The HaltingWinter Podcast

Rose Beverly: Holding the Line When a City Is StrugglingFinancial Strain, Fragile Public Trust, and the Work No One Sees

Episode 284 of The HaltingWinter Podcast Brought to you by Tyler Technologies

What does leadership look like when you inherit financial strain, face fragile public trust, and are still expected to keep a city moving forward?

In this episode of The HaltingWinter Podcast, Seth Winterhalter sits down with Rose Beverly, City Manager of Paris, Texas, for an honest and grounded conversation about the realities of municipal leadership when the work is weighty, the challenges feel overwhelming, and the solutions aren't immediate.

Rose shares her unconventional path into local government, from rural Idaho and elected office, to city administration roles in Minnesota and Kentucky, and now leading a regional hub city in Texas, where she finds herself navigating deferred infrastructure, financial pressure, and community expectations. Throughout the conversation, she offers a rare look at what it means to step into complexity you didn't create, but are now responsible for stewarding.

This episode isn't about quick wins or polished success stories. It's about holding the line, earning trust slowly, and doing the work that matters even when it goes unseen.

Sponsored by:

• Tyler Technologies – the nation's leading provider of software solutions designed specifically for the public sector and local government. Learn more at tylertech.com/winter

• The Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC) is a global community for local government leaders who want ongoing support, practical insights, and a trusted peer network to help them lead with clarity and conviction. Learn more at haltingwinter.com/MLDC

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter
• Website: www.HaltingWinter.com

Elvin "EJ" Hardwick: Finding the Call Before the TitleYouth Councils, Public Service, and the Making of a Town Manager

Episode 283 of The HaltingWinter Podcast Brought to you by Tyler Technologies

What happens when someone discovers their calling before they ever hold the title?

In this episode, Seth Winterhalter sits down with Elvin "EJ" Hardwick, Town Manager of Somerset, Maryland, and one of Government Business Review's Top 10 Town Managers to Watch. EJ's journey into municipal leadership didn't begin in graduate school or a corner office; it started as a teenager serving on a Youth City Council and a citizen recycling committee.

This conversation explores what it looks like to grow into leadership early, stay grounded in service, and lead at the most human level of government, where politics fade and community takes center stage.

EJ shares honest reflections on stepping into the town manager role at a young age, navigating council–staff–community dynamics, and creating space for innovation, youth voice, and belonging in a small but vibrant municipality just outside Washington, D.C.

This episode is both a reminder and an invitation: Local government doesn't just maintain systems; it shapes lives. And the future of the profession depends on who we invite in early, how we mentor them, and whether we help them find the call before the title.

Sponsored by:

• Tyler Technologies – the nation's leading provider of software solutions designed specifically for the public sector and local government. Download your free e-book on cloud managment at tylertech.com/winter

• The Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC) is a global community for local government leaders who want ongoing support, practical insights, and a trusted peer network to help them lead with clarity and conviction. Learn more at haltingwinter.com/MLDC

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter
• Website: www.HaltingWinter.com

Show Notes: MLDC Book of the Week – Deep WorkEpisode 282 of The HaltingWinter Podcast

This week in the Municipal Leadership Development Circle, Seth Winterhalter breaks down the key insights from Cal Newport's book, Deep Work, and it might be the most important book you read as a local government leader trying to produce impactful work.

When was the last time you had three uninterrupted hours to think strategically? For most city managers, county administrators, and department heads, the answer is "I can't remember." That's the crisis Newport addresses: your most important work requires sustained focus, but everything about your work environment destroys your ability to concentrate.

In this episode, Seth breaks down why the ability to perform deep work is becoming increasingly rare at exactly the same time it's becoming increasingly valuable and what that means for your leadership effectiveness.

Join the MLDC for the Complete 5-Part Series

The Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC) is a network of local government leaders from across North America, including city/county managers, administrators, and department heads, giving you access to: ✔ A weekly podcast series breaking down one book for municipal applications ✔ Daily blog reflections and implementation tools ✔ Our live, weekly, virtual mastermind session ✔ Monthly webinars with relevant training from local gov leaders

➡ Learn more at www.HaltingWinter.com/MLDC

Resources Mentioned

Special Announcement: Head to our YouTube channel to gain access to our first Leadership & Culture Training Session of 2026: "Personal Well-Being When Work-Life Balance is BS." This webinar is a feature for MLDC/L&C members and is only available to the public through January 31st!

• Book: Deep Work by Cal Newport
• L&C Training Session: YouTube Channel
• MLDC Info: www.haltingwinter.com/mldc

Connect with Seth Winterhalter

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter
• Website: www.HaltingWinter.com

Kevin Robinson: Called When the Water RoseFloods, Crisis Leadership, and Carrying a City Forward

Episode 281 of The HaltingWinter Podcast Brought to you by Tyler Technologies

What does leadership look like when the plan collapses, the water keeps rising, and an entire city is depending on steady hands?

In this episode of The HaltingWinter Podcast, Seth Winterhalter sits down with Kevin Robinson, City Manager of Spencer, Iowa, to explore a leadership journey shaped not by ambition, but by service, timing, and crisis.

Kevin's path into city management is anything but traditional. From nonprofit work and private-sector entrepreneurship to serving as mayor, cemetery superintendent, and eventually stepping into city leadership during one of the most devastating floods in Spencer's history, his story is a powerful reminder that leadership often finds us before we feel ready.

This conversation pulls back the curtain on what crisis leadership really demands in local government, long after the cameras leave and the headlines fade.

Sponsored by:

• Tyler Technologies – the nation's leading provider of software solutions designed specifically for the public sector and local government. Download their free guides and more at tylertech.com/winter

• The Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC) is a global community for local government leaders who want ongoing support, practical insights, and a trusted peer network to help them lead with clarity and conviction. Learn more at haltingwinter.com/MLDC

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter
• Website: www.HaltingWinter.com

Troy Body: When You've Seen the World, You Lead DifferentlyPerspective, Pressure, and the Power of Local Government

Episode 280 of The HaltingWinter Podcast Brought to you by Tyler Technologies

What changes when you've led through war zones, natural disasters, political upheaval, and then step into city management?

For Troy Body, City Administrator of Hopkinsville, Kentucky, leadership didn't come through a straight line. His journey spans Appalachia, national media, state government, post-Katrina New Orleans, South Sudan, and multiple regions of Africa, before ultimately landing in local government.

In this conversation with our host, Seth Winterhalter, Troy shares how global experience reshaped his understanding of pressure, responsibility, and perspective and why those lessons matter deeply in city management today.

This episode is a powerful reminder that there is no single path into local government leadership, and that perspective, earned through hardship, service, and lived experience, changes how leaders show up when the work is heavy and the criticism is loud.

Sponsored by:

• Tyler Technologies – the nation's leading provider of software solutions designed specifically for the public sector and local government. Learn more at tylertech.com/winter

• The Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC) is a global community for local government leaders who want ongoing support, practical insights, and a trusted peer network to help them lead with clarity and conviction. Learn more at haltingwinter.com/MLDC

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter
• Website: www.HaltingWinter.com

Show Notes: MLDC Book of the Week – The Ruthless Elimination of HurryEpisode 279 of The HaltingWinter Podcast

This week's MLDC book addresses what might be the most important leadership challenge you're not talking about: hurry. Not busyness...hurry. The frantic, reactive pace that's destroying your effectiveness, your relationships, and your sustainability. Seth Winterhalter introduces John Mark Comer's powerful framework and invites you to join the MLDC for a week exploring how to eliminate hurry from your leadership.

Join the MLDC for the Complete 5-Part Series

The Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC) is a network of local government leaders from across North America, including city/county managers, administrators, and department heads, giving you access to: ✔ A weekly podcast series breaking down one book for municipal applications ✔ Daily blog reflections and implementation tools ✔ Our live, weekly, virtual mastermind session ✔ Monthly webinars with relevant training from local gov leaders

➡ Learn more at www.HaltingWinter.com/MLDC

Resources Mentioned

• Book: The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer
• MLDC Info: www.haltingwinter.com/mldc

Connect with Seth Winterhalter

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter
• Website: www.HaltingWinter.com

Jamie Gwynn: Leading Without Losing YourselfWork, Family, and the Hidden Cost of Municipal Leadership

Episode 278 of The HaltingWinter Podcast Brought to you by Tyler Technologies

Municipal leadership doesn't just test your competence; it tests your identity.

In this episode of The HaltingWinter Podcast, Seth sits down with Jamie Gwynn, Township Manager of New Hanover Township, Pennsylvania, for a deeply honest conversation about what it really takes to lead over the long haul without losing yourself in the process.

Jamie's path into city management wasn't linear or polished. From being raised in a pizza shop that doubled as a political crossroads, to struggling academically, to teaching in Baltimore through Teach for America, to stepping into the manager's chair at just 29 years old, his story mirrors the reality many local government leaders live but rarely articulate.

Together, Seth and Jamie unpack the hidden costs of municipal leadership: the pressure to always be on, the temptation to define yourself by the job, and the quiet toll leadership can take on health, relationships, and presence at home.

This is not a conversation about "balance" as a buzzword. It's about intention, sustainability, and staying human in a profession that constantly asks for more.

Sponsored by:

• Tyler Technologies – the nation's leading provider of software designed specifically for the public sector. Learn more at tylertech.com/winter

• The Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC) is a global community for local government leaders who want ongoing support, practical insights, and a trusted peer network to help them lead with clarity and conviction. Learn more at haltingwinter.com/MLDC

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter
• Website: www.HaltingWinter.com

Andy Pederson: Called to the Chaos Leadership, Longevity, and Managing What Never Stands Still

Episode 277 of The HaltingWinter Podcast Brought to you by Tyler Technologies

City management isn't a job you stumble into with a master plan.

It's a calling you discover, often in the middle of uncertainty, pressure, and moments that demand more than you thought you had to give.

In this episode of The HaltingWinter Podcast, Seth Winterhalter sits down with Andy Pederson, Village Manager of Bayside, Wisconsin, and President-Elect of the ICMA, to explore a leadership journey shaped not by ambition, but by presence, persistence, and purpose.

With more than 20 years leading the same community, Andy reflects on what it means to steward a city through constant change: natural disasters, infrastructure challenges, regional collaboration, and moments of tragedy that redefine perspective. He shares how small communities can move fast, why relationships matter more than structure, and how leadership is often forged in moments no one prepares you for.

This conversation is honest, grounded, and deeply human, serving as an affirmation for leaders carrying unseen weight and navigating work that never stands still.

Sponsored by:

• Tyler Technologies – the nation's leading provider of software designed specifically for the public sector. Learn more at tylertech.com/winter

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter
• Website: www.HaltingWinter.com

Show Notes: MLDC Book of the Week – Balance is BSEpisode 276 of The HaltingWinter Podcast

If you've ever felt stretched between work and home, purpose and exhaustion, service and sustainability, well, you're not alone.

And more importantly: you're not failing.

In this episode, Seth Winterhalter introduces the MLDC Book of the Week: Balance Is BS: How to Thrive in the Tension of Municipal Life & Leadership, based on his most requested keynote and the book he's currently writing.

This conversation challenges the deeply ingrained idea that healthy leadership requires "work–life balance." For municipal leaders, that myth often creates guilt instead of clarity and pressure instead of peace.

• Why balance doesn't fit the realities of local government

• How the balance myth fuels shame for leaders who care deeply

• Why tension is not a sign of failure but significance

• The shift from chasing balance to leading with intention

Seth also shares how this week's theme is being explored more deeply inside the Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC) through daily podcasts, blog reflections, and a private community of local government leaders across North America.

Join the MLDC for the Complete 5-Part Series

The Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC) is a network of local government leaders from across North America, including city/county managers, administrators, and department heads, giving you access to: ✔ A weekly podcast series breaking down one book for municipal applications ✔ Daily blog reflections and implementation tools ✔ Live, virtual mastermind sessions ✔ Monthly webinars with relevant training from local gov leaders

➡ Learn more at www.HaltingWinter.com/MLDC

Resources Mentioned

• Book: Coming Soon!!!
• MLDC Info: www.haltingwinter.com/mldc

Connect with Seth

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter
• Website: www.HaltingWinter.com

Mike Land: Why We Don't Lead Alone Culture, ICMA, and Finding Renewal in a Demanding Profession

Episode 275 of The HaltingWinter Podcast Brought to you by Tyler Technologies

What does it take to sustain organizational culture and your personal well-being when the pressure of municipal leadership never truly eases?

In this Reconnect episode, Seth Winterhalter catches up with Mike Land, City Manager of Coppell, Texas, and newly installed ICMA President, to reflect on the past year and the realities facing local government leaders across the country.

From shrinking revenues and state-level constraints to growing public pressure and organizational fatigue, Mike shares how Coppell is addressing tough financial decisions without sacrificing culture. He offers a practical look at engaging the front line, creating shared ownership in hard conversations, and using clarity, language, and consistency to lead through uncertainty.

The conversation also widens to the role of the ICMA and professional associations, not as abstract institutions, but as essential spaces for connection, renewal, and a reminder that no city manager carries this work alone. Mike speaks candidly about isolation in the role, the need for intentional self-care, and why stepping away—truly stepping away—is not indulgent, but responsible leadership.

Sponsored by:

• Tyler Technologies – the nation's leading provider of software designed specifically for the public sector. Learn more at tylertech.com/winter

• The Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC) is a global community for local government leaders who want ongoing support, practical insights, and a trusted peer network to help them lead with clarity and conviction. Learn more at haltingwinter.com/MLDC

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter
• Website: www.HaltingWinter.com