Spouse, Crappy Salaries & 2023 Year In Review | Ep. 33 | 00:52:29 | |
A disgruntled spouse of an ICMA member emailed me in December to express their frustration with staff salaries and the luxurious international travel junkets enjoyed by organizational executives and the executive board members. A city manager vents to me about the crappy salary listed in a job recruitment brochure. And I take a look back at my LinkedIn and podcast stats for 2023 and compare my performance against that of the ICMA and Engaging Local Government Leaders (ELGL). SHOW NOTES: In this episode I introduced a new donation/supporter link. If you are interested in supporting the podcast with a one time or monthly recurring donation, please visit this link. Link to the City Manager Unfiltered podcast press release inviting Pacific Grove (CA) Councilman Luke Coletti to come on the podcast. Daniel Rosemond is the author of "Death of the Public Servant". Link to top 10 podcast episodes in 2023. Link to top LinkedIn posts in 2023.
AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 12 May 2023 | City Manager Unfiltered Trailer #1 | 00:01:35 | |
Listen up, fellow city managers! We're taking a beating. We’re getting fired faster than ever – often in humiliating fashion. And frankly, I am sick and tired of it. I am Joe Turner, the host of City Manager Unfiltered, a new podcast coming soon. City Manager Unfiltered is created by a city manager, for city managers. Nobody is out there fighting for us! We’re on an island all by ourselves. If you are an ambitious city manager or public sector executive looking to level-up your career, check out my podcast: City Manager Unfiltered. | |||
| 25 Oct 2023 | Badass Biker Chick Meets Kick-ass Council with Sara McGuffin | Ep. 22 | 01:34:21 | |
A few years back, and only a couple of years into her first town manager gig, Sara McGuffin suffered an accident that nearly ended her life, nevermind her career. In this episode we recount McGuffin's horrific experience and her recovery. We also acknowledge the loyalty and wonderful support provided by the Town of Amherst (VA) mayor and council. In an age where personal and professional relationships are increasingly disposable, McGuffin's story proves that there are still many who are committed to "doing the right thing." Now, what if I told you that McGuffin was permanently disabled as a result of this accident? Know this -- that accident did not rob her of her faith in God, her fellow man, or steal away her infectious optimism and all-around badassery! McGuffin marks the first interview of a female manager on the City Manager Unfiltered podcast. And she does not disappoint. You will not want to miss this one! AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 21 Feb 2024 | Ep. 40 | The Impending Collapse of Fire/EMS Service in America with Tim Nowak | 01:19:52 | |
Consultant and resident expert Tim Nowak argues that there is an impending collapse of fire/EMS services in America and that there must be a paradigm shift in our thinking with respect to how these vital services are funded. In this episode, we talk about the causes of the crisis, what it is going to take to fix it, and engage in other general subject matter related topics that have gnawed at me over the years. For example, do we really need 24-hour shifts and wouldn't taxpayers save money if we moved to 12-hour shifts and stopped paying firefighters while they are sleeping? This is a must listen episode and I encourage you to share it with each member of your governing body. SHOW NOTES: Tim Nowak works as a consultant for the Public Consulting Group and you can locate him on LinkedIn where he has an impressive platform and engaged audience. AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 16 Oct 2024 | Side Hustles & Passive Income Streams with Nick Loper | Ep. 75 | 00:42:29 | |
Nick Loper is a legend in the side hustle and internet marketing space. He is the host of the Side Hustle Show podcast and runs the Side Hustle Nation website. I get excited when talking about internet marketing, start-ups, passive income, and entrepreneurship. And I hope many of you do, too, as I would like to explore this topic in more earnest in the future. Being a city or county manager is very risky. Governing bodies are churning and burning through public sector executives who are increasingly seen as disposable and interchangeable commodities. In the past, I have talked about minimizing downside risk exposure during contract negotiations and explored the idea of side hustles and alternative income streams to augment incomes during transitions so that you are not pressured into taking an unattractive opportunity just for the sake of putting food on the table. Please let me know if you enjoy or do not enjoy this podcast so that I can modify future programming. SHOW NOTES: You can find Nick Loper here:
EPISODE SPONSOR: This episode is sponsored by KUDO. Make your council meetings accessible with translated audio and live captions into 45+ languages. EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Only listeners of the City Manager Unfiltered podcast can sign up for a FREE, no risk, no obligation one-month trial offer. Use this link: https://kudo.ai/cmu/ AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 17 Jan 2024 | Why are ICMA Exec. Board Members Dodging FOIA Requests? | Ep. 34 | 00:39:18 | |
A disgruntled ICMA spouse is submitting public information requests across the country and ICMA executive board members are stonewalling and blocking these requests. Why? In this episode we talk about the increasing levels of scrutiny the ICMA is facing as a result of my podcast and LinkedIn posting. And we also highight various executive board members across the country who are refusing the respond to these FOIA requests or requiring multi-thousand dollar payments in order to gather the information. SHOW NOTES: In this episode I talked about my new donation/supporter link. If you are interested in supporting the podcast with a one time or monthly recurring donation, please visit this link. I also introduced my new YouTube channel. Please subscribe today. I spoke about Micah Gaudet's ChatGPT course and how it is without question the best value for those wanting to level up. AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 08 Jan 2025 | City Detect is Revolutionizing Code Enforcement with AI | Ep. 89 | 00:50:38 | |
Join Gavin Baum-Blake, Co-founder and CEO of City Detect, on City Manager Unfiltered, where he discusses how AI and computer vision technology are revolutionizing urban management. With a background as a US Army veteran, an attorney, and an entrepreneur, Gavin brings a unique perspective to the ethical application of cutting-edge technology in tackling urban challenges like blight, housing decay, and illegal dumping. Discover how his leadership is shaping smarter, safer, and more sustainable cities. Tune in to learn how local leaders can harness data-driven insights to transform their communities. #sponsored SHOW NOTES: City Detect website: https://citydetect.com/ Gavin Baum-Blake: LinkedIn Page EPISODE SPONSOR: Disclaimer: Promotional consideration was paid by City Detect to appear on this podcast. AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 03 Nov 2024 | SHS: Using Leverage & Real Estate to Create Wealth with Noel Bernal | Ep. 78 | 01:05:31 | |
In my first installment of my new "Side Hustle Sunday" series, I discuss the power of leveraging real estate to create wealth with Noel Bernal. Noel started his real estate investment journey in his early 20's before he became a public sector executive. He, along with his wife, have increased their real estate holdings over time and expanded into larger real estate transactions through syndication deals. We both preach the importance of city and county managers adding additional income streams to their portfolio so that they can weather separations and also maintain some control over their own destiny when it comes to working in toxic environments. Passive and secondary income streams give you options and prevent you from being trapped in soul crushing situations where you might feel forced to put up with abusive and unprofessional treatment by elected officials because you are fearful of not being able to put food on your family's table. My initial plan is to release an episode on the first Sunday of every month featuring interviews with government employees who are working on a side hustle or highlight someone outside of local government who is engaged in a side hustle that I think might inspire you to start your own journey towards securing financial independence. If you or someone you know has an interesting side hustle that they want to share with my audience, please reach out and contact me. SHOW NOTES: Noel Bernal's LinkedIn profile (https://www.linkedin.com/in/noelbernal/) Noel is the Founder & CEO of Main St. Public Financial (https://mainstpublic.com/) EPISODE SPONSOR: This episode is sponsored by KUDO. Make your council meetings accessible with translated audio and live captions into 45+ languages. EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Only listeners of the City Manager Unfiltered podcast can sign up for a FREE, no risk, no obligation one-month trial offer. Use this link: https://kudo.ai/cmu/ AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 02 Oct 2024 | Rising to Serve with Brooks Williams | Ep. 73 | 01:04:34 | |
City Manager Brooks Williams brings a passionate but demanding philosophical approach to local government. He joins the program to talk about the importance of innovation and efficiency, accountability, employee development, and building strong relationships with your elected officials as he leads the City of Ferris, Texas. Brooks recently published "Rising to Serve," which I can only describe as his personal love letter to public service and city management. The foreward was penned by the incomparable Tommy Gonzalez. In his book, available on Amazon, Brooks sets out on a mission to reimagine public administration in this era of unprecedented change. SHOW NOTES: Brooks Williams' LinkedIn Page Link to Brooks' book "Rising to Serve" on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4eu66Tw EPISODE SPONSOR: This episode is sponsored by KUDO. Make your council meetings accessible with translated audio and live captions into 45+ languages. EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Only listeners of the City Manager Unfiltered podcast can sign up for a FREE, no risk, no obligation one-month trial offer. Use this link: https://kudo.ai/solutions/city-manager-unfiltered-live-speech-translation/ AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 02 Apr 2025 | Mike Grabianowski: Don't Get Screwed on Your CIP Projects (Part 1) | Ep. 100 | 00:59:33 | |
In this two part series, I interview Mike Grabianowski who has many years of experience monitoring and auditing construction projects. As an employee of Georgia Pacific, a subsidiary of Koch Industries, Mike was tasked with ensuring his company was not overbilled whenever it hired contractors to complete projects. These projects, which could exceed $100 million, were put under a microscope by Mike and his team and he's learned many of the "tricks of the trades" over the years. Now -- he's hung his own shingle and opened his own consulting firm to leverage this knowledge. And he wants to bring his knowledge and skills to the public sector. In this episode, we examine how Mike and his company can help city managers and department heads on their major capital improvement projects and protect them and the taxpayers from being taken advantage of by vendors. SHOW NOTES Mike Grabianowski's LinkedIn Profile Link to Grabianowski & Associates website AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 06 Nov 2024 | Work-Life Balance is Bullshit with Seth Winterhalter | Ep. 79 | 01:17:36 | |
Seth Winterhalter has some thoughts on work-life balance, leaders needing chaos to thrive, and the let down that achievers can feel once they accomplish major goals. An executive coach and owner of HaltingWinter Municipal Solutions, Seth seeks to help city and county managers escape burnout, set boundaries, and experience breakthroughs in work-life balance. He recently rebranded his podcast to focus on local government executives and content. He has started rolling out interviews with city managers, too. I encourage you all to check it out and will link to it in the show notes. Also in this episode, I went "off script" and put myself on the couch a little bit. It was an unplanned detour and I thought about cutting my personal elements out of the podcast -- but I think the resulting discussion may prove beneficial to some of you so I left it in. SHOW NOTES: Seth Winterhalter's LinkedIn profile and website for HaltingWinter Municipal Solutions Link to The HaltingWinter Podcast EPISODE SPONSOR: This episode is sponsored by KUDO. Make your council meetings accessible with translated audio and live captions into 45+ languages. EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Only listeners of the City Manager Unfiltered podcast can sign up for a FREE, no risk, no obligation one-month trial offer. Use this link: https://kudo.ai/cmu/ AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 21 May 2025 | Sam Toles: The Social Media Playbook for City Managers | Ep. 107 | 00:58:34 | |
What is the purpose of social media and why does your organization have a social media presence? In this episode, Sam Toles of CiviSocial and I discuss this issue at length and make a powerful case for why every city and county manager should make sure their organization is doing social media correctly. Not only are there personal and professional benefits, but it can help improve employee morale and job satisfaction, retention, and keep your elected officials happy. Sam is on a mission to help city managers and other public sector executives level up their organization's social media presence. He recently released his new book and podcast listeners can claim their FREE copy by clicking on the link below. SHOW NOTES Claim your FREE copy of "The Social Media Playbook for City & County Managers" at this link: https://civisocial.com/the-social-media-playbook Sam Toles' LinkedIn profile Link to CiviSocial website Sam previously appeared on the following episodes: Episode 67: Your City is Doing Social Media Wrong Episode 68: Keyboard Warriors & Social Media Terrorists AAME Waitlist Sign Up Link: https://app.youform.com/forms/f9ulo0uh AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 15 Nov 2023 | Baker Tilly Gets Embarrassed in Deltona, Florida | Ep. 25 | 00:15:40 | |
Baker Tilly "shot its shot" in Deltona, Florida and came up with an air ball. Not only did they lose out to Colin Baenzinger & Associates, some no-name shop outscored them in the final results tally. But wait until you hear what a couple of the governing body members say on the record. Yikes! Listen to find out what involvement I had in this recruitment. I am confident that I had some influence on the final outcome. Baker Tilly should be on your "no-fly" list if you are a city manager or a member of a governing body evaluating recruitment firms.
AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 29 Nov 2023 | Setting and Enforcing Governing Body Boundaries with John Weidl | Ep. 27 | 01:05:03 | |
Wisconsin City Manager John Weidl's boundaries were crossed by members of his governing body while out on paternity leave. This led him to start searching for another position where he was ultimately named as a finalist for a manager position in a neighboring community. However, he withdrew from the recruitment and opted to continue serving as the city manager for the City of Whitewater. We talk about the importance of setting and enforcing boundaries and why he decided to stick it out and work with his governing body to build a stronger, healthier relationship with them in this powerful episode.
AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 22 Nov 2023 | The 36-hour workweek with Jamie Gwynn | Ep. 26 | 01:16:44 | |
Jamie Gwynn is an innovative leader on the cutting edge of the alternative work schedule debate. He needed to get creative if he was going to be competitive in this tight labor market, especially as he was forced to compete against the high wages offered by local governments in the Philadelphia metroplex. We examine the New Hanover Township manager's implementation of a 36-hour workweek in a small, but rapidly growing community with a governing body entirely comprised of Republicans. Coming out of the COVID pandemic, alternative work schedules are a popular topic. And Gwynn may be the very first in the nation to implement such a schedule. He is passionate about this subject and encourages other managers to reach out to him with any questions. I have included a link to his LinkedIn profile below. SHOW NOTES: Jamie Gwynn's LinkedIn Profile AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 10 Jul 2024 | Audio Recording: ICMA Staff Supports AAME | Ep. 61 | 00:34:33 | |
A confidential source sent me an audio recording of ICMA West Coast Regional Director Pat Martel discussing the American Association of Municipal Executives. This discussion took place two weeks ago at the Oregon City/Count Management Association conference.. In this audio clip, Martel states that the ICMA is very much aware of the AAME, that it supports the AAME mission, and that it is perfectly acceptable for ICMA members to join AAME and other organizations. In this episode, I talk about how many ICMA members who are supportive of my efforts have expressed an unwillingness to join the AAME. They state they fear retaliation. And I urge the ICMA executive board to make a public statement attesting to the fact that members will not be targeted if they do join the AAME. SHOW NOTES: If you want to join the American Association of Municipal Executives and becoming a founding member, register today at: https://community.aame.org/. Deadline to become a founding member is July 15. AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 12 Jun 2024 | Why is Ed Meece excited about the AAME? | Ep. 56 | 01:01:26 | |
We continue our conversation with Polson, Montana city manager Ed Meece in Part 2 of our interview series. In this episode, Ed talks about: ✅ a new state association for Montana city managers that is not affiliated with the ICMA, ✅ a conversation he had with ICMA CEO Marc Ott and Ray Baray, his chief of staff, and ✅ why he is so excited about the new American Association of Municipal Executives
SHOW NOTES: Ed Meece's LinkedIn page AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 24 Apr 2024 | Do public comment decorum rules violate the First Amendment with CJ Grisham | Ep. 49 | 01:36:05 | |
Texas attorney CJ Grisham and his client, Jason Followell, were removed from an Aransas Pass city council meeting under the threat of arrest after they both used profane language and violated the rules of decorum during a public comment period. Since that January incident, Grisham has filed a lawsuit (see link below in the show notes) on behalf of Followell and the Aransas Pass police chief has charged both Grisham and Followell with disrupting the meeting. In this episode, Grisham and I discuss the First Amendment, the validity of rules of decorum, and whether it is legal for public speakers to be ejected from council meetings for using profane language. Listener discretion is advised as the language in this podcast is not suitable for children or the workplace. This episode is sponsored by CityManagerNews.com SHOW NOTES: CJ Grisham is an attorney in the state of Texas handling First and Second Amendment cases. You can find him on the following platforms: YouTube: Texas 2A Attorney Here is a link to the lawsuit filed by CJ Grisham on behalf of his client, Jason Followell. AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 17 Apr 2024 | Deconstructing Taylour Tedder's Groundbreaking Contract with Bradley Ford | Ep. 48 | 01:12:25 | |
Taylour Tedder's groundbreaking contract in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware was the talk of the city management community last week. His contract features a $750,000 home loan that is completely forgivable after 7 years of service. Bradley Ford, the city manager for Waco, Texas, sat down with me to review and critique this amazing contract. Ford, the foremost expert when it comes to public sector executive compensation, recently formed his own niche consulting business called City Compensation. We take a deep dive into a contract that will have reverberations throughout the profession in this fascinating and informative episode. This episode is sponsored by CityManagerNews.com SHOW NOTES: Bradley Ford (LinkedIn Profile) City Compensation website and LinkedIn page Taylour Tedder's Contract AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 13 Sep 2023 | Strangers and Angels with Gabe Reaume | Ep. 15 | 01:11:19 | |
Gabe Reaume, a 20-something aspiring city manager harassed by tweakers stealing his laundry moves in with Joan, his best friend's 80-something grandmother. This unlikely duo form a deep bond that would shape and influence him as he became a husband, father, and eventually a city manager. Reaume recounts this friendship in his book "Strangers & Angels" and documents his rise from Michigan farm boy to become the city manager for Saginaw, Texas, a rapidly growing city of about 25,000 in the burgeoning Dallas-Ft. Worth metroplex. In this memoir filled with beautiful angels and kind strangers, Reaume courageously pulls back the curtains on his frailties and shortcomings. We join him on his journey, observe his metamorphosis, and fully immerse ourselves in the colorful tapestry of amazing characters who have influenced him. They helped shaped his infectiously positive outlook on life and love for his fellow man which ultimately serves as the foundational bedrock of his committment to public service. But, it always comes back to Joan, the amazingly beautiful woman who loved to live, even though life could be very painful. We learn how she reinvents herself after tragedy strikes through the eyes of a young Gabe who is simply trying to find himself as he fully enters adulthood. As we recount the life of Joan and meander through the pages of "Strangers and Angels", the seasoned veteran of city management imparts his pearls of wisdom to those aspiring to become city managers much like she imparted her priceless lessons on living and loving to Gabe -- no doubt adorned in pearls.
SHOW NOTES Please consider supporting a fellow public sector executive and purchasing Gabe Reaume's book from this Amazon link: Strangers & Angels: Finding Family in Unexpected Places
AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. | |||
| 24 Jan 2024 | Sticking Up for Stanley Hawthorne in College Park, GA | Ep. 35 | 00:34:04 | |
City manager Stanley Hawthorne was wrongfully fired with cause by just two members of his governing body. It was amateur night in Georgia on January 16, 2024 when Councilman Joe Carn rushed through this vote over the objections of Mayor Bianca Motley Broom. In this episode, I breakdown the tape and show how these unprofessional councilmembers voted to silence Hawthorne and prevent him from speaking during his termination. I also reveal how childish they were when none of them accepted the gavel from Mayor Broom so that she could make a public statement from the dais. Tune into the end to find out if Mr. Hawthorne is vindicated. Hint: This story has a happy ending. SHOW NOTES: In this episode I discussed Stanley Hawthorne's "Resignation & Release Agreement." You can view the YouTube video I made about Hawthorne's termination here. AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 24 Jul 2024 | Why did 29-year ICMA member Michael Penny join the AAME? | Ep. 63 | 01:29:32 | |
Castle Pines city manager Michael Penny isn't your ordinary ICMA member. He currently serves as the chairman of the ICMA's Credentialing Advisory Board (CAB) and has been a member of the organization since 1995. So, why did he join the American Association of Municipal Executives as a founding member and how does he see both organizations co-existing? Penny has also been on both sides of the ICMA executive board election process. He has run for a seat and been denied the nomination and he has been on the panel that interviewed candidates. He pushes back on my claims that the process is rigged by insiders and offers up his unique perspective. We also talk about the James Freed defamation lawsuit and the role the membership must play in holding the organization accountable. The Colorado manager isn't afraid to disagree with my takes and I think you are going to appreciate the different perspectives and arguments both of us bring to the table throughout this series. We discuss these issues and many more in the first installment of this three-part series you are not going to want to miss. In future installments we are going to dissect the ICMA credential and its purpose, what it truly measures or signifies, and whether it has been weaponized against city managers who do not possess it. SHOW NOTES: Michael Penny's LinkedIn profile Information about the ICMA Credentialing Advisory Board (CAB). If you want to join the American Association of Municipal Executives and becoming a founding member, register today at: https://community.aame.org/. Deadline to become a founding member has been extended to July 25th. AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 29 Sep 2023 | James Freed vs ICMA: Recording of an Assassination Attempt | Ep. 18 | 00:43:55 | |
Port Huron City Manager James Freed had never been the subject of an ethics complaint. That is until he raised concerns about the social media activities of Martha Perego, the "ethics guru" at the International City/County Management Association.
When he got a call from Perego's subordinate, Jessica Cowles, just a few weeks later, his "Spidey-sense" tingled. He asked to call her back so he could record the conversation.
He would soon find out that Cowles was attempting to investigate him for violating the ICMA Code of Ethics.
In this episode, we listen in on the conversation as the ICMA ethics team attempts to weaponize the organization's Code of Ethics and its enforcement.
SHOW NOTES:
James Freed Letter to Martha Perego ICMA CEO Marc Ott letter to Freed Announcing Discipline of Perego ICMA Rules of Procedure (February 2019 Edition)
AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 01 May 2024 | Ep. 50 | Introducing the American Association of Municipal Executives | 01:06:43 | |
Over the last 18 months I have highlighted the plight of city managers and other public sector executives. I have talked about the pervasive sense of loneliness and isolation that is oftentimes overwhelming. I have lamented the lack of advocacy for managers who watch helplessly as the reputation and career they have spent decades building is sullied and damaged. When I have criticized the ICMA for sitting on its hands and not coming to the defense of managers, I am chastised by loyalists who steadfastly maintain that it is not the organization's job to defend managers. Well -- public sector executives deserve to have an organization that will advocate on their behalf, take proactive steps to protect their reputations and careers, and fight for better compensation and benefits in a profession that has become extremely volatile, risky, and hyperscrutinized. To that end, Micah Gaudet and I are launching the American Association of Municipal Executives. We are going to build a community that supports, develops, and advocates on behalf of city managers and public sector executives. We invite you to join us as we embark on this journey to build an organization that will transform public administration in America. You have a truly unique "once-in-a-lifetime" opportunity to get in on the ground floor of something that will be historically significant for our profession. Go to AAME.org and sign up today to become a Founding Member! SHOW NOTES: The American Association of Municipal Executives is located at AAME.org. In this episode, Micah Gaudet referred to Daniel Rosemond's book "Death of the Public Servant." Micah Gaudet's LinkedIn page Daniel Rosemond's LinkedIn page AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 27 Mar 2024 | Surviving a Domestic Violence Arrest with Theo Melancon | Ep. 45 | 01:27:08 | |
City manager Theo Melancon was arrested on a domestic violence charge in January 2022. Unfortunately for him, his predecessor also made controversial headlines surrounding a domestic incident. In this powerful episode, Melancon gives us a play-by-play recounting of the events that upended his life and nearly ended his career. We talk about his communication with his elected officials, handling the social media firestorm, and examine how his peers responded and interacted with him once the story broke. This interview has been broken into two parts. The planned original discussion about Melancon's battle with his powerful police chief will be presented in the second installment. SHOW NOTES: Theo Melancon (LinkedIn Profile) AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 22 May 2024 | Private vs. Public Sector Executive Compensation with Daniel Reilly | Ep. 53 | 01:19:54 | |
Public sector executives need to steal some pages out of the private sector executive playbook when it comes to compensation, benefits, and negotiating contracts. Attorney Daniel Reilly has extensive experience in negotiating private and public sector executive contracts. Licensed to practice law in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, we discuss industry norms, tactics, and practices that should be co-opted by city and county managers to secure stronger contracts that will protect them and their families. This is a "must listen" interview with many gems of wisdom and golden nuggets for executives and aspiring executives to ponder and consider. Moreover, public sector recruiters and local elected officials should also pay attention as I once again highlight the on-going paradigm shift in public administration. No other local government podcast provides this type of valuable and thought provoking content. If you enjoyed it -- please take a moment to hit the "follow/subscribe" button and also leave a rating and review on Apple and Spotify. SHOW NOTES: Daniel Reilly is a business attorney who specializes in executive compensation. Here is a link to his law firm, Reilly Legal, and his LinkedIn page. The American Association of Municipal Executives is located at AAME.org. AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 27 Nov 2024 | Score an Easy Win with Inclusive Parks | Ep. 82 | 00:37:08 | |
One of my goals with this podcast is to help you produce "wins" for your resume so that you can advance your career. When you can do the "right thing" and help those who need it most while also scoring a professional win -- it does not get much better. This is a great, relatively low cost idea that many communities will benefit from. Morgan Massera of Coalinga, California, is a mother of a young child that has difficulty communicating verbally. In this episode, we discuss her personal journey and her efforts to get communication boards installed throughout the parks in her community. Not only do these boards help children like hers, they also help children and individuals who are unable to communicate in the same language interact with each other. She worked closely with the incredible staffers staffers at the City of Coalinga and the Coalinga-Huron Recreation and Park District. This includes former Coalinga city manager, Marissa Trejo, and Mallory Griffith-Wells, general manager for the district. Funding for the project was generously provided by the Coalinga Healthcare District. SHOW NOTES: Link to Morgan Massera's Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/morgankathleen9/ Morgan would like to refer parents and families of those affected to Apraxia Kids for more information and resources. Communication Boards produced by Talk to Me Technologies EPISODE SPONSOR: This episode is sponsored by KUDO. Make your council meetings accessible with translated audio and live captions into 45+ languages. EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Only listeners of the City Manager Unfiltered podcast can sign up for a FREE, no risk, no obligation one-month trial offer. Use this link: https://kudo.ai/cmu/
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| 07 Feb 2024 | If At First You Don't Succeed, Try Again with Jordan Cook | Ep. 37 | 01:03:40 | |
Jordan Cook didn't even get an interview the first time he tried to land a city administrator gig in Nevada, Iowa. But, on the second go around he not only got an interview -- he got the job. In this episode we discuss perseverance, mental toughness, and talk about the state of public sector executive recruiting. We also extoll the virtues of the Midwest and talk about how aspiring city managers can turbocharge their career trajectory by exploring small town options. AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 21 Jun 2023 | Why Cities Should Pay for Spouses to Travel on Job Interviews | Ep. 03 | 00:20:41 | |
City and county governments expect their newly hired manager to be "all-in" and make a significant investment in their community. This often includes a residency requirement as a condition of acceptance. Yet, many employers refuse to pay the travel expenses of the candidate's spouse during the recruitment process. Host Joe Turner recounts a recent recruitment experience where his wife's travel expenses were not reimbursed and he articulates why he believes local governments should happily pay for a candidate's spouse to travel to the interview. AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. | |||
| 19 Jul 2023 | ChatGPT: Skeptic to Believer in 30 Minutes with John Weidl & Micah Gaudet | Ep. 07 | 01:03:31 | |
Whitewater (WI) City Manager John Weidl was a skeptic about ChatGPT until he listened to Episode No. 4 of the City Manager Unfiltered podcast with Micah Gaudet. He literally created an account and started exploring ChatGPT during that episode and quickly realized the amazing potential and benefits of this technology. In this podcast, we examine how he and his staff have used ChatGPT in just the last couple of weeks, why he believes his staff eagerly adopted the technology, along with some additional ways public sector executives and aspiring city managers can use ChatGPT to assist in their job search and career development. SHOW NOTES Comprehensive ChatGPT course for public sector employees interest form: CLICK LINK Micah will be the instructor for an AI webinar hosted by SGR on July 25, 2023: CLICK LINK Micah will serve as the moderator for a discussion on AI hosted by CivStart on July 27, 2023: CLICK LINK Live Podcast & Networking event in Austin - If you are interested you need to fill out this form TODAY so we can gauge interest: INTEREST FORM LINK Record a question for the upcoming Daniel Rosemond interview about his book "Death of a Public Servant": CLICK LINK AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. | |||
| 18 Oct 2023 | Baker Tilly Hides Dirty Secret from Hutchinson City Manager Candidates | Ep. 21 | 00:35:14 | |
Reports out of Hutchinson, Kansas are that the city council is not happy with the quality of city manager candidates produced by Baker Tilly. On top of that, Baker Tilly is hiding a secret about this position and not informing the candidates it has recruited thus far. This episode of the podcast will once again illustrate the point that Baker Tilly cannot be trusted by city manager candidates to treat them with respect or to inform them of material facts so that these public sector executives can make educated decisions for themselves and their families AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 04 Jun 2025 | Brian Daily: You're Getting Screwed on Your Property Insurance | Ep. 109 | 00:57:55 | |
Brian Daily was the first person I ever hired as a city manager and it was one of the most impactful decisions I have ever made in my professional career. He is an amazing, inquisitive public servant who continually seeks to provide value to taxpayers. He is insanely curious and truly embodies the ethos of a "working executive" who is not afraid to roll his sleeves up and do the heavy lifting required of a small town executive. In this episode, we talk about three major areas of accomplishment as the city administrator for the Kansas community of Medicine Lodge.
Daily is a rising star and you are going to enjoy this episode. SHOW NOTES Brian Daily's LinkedIn Profile AAME Waitlist Sign Up Link: https://app.youform.com/forms/f9ulo0uh AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 26 Jun 2024 | Marilyn Rivers Just Wanted Her Good Name Back | Ep. 59 | 01:00:54 | |
Marilyn Rivers had a stellar career and an impeccable reputation having served for nearly 20 years as the Director of Risk and Safety for the New York city of Saratoga Springs. About 18-months away from this 20-year mark where she would be eligible for her pension, a newly elected commissioner set his sights on her to settle an "old score" from fifteen years ago. Rivers wanted to do this podcast because she never had a chance to defend herself, her record, or address the toxic behavior of this commissioner during the entire ordeal. She told me that she needed to do the podcast because she wanted her "voice" and her good name back. This is slated to be Part 1 of a multi-part series. Stay tuned for the next episode when Marilyn will reveal tips, tricks, and tactics to reduce your insurance costs and make you look like a star for your governing body or your city manager. SHOW NOTES: Here is a link to Marilyn Rivers' consulting firm: Rivers Risk Consulting, LLC. The company's LinkedIn page can be found here and this is a link to her personal LinkedIn Page If you want to join the American Association of Municipal Executives and becoming a founding member, register today at: https://community.aame.org/. AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 17 Jul 2024 | The AAME is Born & Signup Deadline Extended | Ep. 62 | 00:22:02 | |
For a variety of reasons listed in this podcast, the sign up deadline to become a founding member of the American Association of Municipal Executives has been extended. You have until midnight central on Thursday, July 25th to take action and join this historic, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. This is the last call -- so sign up here today. We have the following membership plans:
Go here to sign up: Community.AAME.org AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 09 Aug 2023 | Ep. 10 | Death of the Public Servant with Daniel Rosemond | 01:37:26 | |
Daniel Rosemond suffered a horrific, career-killing termination as city manager for Hallandale Beach, Florida back in 2016. It ruined his reputation, ended his career, and forever altered his view of public service -- to say nothing of the horrendous impact it has had on him and his family psychologically, emotionally, and financially. In 2022, he was vindicated in court when a jury awarded him a $4.4 million dollar judgment after only deliberating for about an hour. But Rosemond's saga was not over. Hallandale Beach has appealed the judgment and Rosemond's journey now stretches 7 years. In this 3-part series, we talk about the:
Rosemond has walked a path that most city managers will never endure, thankfully. Do not miss this special interview series. If you are like me, you will be enjoy a rollercoaster ride of emotions consisting of shock, sadness, disgust, and seething, righteous anger.
SHOW NOTES: Daniel Rosemond is the author of "Death of the Public Servant" and CEO of the East to West Development Corporation. You are invited to reach out and contact him for professional advice and consultation on affordable housing initiatives and to support him by purchasing his book. AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 05 Feb 2025 | What Does AAME Advocacy for City Managers Look Like? | Ep. 93 | 00:43:18 | |
City managers deserve to have a professional association that will fight for them and help communicate their narrative in an environment where the deck is usually stacked against them. In this week's episode I wanted to unpack some various advocacy efforts the American Association of Municipal Executives is currently engaged in on behalf of city managers. Not only are we engaged in direct advocacy on behalf of individuals, but we are also working to educate the public so that they have a better understanding of the perspectives and concerns city managers must weigh when determining whether to apply for a position. SHOW NOTES Founding members of the AAME have exclusive, first priority rights to sign up for the first annual conference until February 14th. Seating is extremely limited with only 150 seats available. The conference is being held in El Cajon, California from June 25-27th. Please sign up and register in the AAME community. After the 14th, it will be opened up to anyone who wants to attend. AAME will be re-opening membership very soon. If you would like to get on the wait list you are encouraged to go to this link and sign up today: https://app.youform.com/forms/f9ulo0uh EPISODE SPONSOR: This episode is sponsored by Holbrook Asphalt. Maintaining your roads is one of the most difficult tasks for any city government. The good news is the secret to making it easier is only 3 letters: H-A-5. HA5 extends the life of roads and reduces the financial burden on taxpayers. HA5 is an innovative pavement preservation treatment trusted by over 300 public agencies. It keeps good roads in good condition, reducing repair costs and saving taxpayer dollars. Join the hundreds of other cities making the smart choice. Choose HA5 for longer-lasting roads and a healthier budget. Learn more at holbrookasphalt.com/city. AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 15 Jan 2025 | Ep. 90 | Economic Development the Right Way with Kevin Phelps | 01:09:59 | |
City Manager Kevin Phelps and his team in Glendale, Arizona have put on a clinic when it comes to leveraging economic development. Since his arrival in 2016, the city has figuratively backed up the Brinks truck and filled their bank accounts with cash. Residents pay lower property taxes per unit of valuation today than they did when he took over. And the number of employees in Glendale today is lower than a decade or so ago. In this episode, we talk about Kevin's philosophical and practical approach to economic development and how his team has become so dominant in their ability to attract businesses seeking to relocate. SHOW NOTES: Kevin Phelp's LinkedIn page EPISODE SPONSOR: This episode is sponsored by Holbrook Asphalt. Maintaining your roads is one of the most difficult tasks for any city government. The good news is the secret to making it easier is only 3 letters: H-A-5. HA5 extends the life of roads and reduces the financial burden on taxpayers. HA5 is an innovative pavement preservation treatment trusted by over 300 public agencies. It keeps good roads in good condition, reducing repair costs and saving taxpayer dollars. Join the hundreds of other cities making the smart choice. Choose HA5 for longer-lasting roads and a healthier budget. Learn more at holbrookasphalt.com/city. AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 29 Jan 2025 | James Freed: Life After Victory Over ICMA | Ep. 92 | 00:56:27 | |
Last September after mounting pressure, the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) finally capitulated and settled the James Freed lawsuit a month before it was scheduled to go to trial. In this episode, we catch up with the Port Huron, Michigan city manager and see what life is like after his huge victory. Hint: Lots of vacations with the wife. ROTFLMAO! We also discuss the failures of his state association, the Michigan Municipal Executives, and discuss the feelings of abandonment and gaslighting he endured throughout this process. He shares how his faith and a supportive wife got him through the dark days and the numerous battles he has faced over the last seven years. We also talk about the state of the city management profession and the challenges facing managers in Michigan. SHOW NOTES Link to James Freed's LinkedIn page and his municipal consulting company, Pivot Group Municipal Services EPISODE SPONSOR: This episode is sponsored by Holbrook Asphalt. Maintaining your roads is one of the most difficult tasks for any city government. The good news is the secret to making it easier is only 3 letters: H-A-5. HA5 extends the life of roads and reduces the financial burden on taxpayers. HA5 is an innovative pavement preservation treatment trusted by over 300 public agencies. It keeps good roads in good condition, reducing repair costs and saving taxpayer dollars. Join the hundreds of other cities making the smart choice. Choose HA5 for longer-lasting roads and a healthier budget. Learn more at holbrookasphalt.com/city. AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 03 Jan 2024 | Threats of Violence Forces Cancellation of City Manager Interview | Ep. 32 | 01:01:14 | |
Former Fort Meade City Manager Jan Bagnall declined to be interviewed for the second part of our interview series after receiving multiple threats since our first interview aired on December 13th, or Episode 29. On New Year's Day, I received an email from a stranger named Greg King. I would later learn that he was the campaign manager for Jaret Williams, who one his Fort Meade commission race in November. I was unsure how to proceed and a little concerned based on some of the things Bagnall had shared. However, I was uncomfortable putting just one-side of the story out there without giving the "other side" equal time to make their case. So, I decided to respond to King's inquiry and we discussed the situation in Fort Meade on the phone. I recorded the call and feature it in this episode of the podcast. We also discussed the impending arrival of Pat Oman, the incoming city manager who was recently hired by the governing body without he input and consideration of Mr. Williams.
SHOW NOTES: In the introduction, I mentioned Mark Moses book: The Municipal Financial Crisis. AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 31 Jan 2024 | Did Aransas Pass Expose Itself to Public Comment First Amendment Lawsuit? | Ep. 36 | 00:30:49 | |
The Aransas Pass police department recently removed two public speakers from council chambers after they hurled numerous vulgarities and profane language at members of the governing body and city staff. Did they violate the First Amendment rights of these individuals and expose the taxpayers to a lawsuit? One of the men booted from the meeting is a civil rights attorney who claims the city did violate his rights and the rights of his clients. I have contacted this attorney and plan to have him on a future episode of the podcast to discuss this issue in more detail. If you would like to ask a specific question of this attorney, please use my SpeakPipe app to record your message and I will play it on the air. Go to this link to record your question. What would you have done if these two individuals spoke like this during your public meeting? SHOW NOTES: Here is a link to the new YouTube channel for the City Manager Unfiltered podcast. Please subscribe to the channel today. You can also view the YouTube videos associated with this podcast episode here: AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 28 Jun 2023 | Micah Gaudet: Level Up & Use ChatGPT in the Public Sector Today | Ep. 04 | 00:54:48 | |
Micah Gaudet is a deputy city manager for the City of Maricopa (pop. 63,000) overseeing all public safety operations. Maricopa is the second fastest growing city in Arizona and the 12th fastest growing city in the United States. Micah has quickly carved out a niche as one of the leading voices on the usage of ChatGPT and artificial intelligence in the public sector. In this episode, he provides real world examples on how you can use this incredible technology to immediately add value in the workplace and put your career trajectory on a rocketship! No fluff or theory. We're talking real world applicability you can use today! During the interview, I challenged Micah to put together a comprehensive, multi-week course specifically designed for public sector professionals. What better way to learn how to use ChatGPT than by a public sector professional who is actively using it. Please fill out this form if you are interested in learning more about a ChatGPT course, Find Micah Gaudet on Linkedin and at his YouTube channel. AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. | |||
| 23 Oct 2024 | Daniel Rosemond Appeals Case to the Florida Supreme Court | Ep. 76 | 01:19:08 | |
Our friend, Daniel Rosemond, visits the show to provide an update on his legal case against the City of Hallandale Beach. In February, he had a major set back and we talk about battling through this ordeal that has now stretched out more than 8 years. We also talk about his work with East to West Development and share some exciting news about his book, "Death of the Public Servant." Daniel was featured in a 3-part interview series last year:
SHOW NOTES: Daniel Rosemond is the author of "Death of the Public Servant" and CEO of the East to West Development Corporation. You are invited to reach out and contact him for professional advice and consultation on affordable housing initiatives and to support him by purchasing his book. Daniel's LinkedIn profile EPISODE SPONSOR: This episode is sponsored by KUDO. Make your council meetings accessible with translated audio and live captions into 45+ languages. EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Only listeners of the City Manager Unfiltered podcast can sign up for a FREE, no risk, no obligation one-month trial offer. Use this link: https://kudo.ai/cmu/ AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 02 Aug 2023 | Who will hold Baker Tilly and other recruiters accountable? | Ep. 09 | 00:37:23 | |
Baker Tilly allowed a city manager candidate to be subjected to a computerized voice stress analysis test in Canfield, Ohio. These are supposedly "lie detector" tests, but they are really just pseudo-scientific quackery that often give inaccurate results. This candidate was smeared and tarnished by Canfield Police Chief Chuck Colucci in the local paper where he was quoted as saying: "Those tests determined he was not the best match for the city at this time." The obvious implication presented to the public was that the candidate failed the lie detector test. In this episode we discuss how difficult it is to hold public sector executive recruitment firms accountable for their poor treatment of city managers. We also discuss how city managers and other municipal executives can work together to ensure that our concerns and perspectives are taken into account during the recruitment process.
SHOW NOTES: In this podcast, we gave shout outs to three other podcasts that public sector executives may find interesting and plugged a book written by a public sector administrator. They are as follows: Brandon Holland's podcast called: "Lead Well" Nicholas Tietsort's podcast called: "Starts Local, Ends Local" Sean Glavin's podcast called: "WHY People" Dylan Hayden's book called: "The Public Administrator's Guide to ChatGPT" AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 11 Oct 2023 | Ep. 20 | No Regrets for Forced Out First-Time City Manager with Michael Rogers | 01:22:16 | |
Michael Rogers' career arc was impressive having become a well-respected public sector executive in some of the largest organizations in the nation. He had finally reached his goal of becoming a city manager -- and he was killing it. He received glowing remarks and a salary increase in his first annual review. But an election in the City of Tracy, Calif., brought changes to the council composition and within five months he was forced out. Rogers has no regrets about taking the position, but he does reflect back on what he would have done differently in this insightful discussion. He owns his mistakes while minimizing his unfortunate treatment and de-emphasizing the Machiavellian "palace intrigue" that led to his ouster.
AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 16 Aug 2023 | Suicidal City Manager Addresses Mental Health Struggle with Stephen Wade | Ep. 11 | 01:18:45 | |
Topeka City Manager Stephen Wade's battle with depression and mental illness came to a head in June when he attempted suicide. Wade was a "hometown" boy done good and was only about 10 months into his tenure as city manager. After being placed on indefinite leave with pay, he would be shockingly terminated for cause about a month later. In the aftermath of his dismissal, Wade opted to courageously share his mental health struggles publicly by granting an interview with the Topeka Capital-Journal. After reading that article I contacted Stephen and invited him to be a guest on the show, which he graciously agreed to do. This episode features a raw, intimate, and unfiltered look at mental health, suicide, and the extreme stress and pressures city managers must endure as they lead a city and attempt to keep multiple bosses (e.g., elected officials) and stakeholder groups happy. SHOW NOTES: During the interview, Stephen cited two sources of help that may be of value to you. This includes: The Spoon Theory by Christine Miserandino, and Damon Parker and "The Jones Project" AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. | |||
| 18 Dec 2024 | Level Up Your Career Using Andrew Patton's Networking Hack | Ep. 85 | 00:52:36 | |
Public sector human resources can be an incredibly challenging environment to operate in for even the most seasoned director. It is another level of difficult when your previous experience in HR was at Amazon, one of the largest and fastest growing companies in the world. When Andrew Patton left Amazon and became the human resources director for La Vergne, he did not have a network of peers to call upon for advice and counsel. He was on an island and soon found himself at the center of a story that rocked his community and literally created international headlines. In this episode, we examine how Andrew stumbled upon a networking hack that allowed him to rapidly ascend the learning curve and become a thought leader in his region virtually overnight within the field of human resources. And the beauty of this hack is that literally every single person listening to this podcast can implement it and start enjoying the immediate benefits. SHOW NOTES: Andrew Patton's LinkedIn page EPISODE SPONSOR: This episode is sponsored by Holbrook Asphalt. Maintaining your roads is one of the most difficult tasks for any city government. The good news is the secret to making it easier is only 3 letters: H-A-5. HA5 extends the life of roads and reduces the financial burden on taxpayers. HA5 is an innovative pavement preservation treatment trusted by over 300 public agencies. It keeps good roads in good condition, reducing repair costs and saving taxpayer dollars. Join the hundreds of other cities making the smart choice. Choose HA5 for longer-lasting roads and a healthier budget. Learn more at holbrookasphalt.com/city. AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 11 Dec 2024 | My First 100 Days as City Manager with Chris Hoem | Ep. 84 | 00:52:22 | |
Back in June, the City of Atwater hired Chris Hoem to be their next city manager. It was his first city manager gig and he was coming off of being terminated as a department head a few months before. This interview was conducted shortly after he had completed his first 100 days in the position in late October. We talked about his preparation and how he navigated this introductory period. And he candidly shared his story about his termination and why he did not accept an offer to resign. SHOW NOTES: Chris Hoem's LinkedIn page EPISODE SPONSOR: This episode is sponsored by Holbrook Asphalt. Maintaining your roads is one of the most difficult tasks for any city government. The good news is the secret to making it easier is only 3 letters: H-A-5. HA5 extends the life of roads and reduces the financial burden on taxpayers. HA5 is an innovative pavement preservation treatment trusted by over 300 public agencies. It keeps good roads in good condition, reducing repair costs and saving taxpayer dollars. Join the hundreds of other cities making the smart choice. Choose HA5 for longer-lasting roads and a healthier budget. Learn more at holbrookasphalt.com/city. AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 04 Sep 2024 | The Trials & Tribulations of your First Gig with Audree Guzman | Ep. 69 | 00:35:16 | |
Audree Guzman was hired into her first city administrator gig at the beginning of the COVID pandemic. Less than a year later, she would be forced to deal with another historic event that rocked her community. In this episode, Audree and I discuss the trials and tribulations she faced down in her first city administrator gig in small town Kansas. We also discuss the impact a mentor had on her and what impact, if any, her being a Latina in a predominantly white state has had on her career. Originally planned to be a single episode interview, Audree and I ended up spending considerable time discussing the impacts of child and domestic abuse on our lives. This segment of the conversation will be released next week in part two of the series. SHOW NOTES: Here is the LinkedIn page for Audree Guzman AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 06 Dec 2023 | Becoming a City’s First Ever City Manager with Amanda Mack | Ep. 28 | 01:07:30 | |
When Amanda Mack was tapped to lead the City of Watertown, South Dakota, she didn't just become their first ever female city manager. She became their first ever city manager. And the manner in which Watertown maneuvered through this process created the foundation for a successful conversion and fruitful marriage between Mack, the governing body, and the community. The multi-year process culminated in the selection of Mack and though she has enjoyed her experience, there have been some incredible challenges necessitating hard work, passion, and grace. We talk about her experiences and discuss some of the challenges and opportunities that a new manager faces when they become the first executive to lead the organization. AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 03 Jul 2024 | Ep. 60 | ICMA CEO Marc Ott "Retires" & Freed Gets a Trial Date | 00:40:13 | |
Last week the big news story was the announcement by the ICMA that CEO Marc Ott was retiring to spend more time with family. We also learned that Port Huron City Manager James Freed was given a trial date for his defamation lawsuit against the ICMA. Coincidence? These two stories are inextricably linked and are the topic of this week's podcast episode. SHOW NOTES: In this podcast I mentioned that Caribou, Maine City Manager Penny Thompson is a founding member of the American Association of Municipal Executives and that she is looking for an assistant city manager. You can find the job description here: https://www.cariboumaine.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ACM-for-Planning-and-Economic-Development.pdf If you want to join the American Association of Municipal Executives and becoming a founding member, register today at: https://community.aame.org/. AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 12 Jul 2023 | What the hell is going on in Canfield, Ohio? | Ep. 06 | 00:38:27 | |
The city manager search in Canfield, Ohio raises a lot of questions that must be answered by public sector recruitment firm Baker Tilly. This is the first recruitment I am aware of where a city manager candidate was subjected to the pseudoscientific quackery of computerized voice stress analysis. It appears to have been at the direction of Canfield Police Chief Chuck Calucci. However, Calucci stated in newspaper articles that Baker Tilly would be the one responsible for the background checks. I believe Baker Tilly needs to terminate this contract, extricate itself from the situation, and clarify its involvement with this test. SHOW NOTES: In this episode I highlighted the following individuals and events:
AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. | |||
| 30 Oct 2024 | Jorge Garcia Methodically Prepared for First City Manager Post in Pismo Beach | Ep. 77 | 01:00:23 | |
Confident. Certain. Poised. Prepared. Jorge Garcia, a first-time city manager in Pismo Beach, California, embodies all of these adjectives. He has spent many years readying himself for this moment -- his first assignment as a chief executive officer for a municipal corporation. He is only one year into his tenure, but as you listen to this interview, you will come away with the impression that he's sat in "the chair" for a decade plus! Jorge is the next generation of public sector leadership and he models a wonderful example for those aspiring to become city managers. There are several really good nuggets in this conversation and in particular, his communications strategy with his elected officials designed to build trust and create confidence. SHOW NOTES: Jorge Garcia's LinkedIn profile Pismo Beach public works director vacancy with an 11/15/2024 application deadline can be found here: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/pismobeach EPISODE SPONSOR: This episode is sponsored by KUDO. Make your council meetings accessible with translated audio and live captions into 45+ languages. EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Only listeners of the City Manager Unfiltered podcast can sign up for a FREE, no risk, no obligation one-month trial offer. Use this link: https://kudo.ai/cmu/ AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 19 Feb 2025 | Donald Duncan: Lessons from Hurricane Helene (Part 1) | Ep. 95 | 01:10:24 | |
Caldwell County Manager Donald Duncan and his team were about as prepared as one could be for a natural disaster the size and scope of Hurricane Helene. But even still -- there were lessons to be learned and shared in the aftermath of this storm. In this riveting interview series, Donald gives us a rundown of the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to disaster response and preparedness. He has also provided us with a checklist for you and your team to review. I guarantee you will come away with some nuggets of wisdom from this two-part series and that you will be able to go back to your team and better prepare for your next natural or man-made disaster. If you have the misfortune of sharing Donald's fate -- you will be exposed to both. SHOW NOTES Donald Duncan's LinkedIn page and link to his disaster preparedness checklist. Founding members of the AAME have exclusive, first priority rights to sign up for the first annual conference. Seating is extremely limited with only 150 seats available. The conference is being held in El Cajon, California from June 25-27th. Please sign up and register in the AAME community. After the 14th, it will be opened up to anyone who wants to attend. AAME will be re-opening membership very soon. If you would like to get on the wait list you are encouraged to go to this link and sign up today: https://app.youform.com/forms/f9ulo0uh EPISODE SPONSOR: This episode is sponsored by Holbrook Asphalt. Maintaining your roads is one of the most difficult tasks for any city government. The good news is the secret to making it easier is only 3 letters: H-A-5. HA5 extends the life of roads and reduces the financial burden on taxpayers. HA5 is an innovative pavement preservation treatment trusted by over 300 public agencies. It keeps good roads in good condition, reducing repair costs and saving taxpayer dollars. Join the hundreds of other cities making the smart choice. Choose HA5 for longer-lasting roads and a healthier budget. Learn more at holbrookasphalt.com/city. AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 26 Feb 2025 | Donald Duncan: Lessons from Hurricane Helene (Part 2) | Ep. 96 | 01:19:57 | |
Caldwell County Manager Donald Duncan and his team were about as prepared as one could be for a natural disaster the size and scope of Hurricane Helene. But even still -- there were lessons to be learned and shared in the aftermath of this storm. In Part 2 of this series, Donald talks about the personal toll this disaster had on him and his staff. We talked about survivors' guilt and how total destruction of the landscape and physical landmarks can cause mass societal depression. We also talked about the multitude of lessons he learned not just in how to respond to a natural disaster but how to lead his team. He has also provided us with a checklist for you and your team to review. I guarantee you will come away with some nuggets of wisdom from the final installment of this two-part series and that you will be able to go back to your team and better prepare for your next natural or man-made disaster. If you have the misfortune of sharing Donald's fate -- you will be exposed to both. SHOW NOTES Donald Duncan's LinkedIn page and link to his disaster preparedness checklist. Founding members of the AAME have exclusive, first priority rights to sign up for the first annual conference. Seating is extremely limited with only 150 seats available. The conference is being held in El Cajon, California from June 25-27th. Please sign up and register in the AAME community. After the 14th, it will be opened up to anyone who wants to attend. AAME will be re-opening membership very soon. If you would like to get on the wait list you are encouraged to go to this link and sign up today: https://app.youform.com/forms/f9ulo0uh EPISODE SPONSOR: This episode is sponsored by Holbrook Asphalt. Maintaining your roads is one of the most difficult tasks for any city government. The good news is the secret to making it easier is only 3 letters: H-A-5. HA5 extends the life of roads and reduces the financial burden on taxpayers. HA5 is an innovative pavement preservation treatment trusted by over 300 public agencies. It keeps good roads in good condition, reducing repair costs and saving taxpayer dollars. Join the hundreds of other cities making the smart choice. Choose HA5 for longer-lasting roads and a healthier budget. Learn more at holbrookasphalt.com/city. AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 30 Apr 2025 | Part 2: Fire/EMS Staffing & Deployment Models with Tim Nowak | Ep. 104 | 00:47:51 | |
This is the second installment of my three part interview series with Fire/EMS consultant Tim Nowak. The primary purpose of this series is to create an introductory primer and give local elected officials and taxpayers a 30,000 foot level overview of the major issues that must be considered when evaluating fire/EMS service in your communities. My hope is that city and county managers, fire chiefs, and other public sector executives will find our attempt to break this complex issue down into manageable chunks for your various stakeholders useful in your efforts to facilitate discussions on this topic. SHOW NOTES Tim Nowak's LinkedIn page You can find my previous interview with Tim in Episode 40 here. Link to Chris Mann's GOV360 Podcast Link to join the AAME membership waitlist AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 16 Apr 2025 | Handling the Tsunami of Empty Churches with Rick Reinhard | Ep. 102 | 00:58:42 | |
Richard "Rick" Reinhard is one of the leading experts when it comes to analyzing and repurposing church real estate in America. In this episode, Rick talks about the great emptying of churches and how this negatively impacts communities. In one of the undergraduate courses he teaches, he has referred to this epidemic as "spiritual brownfields." We talk about what can be done to convert and repurpose these decaying vacant or soon to become vacant structures and why city managers and local elected officials need to put this issue on their radar. SHOW NOTES Rick Reinhard's LinkedIn page He is the principal consultant for Niagara Consulting Group. AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
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| 26 Mar 2025 | Let's Talk About My Night in Jail | Ep. 99 | 01:04:27 | |
In the previous episode, I discussed the circumstances surrounding my arrest related to the performance of my duties as an assistant county administrator in Florida In this episode, I discuss my night in a Walton County jail. AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
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| 07 Aug 2024 | Michael Penny believes the AAME can help city managers with performance reviews | Ep 65 | 01:10:54 | |
In the third and final installment of my interview series with Castle Pines City Manager Michael Penny, he shares his views on the recruitment and performance review processes and puts forth the idea that the American Association of Municipal Executives can assist city and county managers by influencing how these events are structured. Penny argues that candidates currently have little say in the recruitment process and do not have a seat at the table under the current paradigm. And he suggests that performance reviews are too often left open to a myriad of variables that disadvantage the executive. If you enjoyed this series and have some questions for Penny regarding the credentialing process, please reach out and contact me as we have discussed the possibility of conducting a live webinar Q & A. However, we need participants to ask questions!
SHOW NOTES: Michael Penny's LinkedIn profile Information about the ICMA Credentialing Advisory Board (CAB). If you have questions about the credential, you can contact the CAB via email or phone at:
If you want to join the American Association of Municipal Executives and becoming a founding member, register today at: https://community.aame.org/. Deadline to become a founding member has been extended to July 25th. AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 31 Jul 2024 | Why does the ICMA credential exist & does it measure competency? | Ep. 64 | 01:27:16 | |
Why did the ICMA create the credentialed manager program and does it measure competency? We discuss these issues and more in part 2 of my interview series with Castle Pines, Colorado city manager Michael Penny. Penny, who is a founding member of the American Association of Municipal Executives, has also been a member of the ICMA since 1995. He has been actively involved with the ICMA credentialing process since 2013 and currently serves as the chairman of the ICMA Credentialing Advisory Board. He believes that the credential does not hold as much value within the profession as it should. Additionally, we explore whether Penny believes the credential is being weaponized against city managers, if the amount of experience required is excessive, and if it fairly values the military and private sector experiences of managers seeking to earn the designation. SHOW NOTES: Michael Penny's LinkedIn profile Information about the ICMA Credentialing Advisory Board (CAB). If you have questions about the credential, you can contact the CAB via email or phone at:
If you want to join the American Association of Municipal Executives and becoming a founding member, register today at: https://community.aame.org/. Deadline to become a founding member has been extended to July 25th. AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 09 Apr 2025 | Mike Grabianowski: Don't Get Screwed on Your CIP Projects (Part 2) | Ep. 101 | 01:07:05 | |
In this two part series, I interview Mike Grabianowski who has many years of experience monitoring and auditing construction projects. As an employee of Georgia Pacific, a subsidiary of Koch Industries, Mike was tasked with ensuring his company was not overbilled whenever it hired contractors to complete projects. These projects, which could exceed $100 million, were put under a microscope by Mike and his team and he's learned many of the "tricks of the trades" over the years. Now -- he's hung his own shingle and opened his own consulting firm to leverage this knowledge. And he wants to bring his knowledge and skills to the public sector. In this episode, we examine how Mike and his company can help city managers and department heads on their major capital improvement projects and protect them and the taxpayers from being taken advantage of by vendors. SHOW NOTES Mike Grabianowski's LinkedIn Profile Link to Grabianowski & Associates website AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 10 Apr 2024 | Troy Body: Toughest City Manager Job in the Country? | Ep. 47 | 00:51:37 | |
Change my mind: Troy Body has the toughest city manager job in the country! The Hopkinsville, Kentucky manager also has one of the most unique backgrounds in the profession. Oh! By the way -- he is the only black manager in the state. You are going to enjoy this interview as we learn more about why he transitioned into local government and his thoughts on accountability and delivering results at the local level. SHOW NOTES: Troy Body (LinkedIn Profile) AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 19 Jun 2024 | Scott Jorgensen Rebukes the Oregon City/County Management Association | Ep. 57 | 01:09:03 | |
Rainier City Administrator Scott Jorgensen is no fan of the Oregon City/County Management Association (OCCMA). A few years ago, he was the subject of an anonymous ethics complaint without any clear explanation of his alleged offense. About a year later, Jorgensen learned that another city manager had accused him of leaking his listserv comments. The evidence was a conversation between this city manager and one of his elected officials the city manager had surreptitiously recorded. Jorgensen maintains that he did not leak the listserv comments and even if he did, he vehemently rejects the notion that those comments are not public records since the city manager used his official city email address. Moreover, Jorgensen was disgusted by the fact that the OCCMA ethics committee knew that the conversation was recorded without the consent of the elected official and did nothing about it. Jorgensen has some strong opinions about the OCCMA, the value of his membership not only to himself but the taxpayers, and how other city managers conducted themselves during the pandemic. He is a fascinating person with a very unique background having worked in politics as an official staff to state legislators in the Oregon capital, to being a journalist, an author, and a guitarist in a rock band. Don't miss this episode where the guest is as unfiltered as the host! SHOW NOTES: W. Scott Jorgensen's LinkedIn page You can catch his band, Robots Building Robots, on Spotify where you can listen to their album "Dysphoria." Jorgensen has four books he has written listed on Amazon. You can view them here. In the episode, I discussed Ferris, TX city manager Brooks Williams' book "Rising to Serve." If you want to join the American Association of Municipal Executives and becoming a founding member, register today at: https://community.aame.org/. AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 14 May 2025 | Sacramento Cesspool & Putting Recruiters on Notice | Ep. 106 | 00:44:34 | |
Recent comments attributed to executive recruiters handling the Sacramento, California and Palm Coast, Florida recruitments must be addressed. A Sacramento Bee article alleged that CPS HR recruiter Pamela Derby has "suggested modifying certain incentives in a potential contract, including supplemental leave and severance, to ensure the new hire does not make as much." In Florida, Strategic Government Resources (SGR) recruiter Doug Thomas advised the governing body against including a salary range in their job posting and brochure. Recruiters and recruitment firms that actively seek to undermine the pay, benefits, and contractual protections in the name of advising their clients must be put on notice that there will be consequences. And it is imperative that public sector executives across the country take individual action to communicate these concerns, as well. SHOW NOTES Sacramento Bee Article #1: https://archive.ph/ZF1Rg Sacramento Bee Article #2: https://archive.ph/JIwjd Flagler Live Article: https://flaglerlive.com/sgr-tale-of-two-bruchures/ AAME Waitlist Sign Up Link: https://app.youform.com/forms/f9ulo0uh AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 22 Jan 2025 | Jeff Cantrell: Blindsided by Separation Due to Weak Contract | Ep. 91 | 01:08:23 | |
When Jeff Cantrell uprooted his family and relocated for a city manager job in central Kansas, he never dreamed it would all come to an end two short years later. He was leaving Chanute (pop. 10,000), a Southeast Kansas town, for Hutchinson (pop. of 40,000) and replacing a well-respected manager who was retiring after holding the seat for 17 years. It seemed like a no-brainer next step in the progression of Jeff's career. In this interview, we talk about how his poorly constructed contract allowed him to get blindsided by his separation. And we talk about how it is difficult to jump back on the horse and find a new gig when you have a child in high school. EPISODE SPONSOR: This episode is sponsored by Holbrook Asphalt. Maintaining your roads is one of the most difficult tasks for any city government. The good news is the secret to making it easier is only 3 letters: H-A-5. HA5 extends the life of roads and reduces the financial burden on taxpayers. HA5 is an innovative pavement preservation treatment trusted by over 300 public agencies. It keeps good roads in good condition, reducing repair costs and saving taxpayer dollars. Join the hundreds of other cities making the smart choice. Choose HA5 for longer-lasting roads and a healthier budget. Learn more at holbrookasphalt.com/city. AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 20 Mar 2024 | Recruiter Series: Michael Boese of Clear Career Professionals | Ep. 44 | 01:03:46 | |
This is the first installment in my upcoming series of interviews with public sector executive recruiters and recruitment firms. In this interview with Michael Boese of Clear Carer Professionals, we discuss his firm's "candidate focus" approach that emphasizes consistent and timely communication with prospective candidates. Near the end of the interview, Boese answers a question posed by a city manager about the importance of ICMA-CM designations and how much they impact the governing body's decision when evaluating candidates. SHOW NOTES: Here are the links to:
AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
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| 23 Apr 2025 | Part 1: Fire/EMS Operational & Organizational Models with Tim Nowak | Ep. 103 | 00:51:29 | |
This is the first installment of my three part interview series with Fire/EMS consultant Tim Nowak. The primary purpose of this series is to create an introductory primer and give local elected officials and taxpayers a 30,000 foot level overview of the major issues that must be considered when evaluating fire/EMS service in your communities. My hope is that city and county managers, fire chiefs, and other public sector executives will find our attempt to break this complex issue down into manageable chunks for your various stakeholders useful in your efforts to facilitate discussions on this topic. SHOW NOTES Tim Nowak's LinkedIn page You can find my previous interview with Tim in Episode 40 here. AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 07 May 2025 | Part 3: Conducting a Fire/EMS Needs Assessment with Tim Nowak | Ep. 105 | 00:42:31 | |
This is the third and final installment of my three part interview series with Fire/EMS consultant Tim Nowak. The primary purpose of this series is to create an introductory primer and give local elected officials and taxpayers a 30,000 foot level overview of the major issues that must be considered when evaluating fire/EMS service in your communities. My hope is that city and county managers, fire chiefs, and other public sector executives will find our attempt to break this complex issue down into manageable chunks for your various stakeholders useful in your efforts to facilitate discussions on this topic. SHOW NOTES Tim Nowak's LinkedIn page You can find my previous interview with Tim in Episode 40 here. AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 14 Jun 2023 | You Are Not Alone | Ep. 01 | 00:26:59 | |
Being a city manager can be a tough, lonely job. But, I am here to tell you that you are not alone and that there is an entire community of professionals that want to help you succeed. In this episode, I lay out my three primary objectives for this podcast: (1) build a community for ambitious city managers and public sector executives, (2) help you with your personal and professional development, and (3) create an advocacy/crisis response mechanism so that we can help protect and preserve the reputations of city managers who are being unprofessionally targeted and fired. Show Notes: Here is a link to the ChatGPT/AI seminar hosted by Micah Gaudet, a Deputy City Manager for the City of Maricopa, Arizona. AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. | |||
| 04 Dec 2024 | The Municipal Financial Crisis with Mark Moses | Ep. 83 | 01:12:49 | |
Mark Moses is the author of "The Municipal Financial Crisis" where he lays out a "framework for understanding and fixing government budgeting." Mark has some strong opinions on how local governments have gradually increased and broadened their scope of services to an unsustainable level and he kills off some sacred cows along the way diagnosing the problem. In this episode, we discuss zero based budgeting, privatization, impacts on the nonprofit community, and how elected officials negatively impact the budgeting process. The book is very thought provoking and I highly encourage you all to read it. In particular, I recommend that the city and county managers listening to this podcast purchase the book for their electeds so that they can read Chapter 3, which was probably my favorite chapter. SHOW NOTES: The Municipal Financial Crisis by Mark Moses Mark Moses' LinkedIn page EPISODE SPONSOR: This episode is sponsored by KUDO. Make your council meetings accessible with translated audio and live captions into 45+ languages. EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Only listeners of the City Manager Unfiltered podcast can sign up for a FREE, no risk, no obligation one-month trial offer. Use this link: https://kudo.ai/cmu/ AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 22 Sep 2024 | James Freed Wins After ICMA Settles Lawsuit! Now What? | Ep. 72 | 01:00:34 | |
As I predicted, the ICMA finally capitulated and settled the anti-defamation lawsuit brought forth by Michigan city manager James Freed. As part of the agreement where financial details were not releaed, the ICMA agreed to retract the censure by removing it from their website. The settlement was announced via a joint statement on ICMA letterhead. However, I have received overwhelmingly negative responses from the city managers in my network regarding the language of that statement. In this episode, I dissect the statement and compare it to the original press release issued by the ICMA when it announced the public censure of James Freed. And now that this matter has been resolved to the satisfaction of both parties -- we ponder the logical question that remains: Now what? SHOW NOTES: James Freed posted the release on his personal LinkedIn page. You can read it here:
ICMA Public Statements & Court Filing
Additional Information about James Freed vs ICMA AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
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| 27 Dec 2023 | Live Like You Were Dying with Nick Kittle | Ep. 31 | 01:06:16 | |
Nick Kittle is a nationally recognized leader in the field of public sector innovation and author of the book, Sustainovation. At the age of 35, Nick suffered a major health scare and it would become a catalytic moment in his quest to find personal purpose and fulfillment. He would go on to ask himself the following question: "What pays my soul?" We explore a wide array of topics in this deeply personal and introspective conversation with relevant and applicable lessons for public sector managers seeking to build a more innovative department or organization. SHOW NOTES: Nick Kittle is the author of "Sustainovation: Building sustainable innovation in government, one wildly creative idea at a time." He is an accomplished public speaker and you can find additional information at his website: Sustainovation.us. You are also invited to reach out and contact him for professional advice and consultation on his LinkedIn page. YouTube video link for Tim McGraw's "Live Like You Were Dying" AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 14 Jun 2023 | The Most Important Objective During Contract Negotiations | Ep. 02 | 00:39:55 | |
Getting the job offer is exciting, but you can't let emotions get in the way of negotiating a great contract for you and your family. In this episode, I talk about the different types of risks we face as city managers and public sector executives. I also discuss why we have contracts, the most important contract provision, and articulate what I believe to be the most important objective for every city manager during contract negotiations. Show Notes: Copy of former El Paso City Manager Tommy Gonzalez' Contract AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. | |||
| 28 Feb 2024 | Female Trailblazer's Faith Gets Her Thru Hard Times with Charlotte Colley | Ep. 41 | 01:03:12 | |
On multiple occasions, Charlotte Colley has been the "first female" and trailblazed her away across a 20 year career in the public sector. Being the first female manager can be incredibly challenging and she has experienced some tough days. In this episode we talk about her public sector executive journey and how her faith in Jesus Christ has given her the strength to endure and persevere. And we talk about how her career has detoured into consulting and whether or not she sees herself re-entering the profession and becoming a city or county manager once again. SHOW NOTES: In this episode, Charlotte talked about the following:
AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 28 Aug 2024 | Keyboard Warriors & Social Media Terrorists with Sam Toles | Ep. 68 | 01:07:14 | |
In Part 2 of my interview with Sam Toles of CiviSocial, we discuss keyboard warriors and social media terrorists. I offer up my distinction between the two and urge elected officials to exercise more discernment when evaluating online attacks. We discuss the outsized impact of the minority, whether they are truly engaged and participating in the process, and how spineless elected officials can send demoralizing signals and messages to their staff. Sam also shares a secret tip he uses to differentiate himself from the competition when competing for jobs. If you are a public sector executive or aspire to become one, you should definitely listen for this little nugget in the first half of the episode. SHOW NOTES: If you are interested in hiring Sam Toles & CiviSocial for social media consulting, you can save 10% between now and December 31st by simply telling him that you are a City Manager Unfiltered listener. CiviSocial website and LinkedIn page Sam Toles' LinkedIn page AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 28 May 2025 | Social Media Training for Elected Officials with Sam Toles | Ep. 108 | 00:54:42 | |
Picture this scenario. Staff have worked for a year to bring a project or initiative to the finish line. There have been public meetings and notices, multiple discussions at council meetings, and even some news articles published in the local paper. Out of the blue, a handful of vocal social media commenters start lighting up the city's social media page and local news groups are atwitter as these critics misrepresent the facts of the project and attack the council for not being transparent and seeking feedback from residents. This results in a dozen or more residents attending the next council meeting with four of them attacking the council and staff under the guise of simply seeking transparency. Then the council, caught off guard and reeling from the "onslaught" of public comment decide to table or postpone the issue. Then they direct the city manager and staff to re-engage the public and seek feedback. It's demoralizing and time consuming. It sucks the life out of employees. Sam Toles of CiviSocial joins me on the program to talk about a future initiative aimed at educating and training elected officials about social media, how to interpret criticism, and how to raise these concerns with staff in a healthy and constructive manner. If you are interested in learning more, please fill out this brief survey so we can get your feedback: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdBe7LOFFXi2C_ezW4haJJqU-iPk7_n61sgKelfnLQDDgMK1w/viewform SHOW NOTES Claim your FREE copy of "The Social Media Playbook for City & County Managers" at this link: https://civisocial.com/the-social-media-playbook Sam Toles' LinkedIn profile Link to CiviSocial website Sam previously appeared on the following episodes: Episode 67: Your City is Doing Social Media Wrong Episode 68: Keyboard Warriors & Social Media Terrorists AAME Waitlist Sign Up Link: https://app.youform.com/forms/f9ulo0uh AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 23 Aug 2023 | Revenge of the Public Servant with Daniel Rosemond | Ep. 12 | 01:14:47 | |
This is Part 2 of my interview series with Daniel Rosemond, the former city manager for the City of Hallandale Beach, Florida. In this episode, we walk through his quest for justice on his way to winning a $4.4 million verdict from a jury. We examine the challenges of finding legal representation, how the legal system works, and get into the nitty-gritty of lawsuits, settlements, and financial aspects of paying taxes and attorneys who work on a contingency basis. Rosemond takes us down a road that most city managers will never travel. Don't miss it and don't forget to catch Part 3 which will be released in September. Part 1: Death of the Public Servant Part 2: Revenge of the Public Servant Part 3: Betrayal of the Public Servant SHOW NOTES: Daniel Rosemond is the author of "Death of the Public Servant" and CEO of the East to West Development Corporation. You are invited to reach out and contact him for professional advice and consultation on affordable housing initiatives and to support him by purchasing his book. AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 20 Nov 2024 | How to Calculate Your Mental Health Score | Ep. 81 | 00:56:48 | |
In last week's interview about radical mental health transparency, Todd Hopwood broadly discussed the 10 questions he asks himself each day. In this follow up episode, we breakdown those 10 questions, how you should assess them, and how to calculate your score so that you can better track your mental health and mood. Here are the 10 questions:
What does your daily score mean:
These questions are based off of the research and work over at FormScore. SHOW NOTES: Todd Hopwood's LinkedIn Page EPISODE SPONSOR: This episode is sponsored by KUDO. Make your council meetings accessible with translated audio and live captions into 45+ languages. EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Only listeners of the City Manager Unfiltered podcast can sign up for a FREE, no risk, no obligation one-month trial offer. Use this link: https://kudo.ai/cmu/ AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 17 Feb 2024 | John Bariou Wants to Recall Entire City Council Over Strong Mayor | Ep. 39 | 00:22:12 | |
SHOUT OUT SATURDAY (SOS): San Angelo resident John Bariou wants to recall the entire city council because they have violated the charter and undermined the council-manager form of government. The central Texas community of 100,000 people will get an opportunity to "vote the bums out" in just a few short months if Bariou gets his way. He believes the mayor has violated the charter, run roughshod over the city manager, and injected herself into areas of responsibility that rest with the city manager. Because of a quirk in the city charter, Bariou only needs to gather a shockingly low number of signatures for many of the councilmembers. In fact, as little as 47 signatures for one elected official who represents more than 15,000 residents. Bariou makes his pitch for the recall on this special episode of the podcast where I use my platform to spotlight interesting local government stories across the country and personal passion projects of public sector employees. SHOW NOTES: You can find John Bariou and his recall effort on Facebook at the San Angelo Citizens for a Law Abiding City Council page.
If you would like to be featured on a future "Shout Out Saturday" episode, please drop me an email at: citymanagerunfiltered |at| gmail |dot| com. AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 06 Sep 2023 | The Only ChatGPT Course Designed for Public Sector Professionals with Micah Gaudet | Ep. 14 | 00:24:09 | |
Micah Guadet has created the first and only comprehensive course specifically designed to teach public sector professionals how to use ChatGPT to add value to their organization. "Unlocking ChatGPT for the Public Sector" is designed to take someone with absolutely zero experience and help them become a subject matter expert on ChatGPT within their organization in just a few weekends.
Then "level up" and purchase this course that comes with more than 5 hours of video instructions from Micah. When you complete the course, Micah will also send you a certificate of completion so you can add your ChatGPT proficiency to your resume. Do not miss this opportunity to add some rocket fuel to your career trajectory. It is an absolute "no-brainer" and you would be foolish to pass on this opportunity. Don't forget to enter "CMU" as the promo code at check-out to save $50. There are only a few "game changer" moments in your professional career. This is one of them. You have the opportunity to get in on the ground floor. Don't blow it! Enroll in this first-of-its-kind course to position yourself and your community at the forefront of AI in the public sector. You won't just learn; you'll become a pioneer in ethical AI integration. Acquire specialized ChatGPT skills and join a cohort shaping the future of public sector communication. By joining, you'll not only upskill but also empower your community in the evolving landscape of public administration. COURSE HIGHLIGHTS:
SHOW NOTES: "Unlocking ChatGPT for the Public Sector" by Micah Guadet Promo Code: CMU (save $50) AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 11 Sep 2024 | Ep. 70 | Surviving Sexual & Domestic Abuse with Audree Guzman | 01:02:03 | |
Audree Guzman refused to become a statistic and has courageously battled through childhood sexual molestation and domestic abuse as a young woman. We discuss her battles along with other struggles encompassing eating disordes and mental health issues. This is very powerful episode but listener discretion is strongly advised. SHOW NOTES: Here is the LinkedIn page for Audree Guzman For more information about James Freed's anti-defamation lawsuit against the ICMA, I have created a reference page that will serve as a Wikipedia page of sorts. It can be found here: https://citymanagernews.com/james-freed-vs-icma/ AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 06 Mar 2024 | 8 Reasons Why Your Cover Letter Sucks | Ep.42 | 00:24:46 | |
The typical cover letter sucks. It literally hurts to read them they are so bad. But, don't fall for the "fried ice cream" peddled by the private sector recruiters who argue that cover letters are no longer necessary. That is not true. Every public sector executive competing for a position needs to have a cover letter and this is one of the easiest places elite candidates can differentiate themselves from their competition. Write a great cover letter that captures the reader's attention and you are going to stand out from the crowd. However, you can't write a kick-ass cover letter if you are committing one of these 8 deadly sins. SHOW NOTES: Engaging Local Government Leaders (ELGL) is accepting nominations for their Top 100 Local Government Influencers list. I would encourage you to nominate Micah Gaudet and Benjamin Effinger using this Google form or at this URL: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdSZXZtVm3s6a3Tv-uixuWVxrhoq29-weAj6AWGLp0CieKv7Q/viewform
Micah and Ben have been guests of the podcast and you can catch their interviews here: Ep. 24: Unlocking Veteran Benefits for Employers & Family Members with Benjamin Effinger Ep. 14: The Only ChatGPT Course Designed for Public Sector Professionals with Micah Ep. 07: ChatGPT: Skeptic to Believer in 30 Minutes with John Weidl & Micah Gaudet Ep. 04: Micah Gaudet: Level Up & Use ChatGPT in the Public Sector Today
If you want to post a senior or executive level job in my weekly newsletter for $100, please email me at: citymanagerunfiltered | at | gmail | dot | com. AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 05 Jul 2023 | How to Save Money on Your Next Trash Hauling Contract | Ep. 05 | 00:36:06 | |
Trash hauling rates are skyrocketing across the country, but there are ways you can save your residents money by utilizing a private sector mentality as a public sector executive. In this episode, we discuss what it means to have a private sector mentality, how to acquire one if you do not have one, and ultimately, how to create an environment that promotes competition so that your residents pay less for trash services. AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. | |||
| 18 Sep 2024 | James Freed and ICMA issue multiple statements about lawsuit | Ep. 71 | 00:50:37 | |
Things are heating up in the battle between Port Huron City Manager James Freed and the ICMA over the last two weeks. The two-year saga began in June 2022 when the ICMA publicly censured Freed and stripped him of his credential. Freed countered with a lawsuit alleging the ICMA engaged in a conspiracy to defame him. On September 5, 2024, Freed sent out an email along with a 21-page court filing. See link in the show notes. On Friday the 6th, the ICMA issued its first public statement on the lawsuit mentioning James Freed by name and referencing yours truly indirectly. On Monday the 9th, Freed and the ICMA once again made public statements. Freed addressed his employees at an annual luncheon and spoke about the lawsuit and upcoming trial. His remarks were about 20 minutes long and have been included in this podcast. Additionally, the ICMA's director of advocacy pubished an article on its website. Jason Grant argued that public censures were not punitive and defended the organization. However, the final paragraph signaled to me thta the organization is preparing to settle with Freed while trying to save face. SHOW NOTES: James Freed Court Filing and Public Statements: ICMA Public Statements & Court Filing
Additional Information about James Freed vs ICMA AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 29 May 2024 | Baker Tilly Bombshell in Amarillo City Manager Search | Ep. 54 | 00:40:47 | |
Baker Tilly has been bad -- again. Recently, yours truly dropped a bombshell about Baker Tilly when he appeared as a guest on the Making Sense with Michael J. talk show in Amarillo, Texas. We discussed the Amarillo city manager recruitment and the consulting contract Baker Tilly landed to help review their charter. Host Michael Stevens graciously allowed me to replay the interview on the podcast. Since the interview aired on May 20th, sources have been feeding me additional information about Baker Tilly and its recruitments. Stay tuned for more coverage in the near future -- especially after I get my public information requests. If you have any information worth sharing -- please get in touch with me so I can expose them. SHOW NOTES: Michael J. Stevens is the host of the "Making Sense with Michael J" show on KGNC AM 710 and 97.5 FM radio in Amarillo. You can listen to their live stream here. You can find Michael on LinkedIn here. The American Association of Municipal Executives is located at AAME.org. AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 13 Nov 2024 | Ep. 80 | Radical Mental Health Transparency with Todd Hopwood | 01:03:19 | |
Todd Hopwood shocked me when he explained his radical approach to mental health transparency. We discuss a system he has implemented which is designed to help him when he is struggling and needs help the most. Frankly, it is not an approach that I would personally be comfortable practicing in my workplace. However, there is no question that his courage, leadership, and modeling of this behavior promotes greater awareness of mental health issues in the workplace and it most definitely gives employees greater assurance that their mental health concerns are valid and will be supported within the organization. Todd is my first international guest on the show. He works for the Australian city of Wollongong as the senior manager for their Customer and Business Integrity department. SHOW NOTES: Todd Hopwood's LinkedIn Page EPISODE SPONSOR: This episode is sponsored by KUDO. Make your council meetings accessible with translated audio and live captions into 45+ languages. EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Only listeners of the City Manager Unfiltered podcast can sign up for a FREE, no risk, no obligation one-month trial offer. Use this link: https://kudo.ai/cmu/ AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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| 13 Mar 2024 | Promoting Black Managers, Mentorship, & Self-Advocacy with Kevin Richardson | Ep. 43 | 01:11:39 | |
Public Works Administrator Kevin Richardson messaged me about a year ago seeking career advice. This inquiry was the genesis of a new friendship and eventual "title change" designed to better reflect the role and responsibilities assigned to him at the City of Rock Hill in South Carolina. In this episode, we illustrate the benefits of self-advocacy and discuss the importance of mentorship, especially in the context of promoting minorities up the ranks of senior leadership in the public sector. We also touch on the taboo topic of race and our different perspectives. SHOW NOTES: In this episode, Kevin mentioned the book written by Saginaw (TX) City Manager Gabe Reaume. It is called "Strangers & Angels". Here is the link to Kevin's LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-richardson-leadership/ AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST:
City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today! Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. | |||
