#656 Managing a Small Town and Returnships with India Adams-Jacobs, Bowling Green, VA
GovLove - A Podcast About Local Government
Release Date: 12/17/2024
GovLove - A Podcast About Local Government
Brooks Williams, City Manager for the City of Ferris, Texas joined the podcast to discuss his passion for public service and building a responsive government. He shared how he transformed the City of Ferris into a results-driven local government and how they measure operating efficiency. He discussed his thought provoking LinkedIn posts on local government leadership and public service. He shared his views on the role of local governments in tragedy and the importance of community. Host:
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Kellye Mazzoli, Founder & City Executive Coach at City Boss Coaching joined the podcast to discuss coaching those who lead our communities. She shared her transition from local government to coaching, what her coaching sessions entail, and how she stays up to date with the local government industry and how she keeps her edge to provide services to your clients. Host:
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Scott Markley, Research Director for the National Zoning Atlas joined the podcast to discuss land use planning and residential segregation. He shared the Connecticut origins of the National Zoning Atlas, what the data is telling us, and how communities can utilize the atlas. This episode was recorded at the Missouri City-County Management Association 2025 Annual Conference. Host:
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Michael Jordan, the City Administrator for the City of Portland, Oregon, joined the podcast to discuss Portland's transition to a new form of government. He talked about the voter apporved change in 2022 and the work that went into preparing the organization for its first elections under the new form of government in 2024. He shared how the transition occurred, unexpected challenges during the transition, and how City Council members are adapting to their new roles. He also discussed his career path and what he has learned about managing change through this process. Host:
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Kim Nakahodo, a and Deputy City Administrator for the City of North Kansas City, Missouri joined to podcast to discuss her journey in local government. She shared the value of professional organizations and the importance of empowering and engaging youth. She also talked about the impact of losing a police officer in the line of duty and creatively involving the public in the budgeting process. This episode was recorded at the Missouri City-County Management Association 2025 Annual Conference Host:
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Glen Cole, the Assistant City Manager and Community Development Director for City of Rolling Meadows, Illinois joined the podcast to discuss intoxicating hemp regulation at the local government level. He shared how intoxicating hemp is different than recreational marijuana and the lack of state regulation related to intoxicating hemp. He also discussed how local regulation was implemented in Rolling Meadows. Host:
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Emily Colon, former Deputy City Manager for the City of Lakeland, Florida, joined the podcast to talk about her career and two important management concepts. She recently wrote about the and she discussed how it can be a superpower for local government staff in an era of high polarization. She shared her approach for how she managed department directors and other positions in her career that were in their field when she was not, and how that can put a manager in a unique position. Emily also talked about her recent career transition and balancing a two career household as a local government...
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Two guests joined the podcast to talk about the response to the Palisades Fire. Joseph Toney is the Acting City Manager for Malibu and Alexis Brown is the Deputy City Manager for Malibu. They discussed how these fire emergencies have affected staff and the importance of mutual aide. They also shared tips for other agencies who may face fire or other emergencies in the future. Host:
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Michael Welker, Director of Policy and Research Partnerships for the ncIMPACT Initiative at the UNC School of Government joined the podcast to discuss managing change. He talked about a recent report they released on . He shared why managing disruption is so important, the elements they identified as contributing to potential disruption, and examples of North Carolina communities showing resilience. He also discussed how communities can use the report and other resources to measure their exposure to disruption and begin to prepare to manage it. Host:
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Two guests joined the podcast to talk about trends in local government and futurology. Sheila Shockey is the Founder and CEO of Shockey Consulting Services. Grant Mayfield is a Public Administration Consultant for Shockey Consulting Services. They discussed their path to working with local government organizations and attracting people to the profession. Sheila shared her work as a futurists and how she thinks about the trends that will impact organizations. They both talked about the issues impacting their local government clients. Host:
info_outlineIndia Adams-Jacobs, Town Manager of the Town of Bowling Green, Virginia, joined the podcast to talk about her career path and managing a small town. She talked about taking on her current role managing her hometown, the transition to get to know the organization, and how her previous roles prepared her for this role. She also discussed a "returnship" program she started in Colonial Beach that brought retirees in to help add capacity and skills to that small town.
This episode was recorded at the 2024 ICMA Conference in Pittsburgh, PA.
Host: Ben Kittelson