GovLove - A Podcast About Local Government

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

Awarding the best of the best. The GovLove co-hosts teamed up to hand out awards and recap the sixth full year of a podcast about local government. Kirsten, Toney, Lauren, Dan, Ashley, and Ben all selected three of their favorite episodes to honor with the most prestigious award in local government podcasting, a GovieLovie. They also shared their favorite lightning round question, the most embarrassing thing they've done in an interview, and the one thing they can't let go of from 2021. Hosts: Kirsten Wyatt, Ben Kittelson, Toney Thompson, Lauren Palmer, Dan Bolin, & Ashley Copeland The GovieLovies Kirsten Onboarding New Employees with Benjamin Mead-Harvey Managing Rapid Growth with Julie Karins, Goodyear, AZ Building and Construction Services with JC Hudgison, Tampa, FL Ben The First 100 Days as a New City Manager with Tanisha Briley, Gaithersburg, MD The Role of a County Clerk with Brianna Lennon, Boone County, MO The Promise of Public Interest Technology with Tara Dawson McGuinness & Hana Schank Toney Zoning Reform with Jake Seid, Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning Transportation for a Strong Town with Charles Marohn Restorative Housing Reparations with Nicholas Cummings, Evanston, IL Lauren GovLove in Love with Holly Krejci, Seattle, WA Truth and Reconciliation with Gina Peebles, Alachua County, FL Addressing Homelessness in Ten Global Cities with Linda Gibbs and Tamiru Mammo Dan Designing Effective Interview Questions and Processes with Benjamin Mead-Harvey Curb Management with Chrissy Mancini Nichols, Walker Consultants Everything You Need to Know about ARPA with Emily Brock & Mehreen Haroon, GFOA Ashley Civil Rights & Racial Equality with Joshua Barr, Des, Moines, IA GovLove in Love with Holley Krejci, Seattle, WA Equity and Workforce Diversity with Nefertiri Sickout, Philadelphia, PA

Community resilience and COVID-19 response. Three guests joined the podcast to talk about how the City of Geneva, New York and the Hobart and William Smith Colleges were affected by and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic Chris Annear is an Associate Professor and Craig Talmage is an Assistant Professor at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. Emma Falkenstein is the Assistant Director of Development at BluePrint Geneva and was a student at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. They published a paper titled, Rapid Community Innovation: a Small Urban Liberal Arts Community Response to COVID-19. 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: Toney Thompson

Entrepreneurship opportunities for all. Angela Rollins, Coordinator of Financial Empowerment Initiatives for the City of Rochester, New York joined the podcast to talk about their women and minority owned business program. She discussed why Rochester is focusing on women and minority owned businesses along with what steps they are taking to grow these businesses in the community. Angela detailed the role of the Office of Community Wealth Building and goals for moving the program forward. Host: Toney Thompson

Coming together to fight COVID-19. Two guests from the Town of Amherst, MA joined the podcast to talk about their COVID-19 Ambassadors Program. Joseph Maspo, COVID-19 Ambassador Coordinator, and Bill Laramee, Neighborhood Liaison Officer, discussed the creation of the program and the role of the ambassadors. Joseph and Bill shared details about funding the program and how they worked with UMass Amherst students. They also highlighted data collection and the future of the program. This is part of a series with the International Town Gown Association (ITGA) looking at how college and university communities have worked together to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Host: Alyssa Dinberg

Ensuring effective commissioners. Michael Blue, Principal at Teska Associates, joined the podcast to talk about planning commissions. He discussed the purpose of Planning Commissions along with common issues they address. Michael shared what the American Planning Association is doing to assist cities with training their Planning Commissioners. Lastly, he gave strategies for how to engage members of the public in the Planning Commission process. Host: Dan Bolin

Derechos and #GrinnTogether. Russell Behrens, City Manager of the City of Grinnell, IA, and Monica Chavez-Silva, Vice President of Community Engagement and Strategic Planning at Grinnell College, joined the podcast to talk about their community's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. They talked about the early coordination and communication involved in the response, working together to help local businesses, and how they will continue partnering to support the community. This is part of a series with the International Town Gown Association (ITGA) looking at how college and university communities have worked together to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Host: Ben Kittelson

Learn, connect, and lead. Sarah Poulton, Downtown Special Projects Manager for the Town of Chapel Hill, NC, joined the podcast to talk about the Town's People's Academy, which is for anyone who lives, works, plays, prays, or studies in Chapel Hill. She shared how they worked to make it accessible, how their academy is formatted, and how they engage with UNC students. Sarah also discussed the recruitment and communications strategies they used to attract participants. Host: Toney Thompson

Proactively responding to off campus issues. Three guests joined the podcast to talk about how the City of Manchester, University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan University, and Greater Manchester Police partnered to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Poppy Humphrey is the Off Campus Student Affairs Officer at the University of Manchester. Cooper Healey is the Manager at Manchester Student Homes. Richard Timson is the South District Commander for the Greater Manchester Police. They shared how a student strategy partnership originally formed to deal with community concerns around students living off campus was used to share information and employ strategies to deal with the pandemic. This is part of a series with the International Town Gown Association (ITGA) looking at how college and university communities have worked together to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Host: Kirsten Wyatt

Open innovation for all. Three guests joined the podcast to talk about The Opportunity Project, or TOP, which is a framework for agencies to facilitate collaboration between technologists and community advocates. Haley Ashcom is a Communications Strategist for the US Census Open Innovation Labs. Katya Abazajian is a Fellow at Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation. Rebecca Ierardo is a Senior Associate at Centre for Public Impact. Host: Kirsten Wyatt

Holistic wellness. Cameron Marlin, the General Manager of the Clear Creek Metropolitan Recreation District, joined the podcast to talk about how they offered new recreation programming to meet the community's mental health needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. She shared how they identified instructors, partnered with Clear Creek County to use CARES Act funding, and are measuring success. She also talked about how this wellness programming has changed CCMRD and their plans for this programming in the future. Host: Lauren Palmer

Building a foundation. Two guests joined the podcast to talk about strategies for affordable housing. Jerrah Crowder is a Manager for the Office of Affordability and Sustainable Housing for the City of Newark, New Jersey, and Namon Freeman is a Manager for Housing Affordability at Bloomberg Associates. They discussed housing goals in Newark, the effects of COVID-19 on affordable housing, and what other cities can do to get started to address the issue. Host: Alyssa Dinberg

Mandate to be great. Dr. Rob Graham, the Founder & CEO of Techno-Resiliency.com, joined the podcast to talk about his book, Mandate to be Great: The 5 Traits of Techno-Resilient People and Organizations. He shared the definition of Techno-Resiliency and how it relates to organizations. He discussed pockets of resiliency and how to find them. Lastly, he provided in-depth information on the five traits of techno-resiliency. Host: Kirsten Wyatt

Housing for all. Jake Seid, a Senior Planner with the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, joined the podcast to talk about zoning reform. He shares why zoning reform is needed and why there is an increased interest in the topic. Jake discussed the limitations of traditional single-family zoning and exclusionary zoning. Lastly, he shared four solutions local governments can implement for more equitable zoning. Host: Dan Bolin

Honest and inclusive ecosystems. Nick Lyell, the Co-Founder and Chief Impact Officer for CivStart, joined the podcast to talk about connecting startups with local governments. He discussed the programs that CivStart runs including challenge-based procurement and pilot programs. He also talked about the mission of CivStart and how they help local governments and startups solve challenges. Host: Kirsten Wyatt

Urban air mobility. Two guests joined the podcast to talk about advanced air mobility and how it could change the transportation landscape for cities. Robert Pearce is the Associate Administrator for NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate and Davis Hackenberg is the Integration Manager for Advanced Air Mobility at NASA. They discussed the types of aircraft this sort of travel would involve, how it might be used, and the impact on local governments. Host: Lauren Palmer

Urban design and sustainability. Adam Freed, Principal with Bloomberg Associates, joined the podcast to talk about how the City of Milan, Italy is working to plant 3,000,000 trees by 2030. He shared how the City is accelerating planting, changing process, and partnering to fund the tree initiative. He also talked about the importance of trees in controlling temperature in a city and how cities can do similar work. This episode was recorded live at the #ELGL21 Annual Conference. Host: Alyssa Dinberg

Improving internships. Eliza Edwards, a Policy Analyst for the State of North Carolina Office of Strategic Partnerships, and Joy Ruff, the Executive Director of the Local Government Academy, joined the podcast to talk about strategies for recruiting people into government. They discussed the talent needs of government during the pandemic along with innovative talent interventions that have taken place. They also shared important strategies for interns and internships. This episode was recorded live at the #ELGL21 Annual Conference. Host: Peter Morrissey

Creative messaging for local governments. Crystal Son, the Healthcare Analytics Director at Civis Analytics, joined the podcast to talk about COVID-19 vaccination messaging for those who are hesitant to receive the vaccination. She outlined the scientific approach to studying vaccine messaging as well as effective and ineffective vaccine messages. She also shared tips for employers on how they can provide the best messages to their employees. Host: Kirsten Wyatt

Connecting people and jobs. John Zeanah, the Director of Planning and Development for the City of Memphis and Shelby County, Tennessee, joined the podcast to talk about providing opportunities for economic mobility. He discussed the City's new comprehensive plan and how they are working to make it easier for residents to get to their workplaces through both land use and the transportation system. Then Denise Linn Riedl, Chief Innovation Officer for the City of South Bend, Indiana, joined to talk about transportation insecurity and their Commuters Trust initiative. This episode was recorded live at the #ELGL21 Annual Conference. Host: Toney Thompson

Attracting talent. Two guests joined the podcast to talk about two different partnerships to measure local government workforce needs and the methods for recruiting talented staff. Greg Wilson, Unit Manager at the University of Georgia, and Charles Goldman, Senior Economist at the RAND Corporation, discuss the "Jobs with Purpose" Initiative in Georgia and a new report studying barriers to a diverse government workforce in Southern California. This episode was recorded live at the #ELGL21 Annual Conference. Host: Lauren Palmer

Putting people in the process. Four guests from the City of Fort Collins, Colorado and the City of Norfolk, Virginia joined the podcast to talk about equity and data in climate action planning. They discussed how the Cities are modifying their climate actions plans to be more equitable and the What Works Cities certifications. John Phelan is the Energy Services Manager in Fort Collins, Molly Saylor is the Senior Sustainability Specialist in Fort Collins, Pete Buryk is the Chief of Staff in Norfolk, and Lori Crouch is the Director of Communications in Norfolk. This episode was recorded live at the #ELGL21 Annual Conference. Host: Alyssa Dinberg

A year to try new things. Graham Stone, the Vice President of Government Relations at Public Input, joined the podcast to talk about citizen engagement. He shared how to simultaneously handle virtual and in-person engagement. Graham discussed the impact of COVID-19 on citizen engagement along with ways to implement successful virtual tools. He also talked about what to do with increased engagement and the importance of making sense of it all. This episode was recorded live at the #ELGL21 Annual Conference. Host: Ben Kittelson

Challenges and lessons learned. Craig Talsma, the Executive Director of the Hoffman Estates Park District in Illinois, joined the podcast to talk about how his organization implemented a COVID-19 vaccine mandate. He shared how he engaged staff and legal resources to design a policy as well as the other pandemic precautions that the District has implemented. He also discussed his career path and the work of the park district. Host: Dan Bolin

Public memory and public art. Three guests joined the podcast to talk about the process the City of Newark, New Jersey went through to replace a Christopher Columbus statue with a monument to Harriet Tubman. The City conducted a national open call for artists to replace the statue and artist Nina Cooke John was selected to begin working on the monument. Fayemi Shakur is the Arts and Cultural Director for the City of Newark and David Andersson and Tracey Knuckles are part of the Arts Team at Bloomberg Associates. This episode was recorded live at the #ELGL21 Annual Conference. Host: Ashley Copeland

All your ARPA questions answered. Emily Brock, Director of Federal Liasion Center at Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA), and Mehreen Haroon, Federal Policy Associate at GFOA, joined the podcast to discuss the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021. They detailed the four eligible expense categories. Emily and Mehreen talked about the most common questions and challenges they receive from local governments. They also shared the reporting requirements and highlighted best practices for administering the funds. Host: Toney Thompson

Innovations that work. Linda Gibbs, Principal with Bloomberg Associates, and Tamiru Mammo, Consultant with Bloomberg Associates, joined the podcast to talk about their new book, How Ten Global Cities Take on Homelessness. They shared what led to writing the book, how the issue of homelessness and housing differed between the ten cities, and the common struggles that individuals experiencing homelessness were dealing with. They also discussed the interventions that help address homelessness and the management solutions to administer them. This episode was recorded live at the #ELGL21 Annual Conference. Host: Dan Bolin

Addressing park equity. Danielle Denk, Community Schoolyard Initiative Director for the Trust for Public Land, joined the podcast to discuss the initiative to turn schoolyards into community parks that are more welcoming, sustainable, and accessible. She talked about the problem with current schoolyards that are often not open to the community after school hours and made up of asphalt. She also shared how opening schoolyards can provide public space to more families and how creating greener schoolyards can address heat islands. Host: Kirsten Wyatt

Connecting with Gen Z and underrepresented populations. Sophie McGinley, Assistant Planner for the City of Eugene, OR, and Cody Kleinsmith, Climate Resiliency Analyst with Lane County, OR, joined the podcast to discuss how local governments can engage their entire community. Sophie and Cody shared how they engaged on the topic of middle housing. They talked about how local governments can engage unrepresented populations in their community and especially the Gen Z population. Host: Kirsten Wyatt

Resident-centric government. Tom Spengler, Chief Executive Officer of Rock Solid Technologies, joined the podcast to discuss how local governments use technology to improve access and transparency. He talked about his time leading Granicus and the early days of getting organizations to stream and archive their meetings. He also shared his thoughts on future trends and technology to encourage resident engagement with local government meetings. Host: Kirsten Wyatt

Designing streets for neighborhoods. Charles Marohn, the President and Co-Founder of Strong Towns, joined the podcast to talk about his new book on transportation, Confessions of a Recovering Engineer. He discussed streets, roads, and stroads, as well as the importance of designing streets for the speeds and outcomes communities want to see. He also shared his thoughts on speed design, traffic signals, and departments of transportation. Host: Ben Kittelson

Preparing for growth through thoughtful planning. Julie Karins, City Manager for the City of Goodyear, Arizona, joined the podcast to discuss managing rapid growth. She talked about the strategies for overseeing population expansion in a city that is close to 200 square miles. She also highlighted the background and importance of water rights as well as adapting to growth internally within the organization. Host: Lauren Palmer

Championing equity and inclusion. Aleea Slappy Wilson, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer and LGBTQ Liaison for the City of Norfolk, Virginia, joined the podcast to discuss the City's equity initiative. She shared how the diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts started in Norfolk and the focus areas for the work. She also talked about her background in economic development and the work the City is doing to create a more inclusive economy. Host: Ben Kittelson

Improving animal safety and health. Three guests joined the podcast to discuss a recent article in the State and Local Government Review journal on animal control ordinances and how local governments approach animal services. Laura Reese is a Professor of Urban and Regional Planning at Michigan State University and wrote the article, which focused on animal control in Detroit, Michigan. Casey Smith is the County Manager of Davidson County, North Carolina and he led a revamp of operations at the County's animal shelter. Aimee Wall is a Professor of Public Law and Government at the University of North Carolina and wrote a book on animal services law in North Carolina. Host: Alyssa Dinberg

Strategies to put housing within reach. Shane Phillips, Housing Initiative Project Manager at the UCLA Lewis Center, joined the podcast to discuss his book, The Affordable City. He shared strategies around supply, stability, and subsidy that local governments should pursue to create more affordable housing. He discussed why cities should be pursuing affordable strategies even if affordable housing isn't an issue in their market. Shane also talked about the UCLA Housing Voice Podcast he co-hosts that discusses research on housing topics. Host: Ben Kittelson

Maximizing the curb. Chrissy Mancini Nichols, National Director of Curb Management and New Mobility at Walker Consultants, joined the podcast to discuss curb management policy. She shared the difference between the analog curb and the digital curb. Chrissy talked about how local government can best determine pricing, equity, and access for curb space. She also shared how the pandemic has changed curb management. Host: Toney Thompson

Supporting first responders. Matthew Kelly, Captain with Miami County, Kansas Sheriff's Office, and Dan Davis, Lieutenant with the City of Belton, Missouri Police Department joined the podcast to discuss the Mid-America Regional Council's Peer Support Program for command staff. They talked about the stressors that command staff deal with and the importance of having someone to talk to. They also their personal connection to this work and their experience with the peer support program. Host: Lauren Palmer

Supporting first responders. Kristin Boyes, Dispatcher for the City of Lenexa, Kansas, joined on the podcast to discuss the Mid-America Regional Council's 911 Peer Support Program. She shared why it is important for dispatchers to get that support and how 911 calls affect call takers. She also talked about the training that peer supporters receive and how they work with people seeking help. Host: Lauren Palmer

Finding your greatest self. Holly Krejci, Talent Management Partner for the City of Seattle, Washington came on the podcast to discuss her love and support of Kathy Nyland, Assistant City Manager for the City of Tigard, Oregon. She shared her insights on job transitions, work-life balance, and the return to the workplace after the pandemic. Host: Kirsten Wyatt

Making onboarding successful. Benjamin Mead-Harvey, Adjunct Instructor for the University of Illinois School of Information Sciences, came back to the podcast to discuss onboarding. He shared tips on how to improve in three areas: welcome elements, training with the team, and onboarding check-in meetings. He also talked about the outcomes of onboarding that employers should be looking for and the details that matter for employees. Host: Kirsten Wyatt

Making messaging more effective. Brad Dunn, Chief Product Officer at Whispir, joined the podcast to talk about distraction-free messaging. He shared how local governments can better craft messages to members of the public. He also discussed the difference between prediction and engagement in messaging. Host: Kirsten Wyatt

Taking a bite out of big apple bureaucracy. Jeffrey Roth, Deputy Commissioner of the Veterans Services Department for New York City, New York, joined the podcast to talk about his career in local government and his new book Fires, Floods, and Taxicabs. He shared his lessons learned and how he earned trust and buy-in from large organizations. He also discussed his experience going through a mayoral appointment process. Host: Kirsten Wyatt

A celebrity interview. In this special episode we're partnering with Montgomery County, Maryland to share one of their innovation celebrity interviews, part of their open innovation events which are internal learning sessions for staff. Anna Chung, a UX Designer at Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA), talked with Michael Baskin, Chief Innovation Officer for Montgomery County, about the work of innovation and design. She shared a project she worked on with the County's 311 team, using plain language, and her career path.

Regional networks of governments and universities. Peter Morrissey, an Associate Director at the Volcker Alliance, joined the podcast to talk about the Government-to-University Initiative, which is an innovative approach to addressing critical governance challenges by building government and university partnerships. He shared how governments can make targeted connections and lasting relationships. He also discussed the work the Alliance is doing to help students navigate the state and federal government hiring processes and how local governments do a better job recruiting. Host: Lauren Palmer

Improving budget flexibility. Alexandria Zhang, a Research Officer at the Pew Research Center, joined the podcast to talk about her research on local tax limitations. She shared how limits on local government revenue imposed by state governments affect localities. She also makes the case that state governments need to reevaluate limitations they currently have in place. Host: Kirsten Wyatt

Local governance done well. Ian McCormack, the President of Strategic Steps, Inc. a local government consulting firm, joined the podcast to talk about his new book Who's Driving the Grader? He discussed what led to the writing of the book and who he wrote the book for. He also shared his career path and his perspectives on leadership and governing. Host: Alyssa Dinberg

Resilient Queen City. Sarah Hazel, the Chief Sustainability & Resiliency Officer for the City of Charlotte, North Carolina, joined the podcast to talk about how the City is working to be more environmentally sustainable. She discussed the City's Strategic Energy Action Plan, working with Duke Energy, and electrifying the City's fleet. She also shared a workforce training program for sustainability jobs that the City has implemented and her career path into the role. Host: Ben Kittelson

Helping the justice-involved. Three guests joined the podcast to talk about a guaranteed income pilot program in the City of Durham, North Carolina. Amber Wade, Assistant to the Mayor, and City Council Members Mark-Anthony Middleton and Pierce Freelon shared why Durham is doing the pilot and how the pilot will be administered. They also discussed the target population and what they hope to see come from the pilot. Host: Toney Thompson

A renaissance in public service. Kaitlyn Rentala, an author and student at the University of Pennsylvania, joined the podcast to talk about her new book, The Public Sector Pivot: How Gen Z Will Lead a Renaissance in Public Service. She shared strategies for how government agencies can better attract people to public service. Kaitlyn also discussed how government can market its strengths compared to the private sector and what government can do to retain workers once hired. Host: Kirsten Wyatt

Solutions for social isolation. Oswaldo Mestre, Chief Service Officer & Director of Citizen Services for the City of Buffalo, NY, and Risa Wilkerson, Executive Director of Healthy Places by Design, discussed a new report on creating socially connected communities. They shared why social isolation is an issue that cities need to pay attention to as well as strategies to address it. Oswaldo shared what the City of Buffalo did to create community, even during hard winters, and Risa talked about the work of Healthy Places by Design and the different aspects that contribute to social isolation. Host: Ben Kittelson