Municipal Leaders: Develop Faster, Lead Stronger, Build Better
Every week, you’ll get insights and actionable steps to help you navigate personal growth and professional success.
Episode 227 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Brought to you by Tyler Technologies and Zencity
When you hear “Medina, Washington,” you might picture manicured waterfront estates, private security gates, and neighbors named Gates or Bezos. From the outside, it looks like a city flush with wealth. But as veteran city manager Doug Schulze shares in this episode of The HaltingWinter Podcast, the reality is far more complicated: a city filled with billionaires can still struggle to pay its bills.
Episode 226 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Brought to you by Tyler Technologies and Zencity
In Episode 226 of The HaltingWinter Podcast, I sat down with Andrew Hart, Town Manager of Carmel, Maine. Andrew’s story is a masterclass in resilience, humility, and the unseen realities of municipal leadership.
Most city managers never plan to enter the profession. Andrew certainly didn’t. But at just 24 years old, he was thrown headfirst into leadership when his town uncovered embezzlement, all before he’d even officially started. His trial by fire set the stage for a career that would span three decades, across towns and counties, with lessons every local government leader can relate to.
Episode 224 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Brought to you by Zencity and Tyler Technologies
Scott Andrews didn’t take the straight road into city management. He started as a recreation supervisor, hustling his way into opportunities by handing out resumes at conferences, introducing himself to strangers, and following up with handwritten thank-you cards.
That persistence paid off. He helped build Sugar Hill, Georgia’s downtown from scratch, transformed development in Smyrna during the Atlanta Braves’ stadium move, and eventually took the reins as City Manager of Covington—all before moving west to serve in Bakersfield, California, and now as County Manager in New Mexico.
But behind the titles is a much deeper story.
Episode 223 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Brought to you by Zencity and Tyler Technologies
What does it take to become a city manager? For Dylan Ward of Henderson, Kentucky, the journey started with a box of Legos.
As a kid, Dylan loved to build, problem-solve, and create. That curiosity led him to study civil engineering. But he soon realized he didn’t want to spend his life behind a computer screen designing projects in AutoCAD. He wanted to be where the action was—out in the field, working with people, and seeing ideas come to life.
Episode 221 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Brought to you by Zencity
In local government, cities and counties share the same residents, the same challenges, and too often, a complicated relationship. Budgets, responsibilities, and political pressures can pull them apart, even when their success depends on working together.
This week on The HaltingWinter Podcast, we hear Ryan Pelletier’s story, a leader who’s been on both sides of the table. From managing a one-person town office to overseeing a sprawling county government, he’s navigated the unique demands, personalities, and politics that come with each role. His perspective is rare and exactly what’s needed to move from friction to collaboration.
Episode 220 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Brought to you by Zencity
Some leaders choose public service. For others, it’s woven into who they are from the very beginning.
In our latest episode of The HaltingWinter Podcast, we share the story of a mayor whose journey began in the most unassuming way — as a neighborhood kid answering the call (literally) from the local mayor to help unclog storm drains, throw cinders on icy streets, and pitch in wherever he was needed.
HaltingWinter Podcast, Episode 218
Featuring the story of Sugar Land, TX City Manager (and former Coral Springs, FL City Manager)
Michael Goodrum’s resume reads like a case study in climbing the municipal ladder.
Parks coordinator. Department head. Public works director. Assistant city manager.
But behind the impressive job titles was something few people saw:
A leadership approach that got results while quietly burning people out.
Episode 217 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Brought to you by Zencity
In 2005, the City of Bowling Green, Kentucky, faced a moment that could have shattered public trust for a generation.
A senior leader had been embezzling public funds. The discovery fell into the lap of then City Treasurer Jeff Meisel, a lifelong Bowling Green resident, a CPA by training, and a man who had to decide whether to walk away from the mess or stay and lead through it.
Episode 215 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Guest: Ed Barrett, Retired City Manager (Bangor & Lewiston, ME)
What does it actually take to lead a city through transformation?
Not the kind that fits neatly in a press release. The kind that spans decades. That outlives your tenure. That turns brownfields into riverwalks, empty buildings into museums, and overlooked communities into regional anchors.
Featuring Boone Bowling, Mayor of Middlesboro, KY
Episode 214 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
What do you do when you’re 22 years old, barely out of college, and have never been to a city council meeting but you love your town enough to fight for it?
If you’re Boone Bowling, you run for office.
