Infrastructure, Identity, and Impact: What It Takes to Lead a Growing City

What happens when your city doubles in size… but your infrastructure doesn’t?

Shawn Bell didn’t set out to become a city administrator. In fact, he started his career deep in politics—campaigning, lobbying, even working in D.C. But one grad school conversation, followed by an internship in Ferguson, Missouri, sent him down a different path: one that traded national headlines for neighborhood potholes, and policy theory for real-life leadership.

Now, as City Administrator of Fountain Inn, South Carolina—one of the fastest-growing cities in the state—Shawn is navigating the real-time tension between growth and identity.

In this conversation, Shawn shares:

• How a political junkie became a passionate public servant
• Why rural cities make the best training ground for new local government leaders
• What it means to lead at “100 MPH” in a region that prefers to sip its tea
• How to handle zoning surges, infrastructure gaps, and cultural change—without burning out your team
• Why city administrators need to see themselves not just as managers, but as culture architects

From navigating hurricanes and annexations to launching Jeep-themed Halloween festivals (yes, really), Shawn’s leadership is a reminder that great cities aren’t just built—they’re stewarded, block by block, team by team, decision by decision.

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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.