The HaltingWinter Podcast

Show Notes: Ed Barrett - No Magic Wand: What It Really Takes to Revive a City

Episode 215 of The HaltingWinter Podcast Brought to you by Zencity

Overview

In this episode, Seth Winterhalter sits down with Ed Barrett—retired City Manager of Bangor and Lewiston, Maine—for a masterclass in what long-term, community-centered leadership really looks like. From his early days auditing performance metrics in Tucson to a 22-year tenure leading a full-scale downtown and riverfront revitalization in Bangor, Ed shares hard-won insights that challenge the myth of quick fixes and flashy solutions.

There's no magic wand in municipal leadership, but there is a path—if you're willing to commit to vision, process, and the slow, steady work of building something that lasts.

Whether you're a city manager, public works director, or rising department leader, this conversation will re-anchor you in the purpose of the profession and the practical courage it requires.

Episode Highlights:

"Your job isn't to tell people what to do—it's to help them get it done." Ed reflects on his early leadership philosophy, shaped by firsthand observations of poor management and morale in Tucson's public works departments.

Leadership Isn't a Promotion—It's a Profession Why the jump from "skilled doer" to "effective leader" is a bigger leap than most cities realize and how mentorship can bridge the gap.

Strategic Patience and Political Courage How Bangor turned down short-term development wins—including a supermarket on prime waterfront land—in favor of long-term community transformation.

The Power of Tenure Ed shares why staying 20+ years in one city allowed him to see the fruit of projects that would have died with a 3-year turnover.

Build the Place, Not Just the Economy From trails and parks to libraries and housing, Ed explains why community development is economic development.

Revitalization Without Bulldozers How Bangor repurposed its vacant department stores into a children's museum, assisted living center, and University art museum—sparking a full downtown revival.

Why Strategic Plans Fail—And How to Make Them Work Ed unpacks why most strategic plans sit on a shelf and how to actually turn them into the spine of decision-making and development.

Connect with Ed Barrett

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ed-barrett

About Our Sponsor: Zencity

This episode of The HaltingWinter Podcast is made possible by Zencity—a trusted partner to hundreds of local governments around the world.

Zencity is a software that enables local government leaders to gather, understand, and act on resident feedback, going beyond the "same ten people" to actually reach residents where they're at, and incorporate that feedback into decisions large and small. To learn more about how Zencity is helping turn data into action and insight into impact:

Learn more at Zencity.io

Connect with Seth Winterhalter:

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

About HaltingWinter Municipal Solutions

At HaltingWinter, we help local government leaders build thriving teams and resilient workplace cultures through keynotes, workshops, and leadership development programs rooted in the ABCs of Impactful Municipal Leadership.

Learn more at HaltingWinter.com

Seth's Upcoming Keynotes:

2025 Kentucky League of Cities Annual Conference & Expo September 23-26 | Owensboro, KY Details at KLC

ELGL 2025 Conference | Camp Govlife October 1-3 | Santa Rose, CA Details at ELGL

2025 City Clerks New Law and Elections Seminar November 12-14 | Los Angeles, CA Details at CalCities

2025 Kansas City/County Management Association Annual Conference December 3-5 | Manhattan, KS Details at KCMA

Show Notes: Boone Bowling-Show Up, Listen, Lead: How to Build Trust from Scratch

Episode 214 of The HaltingWinter Podcast Brought to you by Zencity

Overview

What happens when a 22-year-old with no political background or formal training decides to run for city council? In Middlesboro, Kentucky, it leads to transformation.

In this episode, Seth Winterhalter sits down with Mayor Boone Bowling to explore his unexpected rise from small-town kid to small-town CEO and the messy, meaningful leadership journey in between. From growing up in the office of his father's tarp company to walking into community meetings uninvited "just to listen," Boone's story is a masterclass in how trust is built one room, one relationship, and one risk at a time.

With a construction management degree and a strong belief that "no one really knows what they're doing at first," Boone now leads a city of 10,000 that regularly serves over 37,000 people a day. His insights are practical, disarming, and full of heart and he reminds us that real leadership isn't about polish or pedigree. It's about showing up.

Episode Highlights:

• A Mousetrap and a Tarp: How Boone's father turned an idea into a global tarp company and how that work ethic shaped Boone's leadership style.

• "One Day I Might Run for Mayor": How a frustrating moment in high school became a future calling.

• No Plan, Just Passion: What it's really like to file for city council without knowing how a meeting works and why that kind of courage matters.

• Leadership as Listening: Why Boone walked into every community meeting he could find and what it taught him about serving people first.

• Youth Isn't a Liability—Arrogance Is: How Boone navigated criticism about his age and chose to lead with humility and consistency.

• From Local to Regional Impact: Why a town of 10,000 can drive $452 million in commerce and how Boone is leveraging that momentum for economic growth and revitalization.

• Uncomfortable on Purpose: Why Boone believes the best leaders stay uncomfortable and why that's a sign of progress, not weakness.

Connect with Boone Bowling

City of Middlesboro: www.cityofmiddlesboro.com

About Our Sponsor: Zencity

This episode of The HaltingWinter Podcast is made possible by Zencity—a trusted partner to hundreds of local governments around the world.

Zencity is a software that enables local government leaders to gather, understand, and act on resident feedback, going beyond the "same ten people" to actually reach residents where they're at, and incorporate that feedback into decisions large and small. To learn more about how Zencity is helping turn data into action and insight into impact:

Learn more at Zencity.io

Connect with Seth Winterhalter:

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

About HaltingWinter Municipal Solutions

At HaltingWinter, we help local government leaders build thriving teams and resilient workplace cultures through keynotes, workshops, and leadership development programs rooted in the ABCs of Impactful Municipal Leadership.

Learn more at HaltingWinter.com

Seth's Upcoming Keynotes:

2025 Kentucky League of Cities Annual Conference & Expo September 23-26 | Owensboro, KY Details at KLC

ELGL 2025 Conference | Camp Govlife October 1-3 | Santa Rose, CA Details at ELGL

2025 City Clerks New Law and Elections Seminar November 12-14 | Los Angeles, CA Details at CalCities

2025 Kansas City/County Management Association Annual Conference December 3-5 | Manhattan, KS Details at KCMA

Show Notes: Book of the Week – Unleash the Power of StorytellingEpisode 213 of The HaltingWinter Podcast (Part 1 of 5: The Power of Storytelling Series) Episode Title: Why Your Best Data Falls on Deaf Ears

Episode Overview

Your presentations are packed with compelling statistics, your proposals are backed by bulletproof research, yet council members remain unconvinced and citizens continue to disengage from municipal priorities.

In this kickoff episode of our Unleash the Power of Storytelling series, Seth Winterhalter explores why even the most logical municipal arguments fail to generate support and action. Drawing from Rob Biesenbach's insights on strategic narrative communication, we discover how stories bridge the gap between technical expertise and public understanding, creating the emotional connection necessary for sustained community engagement.

Whether you're struggling with budget presentation engagement, policy explanation clarity, or maintaining momentum for long-term initiatives, Biesenbach's approach offers a sophisticated solution. In this episode, we examine why the most effective municipal leaders learn to weave narrative with data, making abstract policies personally relevant while maintaining professional credibility and factual accuracy.

Key Takeaways

• How information overload creates citizen disengagement despite municipal leaders' best intentions
• Why logical arguments alone fail to motivate action in high-stakes municipal decision-making
• The difference between data that informs and stories that inspire sustainable community support
• Biesenbach's framework for strategic storytelling and what it means for municipal accountability
• How to bridge the expertise gap between technical knowledge and public comprehension without oversimplifying

This Week's Journey in the MLDC

• Monday: Understanding why data-driven communication fails and how stories create engagement
• Tuesday–Thursday: Deep dives into trust-building through narrative, making complex policies accessible, and sustaining momentum through strategic storytelling
• Friday: Virtual Book Club for live conversation and practical storytelling implementation strategies

Join the MLDC: Summer Special

Now is the best time to join the MLDC, giving you access to: ✔ All five episodes breaking down Unleash the Power of Storytelling for municipal applications ✔ Daily blog reflections and emotional intelligence implementation tools ✔ A community of city managers and municipal leaders developing leadership effectiveness ✔ Our live, weekly Virtual Book Club session

➡ Join now at www.HaltingWinter.com

Resources Mentioned

• Book: Unleash the Power of Storytelling by Rob Biesenbach
• MLDC Info: www.haltingwinter.com/mldc

Connect with Seth

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

Show Notes: Steve Dalton: Debt-Free Isn't Growth: Infrastructure, Integrity, and the Impossible Annexation

Episode 212 of The HaltingWinter Podcast Brought to you by Zencity

Overview

In this episode, Seth Winterhalter sits down with Steve Dalton, City Administrator of Branson West, Missouri—a small town with 500 residents, million-dollar infrastructure, and a story that defies every assumption about rural government leadership.

From a childhood on a farm with no running water to a reluctant entry into law enforcement, Steve's journey is anything but traditional. After years in narcotics and investigations, he stepped into the role of police chief and eventually, city administrator, where he now oversees explosive regional growth and one of the boldest annexations in Missouri history: bringing Silver Dollar City into the city limits.

Steve shares how he's helping Branson West double in size, lead with integrity, and reject the notion that being debt-free equals progress. His philosophy? "Build it before they come and build it right."

Episode Highlights:

"You're hired." How a skeptical civilian walked into a police interview, said he wanted the chief's job, and walked out with a badge and a gun.

From Narcotics to City Hall Why Steve believes the best city administrators are often former officers who know how to make decisions with limited time and imperfect information.

You Build It Before They Come The untold story of how a backchannel friendship and a bold sewer bond led to the successful annexation of Silver Dollar City.

Infrastructure as a Vision Tool Why Branson West, with just 505 residents, has 1.1 million gallons of water in the air and a wastewater plant built for a city 7x its size.

The Cost of Playing It Safe What Steve told his board when they celebrated being debt-free and why standing still would've meant falling behind.

Leadership Without a Degree How grit, integrity, and action—not credentials—turned a small-town police chief into a regional visionary for growth.

Connect with Steve Dalton

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/steve-dalton

About Our Sponsor: Zencity

This episode of The HaltingWinter Podcast is made possible by Zencity, a trusted partner to hundreds of local governments around the world.

Zencity is a software that enables local government leaders to gather, understand, and act on resident feedback, going beyond the "same ten people" to actually reach residents where they're at, and incorporate that feedback into decisions large and small. To learn more about how Zencity is helping turn data into action and insight into impact:

Learn more at Zencity.io

Connect with Seth Winterhalter:

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

About HaltingWinter Municipal Solutions

At HaltingWinter, we help local government leaders build thriving teams and resilient workplace cultures through keynotes, workshops, and leadership development programs rooted in the ABCs of Impactful Municipal Leadership.

Learn more at HaltingWinter.com

Seth's Upcoming Keynotes:

2025 Kentucky League of Cities Annual Conference & Expo September 23-26 | Owensboro, KY Details at KLC

ELGL 2025 Conference | Camp Govlife October 1-3 | Santa Rose, CA Details at ELGL

2025 City Clerks New Law and Elections Seminar November 12-14 | Los Angeles, CA Details at CalCities

2025 Kansas City/County Management Association Annual Conference December 3-5 | Manhattan, KS Details at KCMA

Show Notes: Kathy O'Nan: Beyond the Tornado: Presence, Pressure, and the Power of Local Leadership

Episode 211 of The HaltingWinter Podcast Brought to you by Zencity

Overview

In this powerful episode, Seth Winterhalter sits down with Kathy O'Nan, Mayor of Mayfield, Kentucky, a retired teacher turned public servant whose life was forever changed on December 10, 2021, when a catastrophic EF-4 tornado ripped through the heart of her city.

What followed was a story of leadership under fire, community resilience, and a fierce refusal to give up. Kathy shares the emotional and practical realities of leading in the wake of unimaginable loss from navigating FEMA and state recovery funds to helping her community rebuild trust, homes, and hope. With raw honesty and quiet strength, she reflects on the importance of presence in a crisis, the unseen emotional toll of leadership, and how her background as an educator became an unexpected asset in the highest-stakes moment of her life.

This isn't just a story of tragedy; it's a masterclass in local leadership, civic love, and the long, hard road of recovery.

Episode Highlights:

• "Right now, you just be here." What a retired firefighter told Kathy in the fire station hours after the tornado and why presence matters more than action in leadership.

• The First Hours After Impact How Mayfield's emergency response unfolded, and why agriculture workers cleared the first roads when no one else could.

• A Teacher at the Helm Why Kathy's decades in the classroom prepared her to speak in national press conferences and hold a city's hope together.

• The Power of Local Ties How former students—now police officers, fire chiefs, and city attorneys—are helping rebuild the community they once sat in class to serve.

• Sticky Notes & a Front Porch Vision How Mayfield crowdsourced its recovery plan and why rebuilding isn't just about buildings, but belonging.

• A Ten-Year Journey What Kathy has learned about sustaining leadership, avoiding burnout, and choosing to run for reelection in the face of exhaustion.

Connect with Kathy O'Nan

City of Mayfield: www.mayfieldky.gov

About Our Sponsor: Zencity

This episode of The HaltingWinter Podcast is made possible by Zencity—a trusted partner to hundreds of local governments around the world.

Zencity is a software that enables local government leaders to gather, understand, and act on resident feedback, going beyond the "same ten people" to actually reach residents where they're at, and incorporate that feedback into decisions large and small. To learn more about how Zencity is helping turn data into action and insight into impact:

Learn more at Zencity.io

Connect with Seth Winterhalter:

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

About HaltingWinter Municipal Solutions

At HaltingWinter, we help local government leaders build thriving teams and resilient workplace cultures through keynotes, workshops, and leadership development programs rooted in the ABCs of Impactful Municipal Leadership.

Learn more at HaltingWinter.com

Seth's Upcoming Keynotes:

2025 Kentucky League of Cities Annual Conference & Expo September 23-26 | Owensboro, KY Details at KLC

ELGL 2025 Conference | Camp Govlife October 1-3 | Santa Rose, CA Details at ELGL

2025 City Clerks New Law and Elections Seminar November 12-14 | Los Angeles, CA Details at CalCities

2025 Kansas City/County Management Association Annual Conference December 3-5 | Manhattan, KS Details at KCMA

Show Notes: Book of the Week – Who Moved My Cheese?Episode 210 of The HaltingWinter Podcast (Part 1 of 5: Who Moved My Cheese? Series) Episode Title: When Change Catches Municipal Leaders Off Guard

Episode Overview

The federal grant you've relied on for three years just got eliminated. Your most experienced department head announced retirement. The state passed new regulations that completely change how you deliver services. Your first instinct might be frustration, analysis, or hoping things return to normal but what if these moments are actually opportunities to become a more effective leader?

In this kickoff episode of our Who Moved My Cheese? series, Seth Winterhalter explores how local government leaders can transform their relationship with constant change. Drawing from Spencer Johnson's deceptively simple parable about four characters navigating unexpected shifts, we discover practical frameworks for leading through the uncertainty that defines municipal environments.

Whether you're facing budget cuts, organizational restructuring, or community growth that's overwhelming existing systems, Johnson's insights about change leadership offer powerful tools. In this episode, we examine why the most effective municipal leaders focus their energy on adapting to new realities rather than mourning what used to work, and how this mindset shift transforms everything about your leadership approach.

Key Takeaways

• Why waiting for conditions to return to "normal" is the most dangerous assumption in municipal leadership
• How to distinguish between protecting core principles and defending outdated methods unnecessarily
• The critical difference between reactive and proactive leadership during organizational transitions
• Johnson's framework for recognizing when attachment to familiar approaches prevents effective community service
• How to build change anticipation into your planning assumptions without becoming paralyzed by uncertainty

This Week's Journey in the MLDC

• Monday: Understanding why change leadership beats change management for municipal effectiveness
• Tuesday–Thursday: Deep dives into early warning systems, quick action principles, and releasing approaches that no longer serve your community
• Friday: Virtual Book Club for live conversation and practical change leadership implementation strategies

Join the MLDC: Summer Special

Now is the best time to join the MLDC, giving you access to: ✔ All five episodes breaking down Who Moved My Cheese? for public sector applications ✔ Daily blog reflections and emotional intelligence implementation tools ✔ A community of city managers and municipal leaders developing leadership effectiveness ✔ Our live, weekly Virtual Book Club session

➡ Join now at www.HaltingWinter.com

Resources Mentioned

• Book: Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson
• MLDC Info: www.haltingwinter.com/mldc

Connect with Seth

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

Show Notes: Laura Philpot: Vision Over Ego: A Shift from Big Projects to Real Impact

Episode 209 of The HaltingWinter Podcast Brought to you by Zencity

Overview

In this episode, Seth Winterhalter sits down with Laura Philpot, City Manager of Maple Valley, Washington, to explore how a career rooted in public works evolved into a leadership philosophy centered on people, not prestige.

Laura's journey began with a love for math, a concrete canoe competition, and a fascination with big infrastructure projects. But over time, through building bridges, programming traffic lights, and stepping into leadership, her vision changed. Today, it's not about her name being on a massive structure. It's about making life better for her neighbors, one sidewalk and salmon stream at a time.

From her early days in construction to leading her hometown through exponential growth, Laura shares how public works shaped her leadership style, why working in your own community transforms the mission, and how collaboration—not control—is the real infrastructure of a thriving city.

Episode Highlights:

From Calculus to Concrete Canoes How a class presentation hack turned into a civil engineering career and why building big things first lit the fire.

The Rose Garden Revelation A behind-the-scenes tour of a stadium under construction flipped the switch from curiosity to calling.

The Public Works Wake-Up Call Laura shares the funny (and brutally honest) reason she left construction for local government and how it wasn't the easy job she expected.

Leading Where You Live The emotional gravity of managing the city you call home and why Laura took a pay cut to serve her own community.

Sidewalks Over Stadiums How her definition of success changed from steel and concrete to salmon runs, sidewalks, and community events.

Culture Starts at Lunch Why cross-department tension often has nothing to do with data and how sharing meals became her leadership superpower.

The Power of Holding Space Why not developing a 122-acre parcel is one of her proudest decisions and how vision sometimes means saying "not yet."

Leadership Is Letting Go Laura unpacks why she makes fast decisions, rarely clings to them, and welcomes correction as part of leading forward.

Connect with Laura Philpot

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/laura-philpot

About Our Sponsor: Zencity

This episode of The HaltingWinter Podcast is proudly sponsored by Zencity—a trusted partner to hundreds of local governments around the world.

Zencity is a software that enables local government leaders to gather, understand, and act on resident feedback - going beyond the "same ten people" to actually reach residents where they're at, and incorporate that feedback into decisions large and small. To learn more about how Zencity is helping turn data into action and insight into impact, click the link below.

Learn more at Zencity.io

Connect with Seth Winterhalter:

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

About HaltingWinter Municipal Solutions

At HaltingWinter, we help local government leaders build thriving teams and resilient workplace cultures through keynotes, workshops, and leadership development programs rooted in the ABCs of Impactful Municipal Leadership.

Learn more at HaltingWinter.com

Seth's Upcoming Keynotes:

2025 Kentucky League of Cities Annual Conference & Expo September 24 | Owensboro, KY Details at KLC

2025 Kansas City/County Management Association Annual Conference December 4 | Manhattan, KS Details at KCMA

The MLDC

The Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC) is where municipal leaders grow together through weekly podcasts, curated book insights, and a nationwide peer community focused on real leadership, real culture, and real conversations.

Secure Your Seat with our Summer Special: Join the MLDC

Show Notes: Alan Keck: Leading Like an Entrepreneur: Risk, Resilience, and Reinventing Local Government

Episode 208 of The HaltingWinter Podcast Brought to you by Zencity

Overview

In this episode, Seth Winterhalter sits down with Alan Keck, Mayor of Somerset, Kentucky, to unpack what happens when you bring an entrepreneurial mindset into City Hall. From a teenage calling into public service to losing his first election by 24 points, Alan's journey is anything but conventional—and that's exactly why it's so compelling.

Alan shares how growing up in a family of business owners shaped his approach to leadership, why failure was his greatest teacher, and what it really takes to earn trust from the inside out. He doesn't shy away from the political grind, the emotional cost of leading through tornadoes and pandemics, or the challenge of bringing vision to life in a city that once feared change.

This is a conversation about bold moves, public humility, and the cultural transformation that happens when leaders stop asking for permission and start building something better. If you're a city manager looking to create momentum, a mayor navigating pushback, or anyone wondering what reinvention looks like in real time, this episode is for you.

Episode Highlights:

When Vision Meets Resistance Alan opens up about the heartbreak of losing his first election and how it fueled a comeback that rewrote Somerset's future.

From Private Sector to Public Seat What entrepreneurs bring to local government and what they have to unlearn to lead well in the public square.

Campaigns Are Culture-Building Why running for office is the ultimate leadership litmus test and how it changes how you see your residents forever.

From Festivals to Fiber How Alan turned "Light Up Somerset" into more than just events—it became the heartbeat of a cultural revival.

COVID, Tornadoes, and Community Lessons in presence, pressure, and perspective when the playbook gets ripped up and the city still needs answers.

Trust Over Control Inside the leadership philosophy that turned 300 city employees into city ambassadors.

Planning with Purpose Why Somerset 2050 isn't just a comprehensive plan—it's a community blueprint designed to outlast any one administration.

Connect with Alan Keck

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/alan-keck Somerset 2050 Plan: www.cityofsomerset.com/2025

About Our Sponsor: Zencity

This episode of The HaltingWinter Podcast is proudly sponsored by Zencity—a trusted partner to hundreds of local governments around the world.

Zencity is a software that enables local government leaders to gather, understand, and act on resident feedback - going beyond the "same ten people" to actually reach residents where they're at, and incorporate that feedback into decisions large and small. To learn more about how Zencity is helping turn data into action and insight into impact, click the link below.

Learn more at Zencity.io

Connect with Seth Winterhalter:

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

About HaltingWinter Municipal Solutions

At HaltingWinter, we help local government leaders build thriving teams and resilient workplace cultures through keynotes, workshops, and leadership development programs rooted in the ABCs of Impactful Municipal Leadership.

Learn more at HaltingWinter.com

Seth's Upcoming Keynotes:

2025 Kentucky League of Cities Annual Conference & Expo September 24 | Owensboro, KY Details at KLC

2025 Kansas City/County Management Association Annual Conference December 4 | Manhattan, KS Details at KCMA

The MLDC

The Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC) is where municipal leaders grow together through weekly podcasts, curated book insights, and a nationwide peer community focused on real leadership, real culture, and real conversations.

Secure Your Seat with our Summer Special: Join the MLDC

Show Notes: Book of the Week – Orbiting the Giant HairballEpisode 207 of The HaltingWinter Podcast (Part 1 of 5: Orbiting the Giant Hairball Series) Episode Title: When Your City Hall Becomes a Giant Hairball: Breaking Free from Bureaucratic Gravity

Episode Overview

Your organization is accumulating policies faster than it's eliminating them, and this bureaucratic mass is quietly undermining your ability to serve your community effectively.

In this kickoff episode of our Orbiting the Giant Hairball series, Seth Winterhalter explores how municipal governments become trapped in what Gordon MacKenzie called "bureaucratic gravity" – the inexorable pull toward conformity that stifles innovation and prevents adaptive community service. Drawing from MacKenzie's thirty years at Hallmark Cards, we discover how creative leaders can maintain responsible innovation within structured environments.

Whether you're frustrated by permit bottlenecks, departmental silos, or inherited policies that no longer serve their purpose, MacKenzie's concept of "orbiting" offers a sophisticated solution. In this episode, we examine why the most effective municipal leaders learn to balance accountability with creativity, staying connected enough to benefit from organizational resources while maintaining enough distance to generate original solutions.

Key Takeaways

• How municipal "hairballs" form through accumulated policies that never get removed, only added
• Why "Corporate Normalcy" based on past successes prevents adaptation to current community needs
• The difference between necessary structure that enables governance and bureaucratic mass that prevents it
• MacKenzie's concept of "responsible creativity" and what it means for municipal accountability
• How to distinguish between legitimate constraints and inherited assumptions that limit innovation unnecessarily

This Week's Journey in the MLDC

• Monday: Understanding bureaucratic gravity and its impact on community service
• Tuesday–Thursday: Deep dives into leadership self-awareness, courage for innovation, and building creative coalitions within municipal constraints
• Friday: Virtual Book Club for live conversation and practical "orbiting" implementation strategies

Join the MLDC: Summer Special

Now is the best time to join the MLDC, giving you access to: ✔ All five episodes breaking down Orbiting the Giant Hairball for municipal applications ✔ Daily blog reflections and emotional intelligence implementation tools ✔ A community of city managers and municipal leaders developing leadership effectiveness ✔ Our live, weekly Virtual Book Club session

➡ Join now at www.HaltingWinter.com

Resources Mentioned

• Book: Orbiting the Giant Hairball by Gordon MacKenzie
• MLDC Info: www.haltingwinter.com/mldc

Connect with Seth

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

Show Notes: Sandra Fournier: Filling Potholes in Heels: What it Takes for Bold Leadership in the Face of Bureaucracy

Episode 206 of The HaltingWinter Podcast Brought to you by Zencity

Overview

In this episode, Seth Winterhalter sits down with Sandra Fournier, the remarkable Town Manager of Mapleton, Castle Hill, and Chapman, Maine. From a teenage mother without a high school diploma to leading not just one, but three municipalities at the same time, Sandra's story is one of grit, growth, and grounded leadership.

She opens up about growing up in poverty, the power of second chances, and the pivotal moment when a compassionate town manager helped her during a time of need, planting the seed for her future in public service. Sandra unpacks the complexity of managing three towns under one interlocal agreement, how she builds trust across communities, and why transparency, empathy, and strategic foresight are her greatest tools.

Whether she's coordinating municipal services, budgeting for capital projects, or literally filling potholes in heels, Sandra embodies what it means to lead boldly while staying deeply human.

Episode Highlights:

The First Experience That Changed Everything A chance encounter with a compassionate town manager during a season of personal struggle opened Sandra's eyes to the power of local government and planted the seed for her career.

Yes, Before You're Ready Whether it was solid waste, public works, or buildings and facilities, Sandra kept saying yes to opportunities she didn't feel ready for and grew into every one of them.

Leadership in High Heels The viral moment she filled potholes in heels isn't just a photo-op—it's a reflection of her boots-on-the-ground, no-job-too-small approach to leadership.

Three Towns, One Vision Sandra unpacks the interlocal agreement that unites Mapleton, Castle Hill, and Chapman and how collaboration can work without compromising local identity.

Pandemic, Policy, and Presence Stepping into her new role just weeks before COVID hit, Sandra had to build trust, lead change, and protect her team, all while learning Zoom on the fly.

What Capital Planning Really Means Why budgeting for tomorrow is one of the greatest responsibilities of leadership and how her team paid cash for million-dollar equipment without a single loan.

Above and Below Ground Leadership From emergency services to community events, Sandra shows how strong infrastructure supports vibrant community and why both matter in small-town success.

Connect with Sandra Fournier

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sandra-fournier

About Our Sponsor: Zencity

This episode of The HaltingWinter Podcast is proudly sponsored by Zencity—a trusted partner to hundreds of local governments around the world.

Zencity is a software that enables local government leaders to gather, understand, and act on resident feedback - going beyond the "same ten people" to actually reach residents where they're at, and incorporate that feedback into decisions large and small. To learn more about how Zencity is helping turn data into action and insight into impact, click the link below.

Learn more at Zencity.io

Connect with Seth Winterhalter:

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

About HaltingWinter Municipal Solutions

At HaltingWinter, we help local government leaders build thriving teams and resilient workplace cultures through keynotes, workshops, and leadership development programs rooted in the ABCs of Impactful Municipal Leadership.

Learn more at HaltingWinter.com

Seth's Upcoming Keynotes:

2025 Kentucky League of Cities Annual Conference & Expo September 24 | Owensboro, KY Details at KLC

2025 Kansas City/County Management Association Annual Conference December 4 | Manhattan, KS Details at KCMA

The MLDC

The Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC) is where municipal leaders grow together through weekly podcasts, curated book insights, and a nationwide peer community focused on real leadership, real culture, and real conversations.

Secure Your Seat with our Summer Special: Join the MLDC