Municipal Leaders: Develop Faster, Lead Stronger, Build Better
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Episode 224 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Brought to you by Zencity and Tyler Technologies
When most people picture a city manager, they imagine someone who came up through planning, finance, or administration. Rarely do they imagine a firefighter.
But for Sean Grayson, City Manager of Nevada City, California, the path to municipal leadership started in a firehouse.
What began as a high school volunteer program turned into two decades in the fire service, culminating in his role as Fire Chief in Rialto, California. Along the way, Sean was voluntold—twice—into serving as interim city administrator during pivotal moments of transition. Those unexpected turns shaped his leadership philosophy and ultimately led him back home to Nevada City, where he now leads as City Manager.
Sean doesn’t sugarcoat the realities cities face. A single fire engine now costs $1 million. A tillered aerial truck? $2.5 million. Staffing a fire station can run $2–5 million annually. And yet, residents expect the same level of service, often without understanding the true cost of readiness.
“The breadth of what fire departments do has grown exponentially,” Sean explains. “Behavioral health, hazardous materials, emergency transport—it all ends up with us. But funding hasn’t kept pace.”
Sean highlights how America’s most effective advertising campaign—“Dial 911”—changed everything.
“We trained a generation to call 911 for emergencies. Now, people call when it’s not an emergency to us, but it is to them. And for many who are underserved, it’s the only option they have.”
The result? Overwhelmed emergency rooms, exhausted personnel, and an emotional burden that firefighters carry home with them. Unlike past generations, today’s fire service is beginning to address mental health openly. Still, the toll is undeniable.
When Rialto’s city administrator retired, Sean found himself unexpectedly thrust into the seat. Twice.
“It was like getting thrown into the deep end of the pool,” he recalls. “Fortunately, I could swim. But I had to learn at the speed of light.”
Those experiences reshaped how he viewed leadership, not as managing a single department, but as building connections across silos and seeing the whole city as one team.
Sean’s journey from sirens to strategy is a reminder that leadership isn’t always planned—it’s often about stepping into the gap when your community needs you most. His perspective challenges municipal leaders to think differently about succession, funding, and the weight we place on first responders.
Because whether in turnout gear or a city manager’s chair, the call to serve remains the same.
Listen now: From Sirens to Strategy: A Fire Chief’s Unlikely Path to City Hall
Zencity
This episode is brought to you by Zencity—the community engagement platform that helps public sector leaders hear from all residents, not just the loudest voices in the room. Their tools make it easier to understand what your community really needs and to act on it. Learn more at zencity.io
Tyler Technologies
We’re also supported by Tyler Technologies—the trusted partner helping local governments modernize services, improve efficiency, and build resilient communities. Their solutions empower city leaders to serve with clarity and confidence. Discover more at tylertech.com
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.
