GovLove - A Podcast About Local Government

Linda Mastandrea, Director of Regional ADA Planning and Local Safety for the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, joined the podcast to talk about the Americans with Disabilities Act and creating more accessible communities. She shared some of the history of the ADA, how compliance can help cities, and what cities should be doing to create an ADA transition plan. Linda also shared her career path from Paralympic athlete to working with local governments to create a more equitable region. Host: Dan Bolin

Preparation and service. Denise Bevan the City Manager of the City of Palm Coast, Florida joined the podcast to discuss her career path from environmental planner to City Manager. She talked about the history of Palm Coast and the infrastructure challenges the City deals with. She shared an internal leadership training program used to develop and retain staff. She also discussed her time as interim City Manager and the transition to taking on the role permanently. Host: Ben Kittelson

People, purpose, and performance. Dan Biles, County Administrator for Pasco County, Florida, joined the podcast to discuss employee engagement and culture. He shared what makes a place great to work at and tools to get organizational buy-in. Dan outlined the robust training the County offers to build leaders and shared employee retention strategies. Host: Ben Kittelson

Helping communities better withstand natural hazards and severe weather events. Jennifer Carpenter, Assistant Director of Policy for the Disaster Recovery & Special Issues Division at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, joined the podcast to discuss resilient building codes. She outlined the work of the Disaster Recovery & Special Issues Division and the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Program. She also shared the benefits and how cities can get started to modernize building codes. Host: Lauren Palmer

Building the future of city management. Scott Neal, City Manager for the City of Edina, Minnesota, joined the podcast to discuss his career in city management. He shared how the City's Management Fellowship works and his goal of creating leaders for the profession. He talked about affordable house and equity work happening in Edina and he provided an in-depth look at his career path along with many lessons learned along the way. Host: Ben Kittelson

Two guests joined the podcast to talk about diversity, equity, and inclusion work in libraries. Christy Mulligan is the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Coordinator for Hennepin County Library. Ayanna Muata is the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Project Manager for Hennepin County Library. They talked about how they have integrated equity into programs, the origins of their work, and the impact of COVID-19 and the murder of George Floyd on their work. Host: Ben Kittelson

What do we want city planning to do? M. Nolan Gray, author and researcher at the UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies, joined the podcast to talk about his new book, Arbitrary Lines: How Zoning Broke the American City and How to Fix It. Nolan provides an in-depth history of zoning including the impacts and ways zoning has distorted American cities. He shared ways that cities can reform zoning and what a city without zoning might look like. He also discussed what the future of planning profession would be without zoning. Host: Ben Kittelson

Alisa Dougless, Program Manager at the City of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Jen Tolentino, Director of Local Practice at Results for America, joined the podcast to talk about spending federal funding from American Rescue Plan. They discussed best practices in managing and spending funds as well as working how the City of Tulsa worked with local partners. Host: Alyssa Dinberg

Sustainability steps for the future. Dr. Tiffany Wise-West, Sustainability and Climate Action Manager for the City of Santa Cruz, California, joined the podcast to talk about local government ocean protection and planning for sea level rise. She discussed the City's Climate Action Plan, their sea level rise explorer app, and how the City earned the "Blue City" recognition for being committed to clean oceans. She also highlighted what steps the City is taking to grow its green economy. Host: Ben Kittelson

One City, one team. Scot Simpson, City Administrator for the City of River Falls, Wisconsin, joined the podcast to talk about strategies for shaping organizational culture. He shared how they prioritized employee engagement and created opportunities to build relationships between employees across departments. He discussed the importance of onboarding, recognizing long serving employees, and how they focused on culture during the COVID-19 pandemic. Host: Ashley Copeland

Three guests joined the podcast to discuss the City of Austin v. Reagan National Advertising Supreme Court case. They provided in-depth analysis of the case and how the decision will impact local government sign regulations. Amanda Karras is the Executive Director and General Counsel for the International Municipal Lawyers Association. Lisa Soronen is the Executive Director of the State and Local Legal Center. Brian Connolly is a land use Attorney at Otten Johnson. Host: Dan Bolin

What cities should think about related to deathcare. Staci Zavattaro, Professor of Public Administration at the University of Central Florida, joined the podcast to talk about deathcare and its relationship to local government. She outlined the elements of deathcare and how she became involved in the field. Staci highlighted the role and importance of local government cemeteries and the impact of COVID-19 on deathcare. Host: Toney Thompson

An assault on local democracy. Two guests joined the podcast to talk about a new report on political violence toward mayors. Heidi Gerbracht is the Founder of the Equity Agenda and Sue Thomas is a Senior Research Scientist at the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation. The report founds that political violence against mayors is common and more prevalent for women mayors and mayors of color. Host: Kirsten Wyatt

Becoming a sustainable desert city. Two guests from the City of Phoenix, Arizona joined the podcast to talk about the City's climate action plan and addressing urban heat. Nancy Allen is the Environmental Programs Manager and David Hondula is the Director of Heat Response and Mitigation. They talked about developing the City's first community-wide climate action plan and implementing actions to combat heat. Host: Ben Kittelson

Data-informed decision making. Preet Bassi, the Chief Executive Officer at the Center for Public Safety Excellence, joined the podcast to talk about elevating analysis in fire and emergency services. She discussed the Center for Public Safety Excellence's accreditation process and benefits. She also shared how fire analysts can provide public comment on the new standard from the National Fire Protection Association on the job requirements for staff who use, analyze, or evaluate public safety data. Host: Toney Thompson

Leading by example. Tessa Schreiner, Climate Action Manager for the City of Aspen, Colorado, joined the podcast to talk about sustainability and energy use. She highlighted the City's Building IQ program, the logistics behind it, and the importance of data collection and benchmarking for building performance standards. She also shared how the City approaches climate change policy through an equity lens. Host: Ben Kittelson

Being bold and pushing boundaries. Daniel Roberts, the Head of Communications at BrightDrop, joined the podcast to talk about lessons he's learned as a leader early in his career. He discussed his leadership philosophy, developing staff, and working in both the public and private sectors. This episode was recorded from the National Forum for Black Public Administrators (NFBPA) Forum 2022 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Host: Toney Thompson

Step up and stand out. Jonathan Henry, the Student Representative on the NFBPA Board of Directors, joined the podcast to talk about starting his career, his interest in accounting and information technology, and the value of internships. He discussed how students can position themselves for success in the workplace and in their job and internship searches. This episode was recorded from the National Forum for Black Public Administrators (NFBPA) Forum 2022 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Host: Toney Thompson

Sharing experiences and learning from each other. Tanisha Briley, the City Manager of the City of Gaithersburg, Maryland, rejoined the podcast to talk about how to become a City Manager. She explained her leadership style along with obstacles faced in her career. Tanisha shared skills needed and advice for those who want to become a City Manager. This episode was recorded from the National Forum for Black Public Administrators (NFBPA) Forum 2022 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Host: Toney Thompson

Planning for the future. Paul Lewis, Chief Planning Manager for the City of Orlando, Florida, joined the podcast to talk about the innovative planning practices in the City of Orlando. He shared the City's tables of connection initiative that was completed as part of the AARP Community Challenge program. Paul also detailed how Orlando incorporates age-friendly and future ready concepts into their planning practices as well as several past master planning projects and their impact on the City. Host: Ben Kittelson

Three guests joined the podcast to talk about the Great Resignation, the impact on the local government workforce, and how to engage staff. Ronnie Dampier is the Chief of Staff for the District Department of Transportation in Washington, DC. Melody Lennox is the Senior Vice President of People Operations for Axxess. Magarita Hudgins is the Assistant Vice President of Colonial Life. They shared challenges and best practices regarding retention. This episode was recorded from the National Forum for Black Public Administrators (NFBPA) Forum 2022 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Host: Toney Thompson

Slaying the data dragon. Two guests from the City of Longmont, Colorado joined the podcast to discuss the City's use of data and recent What Works Cities Certification. Becky Doyle is the Executive Director of Consolidated Services and Sandi Seader is the Assistant City Manager. They discussed the Longmont CAReS program, which makes it easier for community members to receive assistance, and how they are shifting the conversation around data and decision making. They also talked about the assistance the City provided to their neighboring community, Louisville, to help with disaster recovery after a fire. Host: Ben Kittelson

Creating a better functioning society. Two guests joined the podcast to discuss their partnership to improve fiscal strategy for local governments. Mark Funkhouser, President of Funkhouser & Associates, and Lawrence Greenspun, Director of Public Sector Engagement at the Drucker Institute, discussed a combined learning approach to fiscal strategy. They also discussed making public finance more relatable and a new approach to citizen engagement. Host: Lauren Palmer

Keeping carbon captured. Two guests joined the podcast to discuss urban forestry and sustainability. Scott Altenhoff, an Urban Forestry Management Analyst with the City of Eugene, OR, and Marisa Repka, the Co-Founder and CFO of Cambium Carbon, discussed more sustainable ways of disposing of deceased trees. They covered end users, implementation, and data tracking for the City's new Reforestation Hub Assessment. Host: Ben Kittelson

Livable communities for people of all ages. Three guests from the City of Salinas, California joined the podcast to talk about creating an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) educational campaign that included brochures, bilingual workshops for the public, and a technical workshop for contractors and other professionals that develop ADUs in the City. Raul Ortega is a Junior Engineer in Permit Services, Adam Garrett is an Assistant Planner, and Holly Hodge served as an Housing Production Coordinator VISTA. They shared the common questions they get from the community and the impact of the outreach. Host: Alyssa Dinberg

Improving access for utility payments. Tyler Douthit, City Controller / Utilities CFO for the City of Lawrence, Indiana, joined the podcast to talk about how the City worked to increase customer options for making utility payments. He discussed implementing a kiosk and online self-service payments. He also shared how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted this work and how they reallocated staff time after implementing digital payment options. Host: Kirsten Wyatt

She leads the way. Two guests from the City of Warrensburg, Missouri joined the podcast to discuss women in the fire service. Danielle Dulin, City Manager, and Anna Koons, Fire Department Captain, discussed recruitment and retention strategies for firefighters and how they have achieved a fire department comprised of over 30% women. Danielle and Anna also shared advice for how women can move into local government leadership roles along with messages to young women interested in the profession. Host: Lauren Palmer

Reach In, Reach Out, Reach Over. Danya Perry, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Wake County, North Carolina, joined the podcast to discuss his work in local government diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). He provided a definition of DEI along with what change looks like in local government. Danya highlighted the common mistakes of DEI work and what we can do day to day to improve DEI. Host: Toney Thompson

A very special episode of GovLove. To mark the occasion of 500 episodes of a podcast about local government, the team looks back at some of their favorite moments of the podcast. Kirsten Wyatt and Kent Wyatt talked about the origins of ELGL and how the organization has grown (00:02:53). The GovLove Producers, Ben Kittelson and Michael Montgomery, share their favorite segments of the podcast (00:44:22). All of the GovLove Co-Hosts discussed moments that have stuck with them from the podcast (01:26:13). Hosts: Kirsten Wyatt, Ben Kittelson, Alyssa Dinberg, Toney Thompson, Lauren Palmer, Dan Bolin, & Ashley Copeland Producers: Michael Montgomery & Ben Kittelson

Sara Bronin, Professor of Architecture and Planning at Cornell University, joined the podcast to discuss a recent article she wrote about the need for a zoning atlas. She talked about her time on the Planning Commission in the City of Hartford, Connecticut and how they updated the City's zoning code. She discussed founding Desegregate Connecticut and creating the Connecticut Zoning Atlas as well as how better information about zoning affects the conversation about reform. Host: Ben Kittelson

Empowering the next generation of mission-driven technologists. Eva Pereira, Chief Data Officer for the City of Los Angeles, California, joined the podcast to discuss hosting a Fellow from Coding it Forward. She shared the positive experience she had with the program including the work they completed and the talent that the Fellow brought to the City. She also talked about the work of her team and her career path into local government. Host: Kirsten Wyatt

Using K9s to fight COVID-19. Paul Douglas, Sheriff's Office Captain for Bristol County, Massachusetts, joined the podcast to discuss using the K9 unit to detect COVID-19. He shared how the program started and how the dogs are trained. Paul discussed the partnership between the Sheriff's Office and local school districts to better detect positive COVID-19 cases. Host: Alyssa Dinberg

Odie Donald, Chief of Staff for the City of Atlanta, Georgia, joined the podcast just before his transition to his current job to talk about his time as the Administrator for the consolidated government of Augusta–Richmond County, Georgia. He discussed the City's work engaging the community and incorporating feedback into the budget process. He also talked about leading the organization during the COVID-19 pandemic and the incentive program the City offered to encourage vaccinations. Odie also shared his career path and his new role with the City of Atlanta. Host: Ashley Copeland

Sustainable design. Farah Ahmad, Architect for the City of New York City, NY, joined the podcast to talk about green building standards and sustainability. She shared some of the trends in the architecture and design fields as well as initial steps into implementing sustainable design. She also shared her career path into local government and how organizations can do a better job recruiting architects. Host: Kirsten Wyatt

Identifying and correcting bias in County operations and service delivery. Two guests from Ottawa County, Michigan joined the podcast to discuss diversity, equity, and inclusion. Robyn Afrik, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and John Shay, Acting County Administrator, discussed the history of how the DEI Office was formed, the goals, and what equity looks like internally with with employees and externally with the public. They also highlighted two DEI programs and the importance of communicating about the intention of equity efforts. Host: Ben Kittelson

Joining together to reduce homelessness. Cathy Alderman, the Chief Communications and Public Policy Officer at the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, joined the podcast to talk about putting housing first to reduce homelessness. She shared the work of the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless and what Denver's innovative Supportive Housing Social Impact Bond initiative is doing to help. Cathy discussed the advantages of putting housing first for those who are homeless and the data to support it. Host: Alyssa Dinberg

Examining the equity and effectiveness of emergency communications systems. Rebecca Neusteter, the Executive Director of University of Chicago Health Lab, joined the podcast to talk about the Transform911 initiative which is exploring how the nation's 911 system can better prioritize health and safety and ensure the right responder is dispatched at the right time. She shared the history of emergency response services in America, ways to build trust in the 911 system, and ensuring staff have the appropriate support and capacity. She also discussed new approaches and best practices that local governments are testing out to improve 911 response. Host: Alyssa Dinberg

Aligning revenues with a modern economy. Shayne Kavanagh, Senior Manager of Research for GFOA, and Jason Loya, Management Analyst for the City of Monrovia, CA, joined the podcast to talk about GFOA's Rethinking Revenue initiative. The initiative poses that local government revenues have not kept up with the times and need to be rethought to make them more equitable. Shayne and Jason gave background on the initiative and examples of new revenue strategies like urban wealth funds, entrepreneurial thinking, segmented pricing, and legal financing. Host: Ben Kittelson

Shining light on the invisible loss. Bobby Wilson, Council Member for the City of Pittsburgh, PA, joined the podcast to talk about bereavement leave for loss of pregnancy. He shared how the City of Pittsburgh came up with the idea and formed to policy to enact this leave for City employees. Bobby explained the different types of pregnancy losses included in the leave. He also let listeners know the first steps they can take to enact a similar policy at their organization. Host: Kirsten Wyatt

Being a sounding board. Derek Burnham, Principal at Burnham Planning & Development and who's partner Meredith Reynolds is Deputy City Manager of Long Beach, CA, joined the podcast to discuss how he supports his partner in local government. Derek highlighted the need for work-life balance and how his knowledge of local government has helped him better understand the work of his partner. Host: Kirsten Wyatt

Can effective organizational rules reduce turnover? Dr. Erin Borry, Associate Professor at the University of Alabama-Birmingham, and Dr. Leisha DeHart-Davis, Professor at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, joined the podcast to talk about research into the impact of runes on employee turnover. Their article uses survey and administrative data to show that that effective organizational rules are associated with lower turnover intention. They discussed what green tape is, the different types of green tape, and how it impacts innovation. Host: Kirsten Wyatt

Supporting local government. Joe Walters, who's partner Jules Walters is the Mayor of the City of West Linn, OR, joined the podcast to talk about how public service impacts their family. He discussed what it was like to support her through the campaign and how they have shared a love for public service with their children. He also shared his thoughts on work-life balance in local government and attracting more people to elected office. Host: Kirsten Wyatt

Essential inputs for modernizing American infrastructure. Ellory Monks, Co-Founder at The Atlas, joined the podcast to talk about workforce development and procurement challenges as it relates to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). She shared issues facing local government and strategies for tackling both of these problems. Ellory also highlighted how local governments can prepare for IIJA funding. Host: Lauren Palmer

Big ideas in small cities. Three guests joined the podcast to talk about the Texas Target Communities program. Kara Escajeda is the City Manager of Nolanville, Texas. Dr. Wei Li is an Associate Professor and Jaimie Masterson is the Director at Texas Target Communities, both from Texas A&M University. They outlined the innovative partnership between the city and university. They shared the greatest outcomes of the partnership along with how to get involved. Host: Alyssa Dinberg

Strategies for local arts agencies. Two guests joined the podcast to talk about a new guide from Bloomberg Associates on data and art. Erin Harkey is the Commissioner of the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events for the City of Chicago, IL. David Andersson is part of Arts Team for Bloomberg Associates. They shared how arts-minded cities can better leverage data to help local arts organizations. Host: Alyssa Dinberg

Recast your city. Ilana Preuss, author and CEO of Recast City, joined the podcast to talk about her new book Recast Your City, about how small-scale manufacturing is a better way to create thriving communities and strong economic development. She shared what small-scale manufacturing is and how cities can embrace it as an economic development tool. Host: Kirsten Wyatt

An invitation to engage. Two guests joined the podcast to talk about the Living in One Neighborhood (LION) program between Pennsylvania State University and State College, PA. Kevin Kassab, Community Engagement Manager, and Douglas Shontz, Assistant to the Manager, from the Borough of State College, PA highlighted key elements of the LION program as well as how State College partnered with Pennsylvania State University during the pandemic. This is part of a series with the International Town Gown Association looking at how college and university communities have worked together to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Host: Lauren Palmer

From harassment to a more civil discourse. Brooks Rainwater, Senior Executive and Director of Center for City Solutions at the National League of Cities, joined the podcast to talk about his recent report, On the Frontlines of Today's Cities: Trauma, Challenges, and Solutions. He explained the purpose of the report along with the root causes of harassment toward local elected officials. Brooks shared what can be done to combat polarization and the importance of allowing elected leaders to share the harassment they are facing. He highlighted how to restore civility in 2022. Host: Kirsten Wyatt

Culture change and engaging employees. Brian Bosshardt, County Manager of Clear Creek County, Colorado, joined the podcast to talk about taking on his current role and the transition as a new manager. He discussed his leadership philosophy, facilitating conversations with County staff, and organizational development. He also shared his approach to engaging a leadership team and making decisions as a team. Host: Toney Thompson

Better places, together. Two guests joined the podcast to talk about the UniverCity Year partnership between the Village of Waunakee, WI, the Ho-Chunk Nation, and students from the University of Wisconsin. Todd Schmidt is the Village Manager of Waunakee and Bill Quackenbush is the Tribal Historic Preservation Officer for the Ho-Chunk Nation. They shared how the partnership came about and what the organizations worked on together. Host: Lauren Palmer