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 236 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Brought to you by Tyler Technologies and Zencity
Most city managers don’t set out to become city managers. For Lee Feldman, it started as a summer internship and a gopher job in a city manager’s office in North Miami Beach. He had no idea at the time that it would lead to a career spanning four decades, four major cities, and a term as ICMA President.
But Lee’s story isn’t just about longevity. It’s about knowing when to say yes to opportunity…and when to walk away.
Episode 235 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Brought to you by Tyler Technologies and Zencity
Most city managers will tell you they never planned on ending up in their role. For Kiel Mangus, City Manager of Derby, Kansas, that couldn’t be more true. His career began with what was supposed to be a short internship in economic development. On his first day, the director went on maternity leave. Suddenly, Kiel was fielding calls, learning on the fly, and realizing just how much local government shapes everyday life.
You know those mornings when optimism feels impossible. The budget constraints keep tightening. Your best department head just gave notice. Council is questioning your judgment. Community expectations continue rising while your resources keep shrinking.
Some days, keeping your glass half full feels like the hardest part of leadership.
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.
Episode 232 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Brought to you by Zencity and Tyler Technologies
What happens when a leader trades the efficiency-driven pace of private law for the people-centered, transparency-driven reality of local government?
That’s the journey of Regan Bolli. In this episode of The HaltingWinter Podcast, Regan shares how a difficult transition from “bottom-line first” to “people first” became the defining shift of his career and the culture of an entire city.
You hired good people. You know they’re capable. So why does your talented team seem disengaged during strategic planning but energized during crisis response?
Why do some council meetings leave you feeling drained while others fuel your enthusiasm for the work? Why does that department head who’s brilliant at operations struggle to build support for new initiatives?
Here’s the breakthrough: It’s not about competence. It’s about alignment.
Episode 230 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Brought to you by Zencity and Tyler Technologies
What happens when you’ve spent your entire career building and protecting the city you grew up in, only to face the challenge of handing it over to the next generation?
That’s the story of William “Buzzy” Newman, former city manager and now assistant city manager of Henderson, Kentucky. His leadership journey is anything but conventional. From being the son of a six-term mayor, to leading Henderson through economic transformation, social unrest, and the chaos of COVID, Buzzy embodies what it means to lead with courage, honesty, and a love for community.
Episode 229 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Brought to you by Zencity and Tyler Technologies
Most municipal leaders learn their craft in boardrooms, classrooms, or city council chambers. Jason Monroe learned his in burning buildings and on the back of an ambulance.
Before becoming City Manager of Frankfort, Kentucky, Jason spent more than two decades as a firefighter and paramedic. His career path was anything but conventional, beginning with an EMT class he took on a whim, leading to years of public safety service, and ultimately landing him in the city’s top leadership role.
Are you exhausted from trying to be everything to everyone?
Do you feel like you’re supposed to be a budget wizard, crisis communication expert, strategic visionary, and community relations master all rolled into one superhuman city manager?
Are your best people leaving because they’re tired of being told to fix their weaknesses instead of using their strengths?
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.
