Running a town is an act of stewardship — of land, money, people, and possibility.

Ojai City Manager Ben Harvey joins host Bret Bradigan for a candid, wide-ranging conversation about what that stewardship looks like in practice. We unpack the real constraints of municipal governance — housing mandates, fiscal realities, and the delicate balance between preservation and change.

And then we talk music.

From Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers to Okkervil River and Damien Jurado, we reflect on how live music shapes community — and tease some exciting possibilities for Libbey Bowl this coming season.

Because in Ojai, civic life isn’t just policy. It’s culture. It’s memory. It’s the shared experience of gathering under the oaks for a show.

A conversation not just about how towns are run, but how they are felt.