Picture this scenario. Staff have worked for a year to bring a project or initiative to the finish line. There have been public meetings and notices, multiple discussions at council meetings, and even some news articles published in the local paper. 

Out of the blue, a handful of vocal social media commenters start lighting up the city's social media page and local news groups are atwitter as these critics misrepresent the facts of the project and attack the council for not being transparent and seeking feedback from residents. This results in a dozen or more residents attending the next council meeting with four of them attacking the council and staff under the guise of simply seeking transparency.

Then the council, caught off guard and reeling from the "onslaught" of public comment decide to table or postpone the issue. Then they direct the city manager and staff to re-engage the public and seek feedback. 

It's demoralizing and time consuming. It sucks the life out of employees. 

Sam Toles of CiviSocial joins me on the program to talk about a future initiative aimed at educating and training elected officials about social media, how to interpret criticism, and how to raise these concerns with staff in a healthy and constructive manner. If you are interested in learning more, please fill out this brief survey so we can get your feedback: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdBe7LOFFXi2C_ezW4haJJqU-iPk7_n61sgKelfnLQDDgMK1w/viewform

SHOW NOTES

Claim your FREE copy of "The Social Media Playbook for City & County Managers" at this link: https://civisocial.com/the-social-media-playbook

Sam Toles' LinkedIn profile

Link to CiviSocial website

Sam previously appeared on the following episodes:

Episode 67: Your City is Doing Social Media Wrong

Episode 68: Keyboard Warriors & Social Media Terrorists

AAME Waitlist Sign Up Link: https://app.youform.com/forms/f9ulo0uh

AAME JOB BOARD:

The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/

SUPPORT THE PODCAST:

Joe Turner's LinkedIn Page

City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today!

Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

What is the purpose of social media and why does your organization have a social media presence?

In this episode, Sam Toles of CiviSocial and I discuss this issue at length and make a powerful case for why every city and county manager should make sure their organization is doing social media correctly. Not only are there personal and professional benefits, but it can help improve employee morale and job satisfaction, retention, and keep your elected officials happy.

Sam is on a mission to help city managers and other public sector executives level up their organization's social media presence. He recently released his new book and podcast listeners can claim their FREE copy by clicking on the link below.

SHOW NOTES

Claim your FREE copy of "The Social Media Playbook for City & County Managers" at this link: https://civisocial.com/the-social-media-playbook

Sam Toles' LinkedIn profile

Link to CiviSocial website

Sam previously appeared on the following episodes:

Episode 67: Your City is Doing Social Media Wrong

Episode 68: Keyboard Warriors & Social Media Terrorists

AAME Waitlist Sign Up Link: https://app.youform.com/forms/f9ulo0uh

AAME JOB BOARD:

The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/

SUPPORT THE PODCAST:

Joe Turner's LinkedIn Page

City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today!

Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Recent comments attributed to executive recruiters handling the Sacramento, California and Palm Coast, Florida recruitments must be addressed.

A Sacramento Bee article alleged that CPS HR recruiter Pamela Derby has "suggested modifying certain incentives in a potential contract, including supplemental leave and severance, to ensure the new hire does not make as much."

In Florida, Strategic Government Resources (SGR) recruiter Doug Thomas advised the governing body against including a salary range in their job posting and brochure.

Recruiters and recruitment firms that actively seek to undermine the pay, benefits, and contractual protections in the name of advising their clients must be put on notice that there will be consequences. And it is imperative that public sector executives across the country take individual action to communicate these concerns, as well.

SHOW NOTES

Sacramento Bee Article #1: https://archive.ph/ZF1Rg

Sacramento Bee Article #2: https://archive.ph/JIwjd

Flagler Live Article: https://flaglerlive.com/sgr-tale-of-two-bruchures/

AAME Waitlist Sign Up Link: https://app.youform.com/forms/f9ulo0uh

AAME JOB BOARD:

The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/

SUPPORT THE PODCAST:

Joe Turner's LinkedIn Page

City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today!

Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

This is the third and final installment of my three part interview series with Fire/EMS consultant Tim Nowak. The primary purpose of this series is to create an introductory primer and give local elected officials and taxpayers a 30,000 foot level overview of the major issues that must be considered when evaluating fire/EMS service in your communities.

My hope is that city and county managers, fire chiefs, and other public sector executives will find our attempt to break this complex issue down into manageable chunks for your various stakeholders useful in your efforts to facilitate discussions on this topic.

SHOW NOTES

Tim Nowak's LinkedIn page

You can find my previous interview with Tim in Episode 40  here.

AAME JOB BOARD:

The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/

SUPPORT THE PODCAST:

Joe Turner's LinkedIn Page

City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today!

Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

This is the second installment of my three part interview series with Fire/EMS consultant Tim Nowak. The primary purpose of this series is to create an introductory primer and give local elected officials and taxpayers a 30,000 foot level overview of the major issues that must be considered when evaluating fire/EMS service in your communities.

My hope is that city and county managers, fire chiefs, and other public sector executives will find our attempt to break this complex issue down into manageable chunks for your various stakeholders useful in your efforts to facilitate discussions on this topic.

SHOW NOTES

Tim Nowak's LinkedIn page

You can find my previous interview with Tim in Episode 40  here.

Link to Chris Mann's GOV360 Podcast

Link to join the AAME membership waitlist

AAME JOB BOARD:

The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/

SUPPORT THE PODCAST:

Joe Turner's LinkedIn Page

City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today!

Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

This is the first installment of my three part interview series with Fire/EMS consultant Tim Nowak. The primary purpose of this series is to create an introductory primer and give local elected officials and taxpayers a 30,000 foot level overview of the major issues that must be considered when evaluating fire/EMS service in your communities.

My hope is that city and county managers, fire chiefs, and other public sector executives will find our attempt to break this complex issue down into manageable chunks for your various stakeholders useful in your efforts to facilitate discussions on this topic.

SHOW NOTES

Tim Nowak's LinkedIn page

You can find my previous interview with Tim in Episode 40  here.

AAME JOB BOARD:

The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/

SUPPORT THE PODCAST:

Joe Turner's LinkedIn Page

City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today!

Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Richard "Rick" Reinhard is one of the leading experts when it comes to analyzing and repurposing church real estate in America. 

In this episode, Rick talks about the great emptying of churches and how this negatively impacts communities. In one of the undergraduate courses he teaches, he has referred to this epidemic as "spiritual brownfields."

We talk about what can be done to convert and repurpose these decaying vacant or soon to become vacant structures and why city managers and local elected officials need to put this issue on their radar.

SHOW NOTES

Rick Reinhard's LinkedIn page

He is the principal consultant for Niagara Consulting Group.

AAME JOB BOARD:

The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/

SUPPORT THE PODCAST:

Joe Turner's LinkedIn Page

City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today!

Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

In this two part series, I interview Mike Grabianowski who has many years of experience monitoring and auditing construction projects. As an employee of Georgia Pacific, a subsidiary of Koch Industries, Mike was tasked with ensuring his company was not overbilled whenever it hired contractors to complete projects.

These projects, which could exceed $100 million, were put under a microscope by Mike and his team and he's learned many of the "tricks of the trades" over the years.

Now -- he's hung his own shingle and opened his own consulting firm to leverage this knowledge. And he wants to bring his knowledge and skills to the public sector.

In this episode, we examine how Mike and his company can help city managers and department heads on their major capital improvement projects and protect them and the taxpayers from being taken advantage of by vendors.

SHOW NOTES

Mike Grabianowski's LinkedIn Profile

Link to Grabianowski & Associates website

AAME JOB BOARD:

The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/

SUPPORT THE PODCAST:

Joe Turner's LinkedIn Page

City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today!

Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

In this two part series, I interview Mike Grabianowski who has many years of experience monitoring and auditing construction projects. As an employee of Georgia Pacific, a subsidiary of Koch Industries, Mike was tasked with ensuring his company was not overbilled whenever it hired contractors to complete projects.

These projects, which could exceed $100 million, were put under a microscope by Mike and his team and he's learned many of the "tricks of the trades" over the years.

Now -- he's hung his own shingle and opened his own consulting firm to leverage this knowledge. And he wants to bring his knowledge and skills to the public sector.

In this episode, we examine how Mike and his company can help city managers and department heads on their major capital improvement projects and protect them and the taxpayers from being taken advantage of by vendors.

SHOW NOTES

Mike Grabianowski's LinkedIn Profile

Link to Grabianowski & Associates website

AAME JOB BOARD:

The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/

SUPPORT THE PODCAST:

Joe Turner's LinkedIn Page

City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today!

Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

In the previous episode, I discussed the circumstances surrounding my arrest related to the performance of my duties as an assistant county administrator in Florida

In this episode, I discuss my night in a Walton County jail.

AAME JOB BOARD:

The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/

SUPPORT THE PODCAST:

Joe Turner's LinkedIn Page

City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today!

Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.