Municipal Leaders: Develop Faster, Lead Stronger, Build Better

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Episode 211 of The HaltingWinter Podcast – Featuring Mayor Kathy O’Nan of Mayfield, Kentucky
Brought to you by Zencity

On the night of December 10, 2021, an EF-4 tornado tore directly through the heart of Mayfield, Kentucky. Within minutes, the town’s historic downtown was flattened. Municipal buildings were reduced to rubble. Hundreds of homes were destroyed. And yet—amid the darkness, destruction, and overwhelming uncertainty—a leader showed up and stayed.

Mayor Kathy O’Nan didn’t step into the spotlight looking to become the face of disaster recovery. A retired schoolteacher, she became mayor because she loved her town. What she didn’t expect was to be leading it through one of the most devastating natural disasters in Kentucky’s history.

This episode of The HaltingWinter Podcast isn’t just about crisis. It’s about what comes after the cameras leave. It’s about presence in the face of pressure. It’s about rebuilding trust, block by block, when nothing familiar remains. And it’s about the kind of local leadership our nation needs more of: resilient, relational, and rooted in place.

In this conversation, Kathy shares:

  • The moment she realized her role wasn’t to act but to be there
  • What it meant to see former students—now city employees and leaders—step into the crisis
  • How Mayfield designed its own recovery using sticky notes, student surveys, and one guiding principle: build the next generation’s backdrop
  • What it really takes to work with FEMA, secure grants, and manage fatigue through multi-year recovery
  • Why she chose to run for reelection when stepping away would have been easier

This is an episode for every local government leader who’s been through the fire—literally or figuratively—and is still showing up. It’s for every city manager, county administrator, or mayor trying to lead with hope when the path ahead is long. And it’s a reminder that even when everything is flattened, a town’s spirit doesn’t disappear.

Listen to Episode 211: “Kathy O’Nan: Presence, Pressure, and the Power of Local Leadership”
Available on Apple, Spotify, and all major platforms.
This episode is brought to you by Zencity, who believes these stories need to be told and these incredible leaders supported as they strive to lead their communities to greater flourishing.

Want more stories like this? Subscribe to The HaltingWinter Podcast and leave a review to help others discover the real, human side of local government leadership.

The HaltingWinter Podcast celebrates and elevates the people who power local government. Through in-depth conversations with leaders from cities, counties, and communities of all sizes, host Seth Winterhalter explores the journeys, challenges, and innovations happening in municipal leadership across America.