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 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.
Episode 212 of The HaltingWinter Podcast – Featuring Steve Dalton, City Administrator of Branson West, MO
Brought to you by Zencity
In 1990, Branson West, Missouri, had a population of 37. Today, it’s still technically a town of just over 500. But don’t let the numbers fool you—this place is built like a city ten times its size.
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.
Episode 209 of The HaltingWinter Podcast – Featuring Laura Philpot, City Manager of Maple Valley, WA
Brought to you by Zencity
When Laura Philpot started her career, she wanted to build big things—bridges, stadiums, and infrastructure that would last for generations. But somewhere between a concrete canoe competition in college and a salmon stream restoration project in Maple Valley, Washington, her vision shifted.
Episode 208 of The HaltingWinter Podcast – Featuring Mayor Alan Keck of Somerset, Kentucky
Brought to you by Zencity
What if your city’s next big leap forward didn’t come from a strategic plan, but from listening—really listening—to the people who live there?
What does it take to lead three towns through a pandemic, manage multimillion-dollar infrastructure without debt, and still have the humility to literally fill potholes in high heels?
There’s a moment in every city leader’s career when you realize something sobering:
You’re making decisions with 80% of the information…
…while the people you serve, and often the people you report to, only see 15%.
What makes someone walk away from career stability, a steady paycheck, and a long track record of success—just to step into the chaos and risk of small-town leadership?
For Wesley, the answer goes all the way back to a childhood in England, a handwritten letter to Mensa, and a simple belief: that he was meant to make his corner of the world a little better.
