Municipal Leaders: Develop Faster, Lead Stronger, Build Better
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What does it take to lead your hometown through multiple disasters while simultaneously transforming it into a destination with unique attractions and robust economic development? Our latest podcast episode explores this question with Brent Buerck, City Administrator of Perryville, Missouri, who has done exactly that.
Brent’s journey is anything but conventional. After spending 15 years with the Missouri Division of Youth Services, he returned to his hometown of Perryville (population 8,500) to serve as City Administrator. Since then, he’s navigated the community through an EF4 tornado in 2017, the worst ice storm in 50 years, and another EF3 tornado just weeks ago—all while developing world-class attractions and economic opportunities.
“We’re a very small community, generally speaking,” Brent shares, “but there’s always cracks and there’s always things that we can do better.”
One of the most valuable takeaways from our conversation is Brent’s practical approach to disaster response. When the recent tornado hit at 11:41 PM, the team was at the fire station by midnight and had dumpsters in neighborhoods by mid-morning.
“We’ve learned lessons and were able to apply them,” Brent explains. “We progressed through the stages of this storm much quicker than we did in 2017. The tornado happened, and three days later, we had already moved from response to recovery.”
His advice for other municipalities facing disasters? “Jump in with both feet and get it done. If you wait for the state government or the federal government to show up and take over… they don’t know your community like you should know your community.”
Perhaps most impressive is Brent’s approach to municipal collaboration. Rather than working in silos, he intentionally reconstructed boards to include city officials, county commissioners, and private partners.
“We said, once a month, we’re going to meet and we’re going to do this together. And what resulted was really pretty phenomenal. Our relationships are stronger than they’ve ever been.”
This collaborative approach has yielded impressive results, including:
In a refreshingly honest moment, Brent shares his philosophy on municipal leadership: “If we’re doing our job correctly, nobody should even know we’re there. The pinnacle of city management for me is that nobody even knows we’re there. Their trash picks up, their potholes are filled, their sewer gets taken care of.”
This perspective—that success often means invisibility—offers a powerful reframing for all municipal leaders working behind the scenes to keep their communities functioning.
Whether you’re a current city manager, an aspiring municipal leader, or someone interested in public service, this episode offers practical wisdom from someone successfully navigating the complex challenges of small-town leadership with world-class vision.
Listen to the full episode here
About HaltingWinter Municipal Solutions
Seth Winterhalter leads a team dedicated to building stronger cities through stronger leaders. Our coaching, consulting, and leadership development programs help municipal leaders thrive personally and professionally, creating lasting impact in their communities. Learn more about how we can strengthen your municipality at haltingwinter.com.
