PCC Local Time

Zoning may be one of the least understood and most under-appreciated aspects of local government. But my guests today see zoning through the lens of community health and want you to come along with them to better understand how zoning and planning impact our lives.

Ben Estell is manager of Dormont Borough outside of Pittsburgh in Allegheny County Pennsylvania and R.J. Susko is Planning and Development Director in the Town of McCandless in Allegheny County.

In this episode, RJ and Ben discuss the crucial role zoning and community planning play in enhancing community health.

RJ and Ben highlight the paths to their current roles and emphasize the human impact of zoning decisions. They explore topics such as transparency, public engagement, and the challenges of implementing zoning changes that balance community needs and environmental considerations. The conversation underscores the importance of proactive planning and the iterative nature of zoning regulations to foster resilient and thriving communities.

If you like your comprehensive planning to be entertaining and even a little sexy, you have come to the right place.

This episode is part of our 2024 APMM series. APMM is dedicated to the promotion of professional and effective local government management in Pennsylvania.

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RJ Susko serves as the Planning and Development Director for the Town of McCandless, Allegheny County, PA. Ms. Susko holds a Master of Public Administration Urban Affairs and Planning concentration, from the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA), and a B.S. in Public Health from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. A lifelong asker of “how does that work?”, Ms. Susko has been active in the municipal management world for several years, focusing on process improvement, change management, and right-sizing regulations to empower communities to reach their full potential.

Most recently in her current role as Planning and Development Director at the Town of McCandless, RJ has overseen the Town’s first wholesale zoning update in the last 50 years, involving a complete re-write and restructuring of the McCandless land use and development codes.

Benjamin Ryan Estell serves as Manager for the Borough of Dormont in Allegheny County, PA. Ben holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a B.A. in French language and Culture from The Ohio State University. He received his ICMA certification in 2015.

Has led numerous impactful projects, such as the Potomac Avenue Design and Reconstruction, an award-winning storm water management project, and a 5-Year Strategic Planning Process, which has involved significant public input and research. Most recently led a comprehensive zoning rewrite that brought Form-Based Code and Transit Oriented Development into the Pittsburgh suburbs and created the transformational catalyst for a truly welcoming community.

[00:00 - 05:07]: Introduction and RJ's background in community development.

[05:08 - 10:18]: Ben's childhood experience with a hazardous waste incinerator and its influence on his career.

[10:19 - 15:00]: Discussion on transparency in zoning and public access to information.

[15:01 - 20:10]: Historical context of zoning and its impact on different communities.

[20:11 - 25:00]: Challenges in current zoning, including parking minimums and density issues.

[25:01 - 30:15]: RJ's practical example of implementing a chicken ordinance.

[30:16 - 35:00]: Ben's explanation of Dormont's unique zoning approach.

[35:01 - 40:00]: Importance of ongoing community engagement in planning processes.

[40:01 - 45:00]: Human aspect of zoning and its effect on community health and livability.

[45:01 - 51:00]: Long-term impact of zoning changes and the necessity of iterative design.

In times of crisis, we often see leaders emerge from the frontline. My guest today, Professor Paresh Wankhade has published extensive research on emergency services and offers us examples of how emergent leadership shows up in times of crisis.

In this episode we talk about how the leadership framework is changing within emergency services. Some of the topics we cover include pressure on ambulance crews to meet performance targets, and how this impacts their ability to provide care, cultural challenges inside fire services, and lessons on leadership from crisis situations.

This episode is part of the Across the Pond Series that we began in 2023 with Professor John Diamond. We have so much to learn with our colleagues across the pond and they in turn have an interest in learning with us.

Paresh Wankhade FAcSS, FRSA, FCMI is a Professor of Leadership and Management at Edge Hill University Business School, UK. He is the Editor-In-Chief of International Journal of Emergency Services. His research and publications focus on analyses of strategic leadership, organisational culture, organisational change and interoperability within the public services with a focus on emergency services. Paresh has published in major journals including Work, Employment and Society, International Journal of Management Reviews, Public Management Review, Regional Studies, Public Money and Management and International Journal of Public Sector Management along with several monographs on the leadership and governance aspects in the emergency services.

MOST RECENT BOOK: Emergency Services Management: A Research Overview

Profile with List of Research

LinkedIn Profile

[05:00] Emergent Leadership in Crisis Situations

Paresh explains how leadership can emerge from unexpected situations, using examples like the Chilean miners and the Thai cave rescue. He emphasizes the importance of team-based leadership and bottom-up approaches in emergency services.

[10:00] Performance Targets in Ambulance Services

Paresh critiques the performance management approach in ambulance services, particularly the focus on response time targets. He argues that this approach pressures ambulance crews and impacts the quality of patient care, as the eight-minute response target often prioritizes speed over effective medical intervention.

[15:00] Cultural Challenges in Fire Services

Paresh highlights the cultural issues within fire services, particularly the lack of diversity and gender balance. He mentions recent reviews highlighting problems related to the treatment of women and ethnic minorities in the fire services and the need for cultural change to address these issues.

[20:00] Professionalization and Its Impact

Paresh talks about the professionalization of emergency services and how it affects motivation and job satisfaction. He discusses the clash between efficiency-focused management models and the mission-driven nature of emergency services work.

[25:00] Crisis Leadership and Shared Leadership

Paresh discusses the need for a shift in leadership models from heroic, top-down approaches to more collaborative, team-based structures. He provides examples of effective shared leadership during crises, such as the Chilean miners' ordeal.

[30:00] Lessons from Grenfell Tower Fire

Paresh analyzes the Grenfell Tower fire, highlighting the failures in communication, evacuation plans, and coordination among emergency services. He stresses the importance of having clear operational plans and better training for handling large-scale incidents.

[35:00] Comparing UK and US Emergency Management

Paresh compares the emergency management structures in the UK and the US, explaining the UK's approach, which lacks a federal agency like FEMA, and discusses the role of local resilience forums in managing crises.

[39:00] Lessons from Captain Sullenberger's Decision-Making

Paresh discusses the famous incident involving Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, who successfully landed a commercial airplane on the Hudson River after both engines failed due to a bird strike. Paresh uses this example to illustrate the importance of experience, risk assessment, and decisive action in crisis leadership.

[45:00] Shared Leadership Among the Chilean Miners

Paresh discusses the 2010 crisis involving the Chilean miners who were trapped underground for 69 days. He emphasizes the role of shared leadership in their survival, highlighting how the miners collectively made decisions and supported each other throughout the ordeal.

Mentioned in this episode (in reference to the Titanic Disaster)

Why We Can’t See What’s Right in Front of Us

HBR, May 10, 2012

Jerry Ozog, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Fire & Emergency Services Institute, is here today to talk about challenges in the leadership of emergency services. We cover topics such as everyday leadership vs crisis leadership, community expectations, funding and transparency, organizational models, recruitment, including diversity and inclusion, and the particular challenge small communities face.

This episode is part of our APMM series. APMM is dedicated to the promotion of professional and effective local government management of Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania Fire & Emergency Services Institute

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[00:00] Facilitator Leadership

[03:53] Effective Relationships Seminar

[09:03] Building Trust and Transparency

[13:12] Different Cultures in Emergency Services

[15:56] Collaborative Leadership and Flexibility

[21:41] Preserving Collaborative Cultures

[25:54] Community-Based Strategic Planning

[31:42] Inclusion and Diversity

[40:54] Solutions Through Collaboration

On Collaborative Leadership:

• "In these environments, the day-to-day leadership in today's environment you need more of a facilitator that can bring people to the table and be able to... accept ideas from other people. I want to work with other people."

Balancing Command and Control with Collaboration:

• "Sometimes that leader gets into a position. They are a command and control folk. And there's a lot of problems within the organization where the employees or the volunteers feel that I never get a voice. I never get to say anything."

Building Trust Through Collaboration:

• "I tell municipal officials you don't go immediately and demand records from the fire company. You gotta approach it where let's sit down and have coffee together. Let's talk. Let's identify the fire company leadership. Let's develop that relationship to start to build a little bit of trust and ease our way into helping the fire company and the municipality learn about each other."

Importance of Frontline Input in Strategic Planning:

• "There's something that is called a community-based strategic plan for fire and EMS where a stakeholder group of citizens are brought together... and you use that session as an initial SWOT analysis for defining what their expectations are."

Collaborative Decision-Making in Volunteer Organizations:

• "When you assess and let's say you're working to get a fire tax implemented and doing those things, you definitely want to focus on keeping a few of the traditional events... there has to be a connection and feedback where I see places that are challenged or they're internally making their own decisions based on no feedback."

Today we have a special episode of PCC local time. This week the APMM conference for local government managers took place in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Our conference took place in the ruins of the former Bethlehem Steel.

Overlooking the historic Steel Stacks, the largest revitalized brownfield in the country, it has become a top destination for arts and culture.

What better place then this to host the APMM 2024? Now, come with me for a break from sessions to enjoy voices that echo the theme of the conference, refresh, renew, and reimagine.

Oh, and by the way, are you coachable?

APMM is a premier association for professional municipal management in Pennsylvania. If you would like more information, check out the link below.

Guests include:

• John Ernst, Manager, Lansdale Borough
• Paul Leonard, Retired manager, former manager of Upper Dublin
• Crandall Jones, Manager, Upper Darby Township, APMM 2024 Conference Chair
• Dr. Craig Wheeland, Senior Vice Provost for Academics, Villa Nova University
• Ken Myers, Administrator, Quincy Township
• Carolyn McCreary, Manager, Montgomery Township
• Greg Primm, City Manager, City of Lower Burrell
• Dan Santoro, Manager, Cranberry Township
• Matthew R. Serakowski, Manager Upper St. Clair
• Kyle Beidler, Assistant Manager, Cranberry Township
• Nate Kline, Sr. Acct Executive, Infradaft LLC
• David Pribulka, Manager, Susquehanna Township, Incoming President
• Sara Gibson, Manager, Camp Hill Borough, Incoming Conference Chair
• Tom Vernau, Manager, Lower Allen Township
• Podcast Cover Photo taken by Nicole Whitaker, Manager, Township of Darby

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My guest today is Hugo Marynissen. He is an expert in Crisis Governance and Risk Management Co-holding the Chair of Crisis Governance at University of Antwerp.

Our conversation today will address the question of how leaders might structure organizations to better adapt to an uncertain world. He identifies key myths and assumptions that are part of traditional models that simply, do not work in times of crisis.      

He is senior partner at PM•Risk Crisis Change and senior researcher at the University of Antwerp in the Business & Economics, Management department and professor at Antwerp Management School. The focus of his current research is on crisis networks, organizational resilience, normal chaos, and the role of crisis governance as a way to anticipate extreme events.

Bio at PM Risk Crisis Change

LinkedIn

Research Links

Network of Networks: Preliminary Lessons from the Antwerp Port Authority on Crisis Management and Network Governance to Deal with the COVID-19 Pandemic

Network of Networks: Preliminary Lessons from the Antwerp Port Authority on Crisis Management and Network Governance to Deal with the COVID-19 Pandemic

Mentioned in Episode:

Normal Accidents: Living with High Risk Technologies by Charles Perrow

Video Intro to Episode

03:00 - Definition of crisis governance and the inherent conflict between crisis and governance.

06:00 - Introduction of the concept of normal chaos and the human factor in crisis creation.

09:00 - Hugo's personal background and journey into academia and crisis management.

12:00 - Working with the fire service and the importance of science and academia in crisis management.

15:00 - Cultural shifts within fire services and the need for multiple good leaders rather than a single strong leader.

18:00 - Collaboration among different emergency services and the impact of hierarchical structures. Examples from the Port of Antwerp and crisis management practices during the COVID-19 lockdown.

27:00 - The concept of resilience in crisis management. Differentiating between bouncing back and bouncing forward after a crisis.

30:00 - The role of leadership in fostering resilience within organizations.

33:00 - Effective coordination and integration of autonomous networks in crisis management.

36:00 - Examples from the Houston Port and the Channel Industries Mutual Aid (CIMA).

39:00 - Real-world implications of network collaboration and trust-building.

42:00 - The role of governance in crisis management and decision-making processes.

- Balancing formal structures with implicit interactions and stakeholder influence.

45:00 - The necessity of political courage and long-term vision in governance.

- Peter Drucker's quote on turbulence and the need to adapt our thinking.

“The greatest danger in times of turbulence is not the turbulence; it is to act with yesterday's logic.”

51:00 - The tendency to repeat mistakes and the lack of learning from past crises.

- Examples from organizational evaluations and recommendations.

54:00 - Addressing systemic issues rather than individual errors in crisis management.

- The slow process of affecting change and the need for ongoing vigilance.

57:00 - Final thoughts on practical steps for improving crisis management.

A disaster happens where hazards meet human systems.

My guest today shared that quote and much more about what local governments can do to lay the groundwork for a smooth recovery process should the worst-case scenario occur.

We go deep on what can be done before a disaster strikes. We talk about how to expedite the funding process and the unintended consequences when communities do not make the necessary investments before disaster strikes.

Dustin Hinkel works as a consultant at Guidehouse to help state and local governments, schools, nonprofits, find, acquire, spend, and retain grant funding to help them implement their most complex and critical public service projects.

Dustin has an academic background in environmental policy and natural and technological hazards. He began his career in county emergency management but eventually rose to the role of County Executive in Taylor County, Florida before moving into a consultant role with Guidehouse.

Sign up for the Pioneering Change Community Friday newsletter HERE to get inspired and receive updates about the community.

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Connect with Dustin Hinkel on LinkedIN

More information on Guidehouse.com (State and Local Governments)

[00:03:00] Dustin's background in government and his education in emergency management. Transition from theoretical knowledge to practical application in emergency management.

[00:06:00] The realization of the importance of funding and fiscal stewardship in disaster management. Challenges in managing budgets during disasters.

[00:09:00] Support from mentors and networks in understanding public sector finance and budgeting. The role of regional associations in Florida's emergency management program.

[00:12:00] The impact of insurance rates on government investment in infrastructure.

Case study: The National Flood Insurance Program and its effects during the Great Recession.

[00:15:00] Steps to expedite funding in the event of a disaster.

Importance of pre-existing relationships and mutual aid agreements.

[00:18:00] The role of industry partners in disaster response and recovery.

Example: Utilizing local resources such as tree haulers and timber professionals.

[00:21:00] Typical questions from governments after a disaster regarding reimbursement.

Categories of expenses eligible for FEMA reimbursement and the importance of documentation.

[00:24:00] Political and administrative challenges in securing disaster declarations and assistance.

Example: Taylor County's experience during Hurricane Hermine.

[00:27:00] The importance of persistence and understanding FEMA processes.

The iterative nature of the public assistance process and interactions with FEMA officials.

[00:30:00] The complexities of local vendor preferences in federal procurement processes.

Balancing community involvement with federal standards for fair and competitive pricing.

[00:33:00] The importance of documenting baseline conditions for projects like beach renourishment and road reconstruction. Ensuring transparency and accountability in federal funding.

[00:36:00] Discussion on the Francis Scott Key Bridge and the role of federal government in local disasters. The importance of local and industry input in rebuilding infrastructure.

[00:39:00] The hypothetical scenario of FEMA funding as a loan rather than a grant.

The potential impact on community investment and infrastructure maintenance.

[00:42:00] Ensuring long-term maintenance of infrastructure built with federal funds.

The importance of a life-cycle approach to investment and maintenance.

[00:45:00] The challenges of maintaining infrastructure and the example of a sports complex.

The need for ongoing investment and planning for future maintenance.

[00:48:00] Skills needed for engaging in complex disaster recovery environments.

The role of flexibility, compassion, and external support in disaster management.

[00:51:00] The benefits of external assistance in managing disaster recovery.

The continuous nature of local government responsibilities and the need for ongoing support.

Welcome to PCC Local Time. This week we have a special episode – the first in a series of episodes created in partnership with APMM, the Association of Professional Municipal Managers. We are talking with the current and upcoming Presidents, Amanda Serock and Dave Pribulka about the topics that are challenging local government today and the municipal manager who is behind the scenes making it all happen.

Follow this podcast and sign up for the newsletter to follow this series and related episodes. But more importantly, check out the APMM conference and ICMA conference this fall. If you have been sitting on the fence, well, we are waiting for you.

Learn more about APMM and sign up to be a volunteer at the ICMA Conference

Amanda Serock (LinkedIn)

Amanda has been working professionally in municipal management for 20 years. She is currently serving as the Township Manager in Concord Township, Delaware County, PA where she was appointed in October of 2017. Prior to that she served as Township Manager and Sewer Authority Manager at Chadd's Ford Township.

She received her Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Villanova University and her Bachelor’s Degree from LaSalle University.

David Pribulka (LinkedIn)

David is currently serving as the Township Manager in Susquehanna Township, Dauphin County, PA. since March 2022. Prior to that appointment he served as manager of Ferguson Township for 9.5 years and as Assistant Township Manager at Ferguson prior to that.

He received her Master's Degree in Public Administration from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania and his Bachelor's Degree from Moravian University.

TIME STAMPS:

[00:01:17] Leadership in Local Government.

[00:04:15] Municipal managers sharing technology.

[00:10:16] Generational dynamics in the workplace.

[00:10:48] Changing dynamics in local governments.

[00:16:01] Public safety and crisis.

[00:20:47] Sustainability challenges for managers.

[00:22:11] Professional management and development.

[00:26:02] Finding the Managerial Path.

[00:30:35] Seeking confidence and inclusion.

[00:34:16] Welcoming community in municipal government.

[00:37:43] APMM conference planning excitement.

[00:39:13] Becoming coachable.

[00:42:45] Passing the torch of leadership.

Today, we welcome back Ray Patchett, the former City Manager of Carlsbad, California and now consultant to leadership teams. Ray brings a wealth of knowledge and insights into the organizational principles of city management and teams.

I asked Ray to take a deeper dive into his 8 Traits of High Performing Teams which will soon be out in published form. What stands out to me about Ray is his practical application of theory, direct approach, and insightful understanding of the city manager's role.

Our interview starts by exploring the concepts that influenced his development of these eight traits and concludes with a brief discussion of each trait.

If you like what you hear today, sign up for PCC Local Time Newsletter to get an email in your box every Friday with resources like this.

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Bio

Raymond R. Patchett served as the City Manager for the City of Carlsbad, California, for 20 plus years where he has done extensive implementation of strategic change in a public sector organization. He joined the City in 1985. Prior to his appointment as City Manager in 1987, he served as Assistant City Manager for the City of Carlsbad, and has worked in local government since 1974 with the Cities of Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach and Burbank.

He formed Patchett & Associates in 2006 to offer clients a full spectrum of consulting, coaching and training services that foster community excellence, organizational effectiveness and personal growth.

Patchett holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Administration from the University of Southern California, and a Master’s Degree in Organization Development from Pepperdine University. He is a Certified Facilitator in Group Facilitation Methods, Participatory Strategic Planning, and Relationship Awareness Theory

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Bruce Tuckman; Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing

• Stanley McChrystal, Team of Teams

Quick summary of the 8 Traits:

1. Set the course and stay on course

2. Shape and energize the culture

3. Get the right people on the team

4. Empower others to manage the results

5. Establish ground rules or a working agreement

6. Do things to foster trust

7. Focus on results and regularly track progress

8. Provide flexible guidelines to produce superior results.

TIMESTAMPS:

[00:03:35] Synergy in team building.

[00:04:37] Managing Cross-Functional Teams.

[00:10:04] The mission creates the team.

[00:15:04] City manager as facilitator.

[00:19:18] Facilitation skills in teamwork.

[00:26:20] Bureaucracy in organizations.

[00:27:24] Public service and learning culture.

[00:35:06] Managing resistance and change.

[00:41:30] The ethical obligation to be politically neutral.

[00:44:48] Team development questions.

[00:49:55] Handling resistance in group dynamics.

[00:52:25] Building a safe space.

Today, I bring you Peter Marshall. Peter has a long and distinguished career as a city manager and consultant to local governments. Most notably, he was city manager at State College Pennsylvania for many years and before that, Newark, Delaware.

Peter and I have had many conversations over the years. He has so much to say about the field of city management, but today I bring you perhaps my favorite conversation and that is about his travels to other parts of the world to meet with other city managers and teach.

Marshall holds a Master’s Degree from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He has been a municipal manager in Michigan (6 years), Delaware (13 years), and Pennsylvania (22 years). In addition to municipal management, Marshall taught Public Administration, Labor Studies, Municipal Management, and Government at four universities. Marshall has also had extensive experience with local government officials in several foreign countries.

LinkedIn

Article in the Daily Collegian

Timestamps:

[00:00:22] Traveling during Northern Ireland troubles.

[00:08:25] Journey to Australia for work.

[00:19:05] Life in the Australian Outback.

[00:23:18] Experiences with Indigenous Australians

[00:25:38] Exchange with Christchurch, England

[00:26:15] International travels and conferences.

[00:31:20] A chance encounter.

[00:37:44] Japanese culture observations.

[00:39:12] Homestay with Japanese City Manager

[00:46:28] Teaching in Georgia (former Soviet Union).

[00:51:25] Academic exchange and learning.

[00:51:48] The Value of International Experiences for Managers

[00:53:42] Peter's Takeaways from International Travels

45

Today we talk with managers about the the role of technology in local government and the need to adapt to and address technology challenges.

My co-host today is Claudia Arriaga, Senior Vice President of Customer Service at OpenGov

Our three distinguished guests include:

Aaron Siko, Manager, Hempfield Township, Westmoreland County

Dave Pribulka Manager, Susquehanna Township, Dauphin County

Brad Gotshall, Manager, Lower Paxton Township, Dauphin County

This episode is brought to you by OpenGov.

OpenGov is the leader in cloud software exclusively designed for local government agencies.

Our mission is to power more effective and accountable government. With more than 1800 local government agencies across the U.S. using its solutions for budgeting and planning, procurement, financials, asset management, and permitting and licensing, the team has heard countless stories from public servants like you. Hear some of the most inspiring ones - and share your own story - at Why We Serve

And, OpenGov is hosting a can't-miss user conference in summer 2024 - it'll be the only time public servants from across all types of agencies. Secure your spot at here: https://opengovtransform2024.vfairs.com/en/.

TIMESTAMPS

[00:00:32] Evolving cybersecurity threats.

[00:06:52] Enhancing transparency and communication.

[00:09:42] Using technology for transparency.

[00:13:36] Elected officials and technology.

[00:16:45] Technological enhancements for submitting complaints.

[00:21:40] Automating workflows with technology.

[00:25:33] Future cities and transportation modernization.

[00:28:04] Internet speed upgrade.

[00:32:14] Utilizing data for better services.

[00:36:11] Technology upgrades and collaboration.

[00:40:00] Workplace environment and remote work.

[00:44:22] Enhancements in the mobile workplace.

[00:49:19] Staff-generated ideas and implementation.

[00:51:43] Code enforcement and technology.

[00:57:29] Value-added benefits for employees.

[01:00:54] Cybersecurity and technology vulnerabilities.

[01:05:47] Importance of collaboration and networking.

[01:07:32] Collaboration and gratitude.

Copyright 2026 Nancy Joan Hess