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Local Officials: Stronger, Together Podcast — Government
Local Officials: Stronger, Together Podcast

The Texas Municipal League Intergovernmental Risk Pool proudly introduces the Local Officials: Stronger, Together Podcast Series. The Pool is producing this regular podcast series, which has been dubbed STP, to help local officials (and managers and staff) understand key operational and legal concepts, and the services the Pool provides. After arming members with that information, each 15-minute episode will give easy action items to help keep your citizens, employees, volunteers, and property safe, all while saving public dollars. City council members can earn up to 19 Texas Municipal League Institute CEUs for listening to the podcasts. To receive CEUs for a particular episode, an elected official must provide a description of the episode, which must be educational in nature, pertain to municipal leadership, and should enhance your service as an elected official, for TML approval. Attorneys who listen to podcasts may be eligible for up to three hours of self-study CLE credit. Please refer to the State Bar CLE compliance rules for more information.

Copyright: © 2024 Local Officials: Stronger, Together Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Episode 16c: NOAA's 2025 Atlantic Hurricane Season Forecast Jun 06, 2025

Show notes

In this episode, Scott explains the predictions for the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season and visits with a special guest – Matthew Rosencrans, NOAA's lead for the seasonal hurricane outlook – to get his take on things a local official should know about this season. Unsurprisingly, being prepared is one thing. Local officials from almost every part of the state should tune in to learn about one you might not know!

Further information:

National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration’s Hurricane Preparedness Website and 2025 Season Predictions
Colorado State University Climate Prediction Center 2024 forecast
Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Hurricane Preparedness and Evacuation Planning Website
Texas Department of Emergency Management’s Preparedness Website
TML Risk Pool’s Hurricane Resources Web Page
www.ready.gov

Episode 41: A Brief Conversation with Risky the Armadillo! Mar 14, 2025

Show notes

In this special video episode, host Scott Houston interviews the TML Risk Pool’s mascot – Risky the Armadillo! In this super-fun conversation, you’ll hear about how Risky came to be, how he got his name, and how he plans to help spread the word about the Pool’s coverages, programs, and benefits for local governments. Watch the YouTube video version to see Risky in person!

Further Information

Risky the Armadillo’s Risk Management Minute #1 – Risky’s Cyber Save!

Risky the Armadillo’s Risk Management Minute #2 – Stay R.O.A.D. Ready!

Episode 40: Wildfire Prevention and Mitigation – Local Efforts Matter Feb 20, 2025

Show notes

In this STP episode, host Scott Houston interviews Texas A&M Forest Service Wildfire Prevention Specialist Heather Gonzales about state wildfire education and prevention resources available to local government officials. He also visits with Borger City Manager Garrett Spradling about the city’s mitigation program, which likely prevented wholesale destruction from the Windy Deuce fire in 2024.

Is your city or other local government prepared? Listen in to find out.

STP episodes are short and informative, with short being the key – most episodes are less than 15 minutes. Check one out today on the Pool’s website or your favorite podcast app!

Contact your host, Scott Houston (Risk Pool Intergovernmental Relations Manager) at 512-791-4158 or scott.houston@tmlirp.org with comments, questions, or ideas for future episodes.

Episode 39: Creating the Best Customer Experience: Be Quick, Be Clear, Be Kind! Feb 11, 2025

Show notes

In this episode, Scott interviews renowned customer experience expert Jay Baer, who shares his powerful "Be Quick, Be Clear, Be Kind" customer experience framework.

Jay explains why speed matters in service, how clarity builds trust, and why kindness fosters stronger community relationships. He offers practical strategies for local officials and employees (or really anyone who interacts with customers), showing how responsiveness and empathy can enhance citizen engagement.

This is really great stuff. Tune in to learn how small changes can make a big impact!

Further Information

www.jaybaer.com
www.jaybaer.com/newsletter
AGRiP Pooling Academy: Building a Better Customer Experience (Pooling Academy Registrants Only)

Episode 11b: January is R.O.A.D. Ready Month: Celebrating Three Years of Roadway Safety Efforts Dec 13, 2024

Show notes

The TML Risk Pool has seen far too many accidents and injuries in and around roadways The Pool’s goal is to provide tools to help Members avoid them, and we’ve developed a program to do just that. R.O.A.D. Ready is a Risk Pool program designed to save lives, prevent injuries, and protect property by raising member awareness of dangers on and near roadways, and January is R.O.A.D. Ready month. Listen in to learn how you can participate and stop one of your employees from being a statistic.

FURTHER INFORMATION:

R.O.A.D. Ready Web Page

Find You Safety and Loss Control Consultant

Safety @ Your Fingertips Sign Up

Episode 38: First Responders’ Mental Health: What Makes Them Special? Nov 19, 2024

Show notes

First responders operate in a difficult environment. In fact, most civilians have no idea the stressors of their daily work. One thing has become clear: These important jobs can quickly take a toll on the mental health of a city’s police, fire, EMS, animal control, and code enforcement personnel.

How can city officials ensure that first responders have the resources they need to stay healthy? The first step is to understand what they go through. The next is to provide them with tools to deal with it.

The Texas Police Chiefs Association's Officer Safety Committee and the TML Risk Pool created two such tools, which are our Resilience Strategies for First Responders and Moving Right of Bang: Critical Incident Early Intervention Strategies Workshops. Both are provided under the banner of TPCA’s VINCIBLE training program.

Rick Randall is the primary trainer for the workshops, which emphasize survival strategies for a healthy public safety career and a long and enjoyable retirement. Rick, a retired Austin senior police chaplain and trainer who became an expert over the course of his career, is CEO of the Randall Group 911.

In this STP episode, host Scott Houston visits with Rick about the specifics of first responder mental health and ways city management can support them.

Further Information

TML Risk Pool Training Calendar (look for Resilience Strategies for first Responders and Moving Right of Bang: Critical Incident Early Intervention Strategies)
Texas Police Chiefs Association VINCIBLE Training Program

Episode 9F: October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month – The Pool’s Cyber Squad Can Help You Avoid an Attack! Sep 27, 2024

Show notes

This year marks the 21st annual Cybersecurity Awareness Month and the federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) encourages every American to take steps to “Secure Our World.”

In this episode, host Scott Houston – and the Risk Pool’s Cyber Squad – discuss ways to help you avoid being the victim of a cyberattack. The squad consists of Cyber Risk Services Manager Ryan Burns and Senior Cybersecurity Advisor Mike Bell. Ryan and Mike are an experienced team that offers Pool Members no-cost preventative services like: (1) cybersecurity best practices; (2) information security policy review/development; (3) incident response plan review; and much more.

The Cyber Squad’s YouTube Video Log provides up-to-date information you need to know. We’ll drop a new vlog each week of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, starting with “The Current Cybersecurity Threat Landscape” on October 1.

Is your world secure? Find out now by scheduling an on-site or virtual Cyber Squad visit today through your Risk Management Advisor, by calling 512-491-2300, or by emailing cybersquad@tmlirp.org.

Further Information

Episode 37: New State Law and Pool Coverage: First Responder Illness or Injury Leave of Absence at Full Pay Sep 20, 2024

Show notes

In this episode, host Scott Houston – and guest TML General Counsel Bill Longley – explain H.B. 471 (effective September 1, 2023) and TML Risk Pool coverage designed to assist Members with compliance costs. The bill enacted a new state law (Local Government Code Chapter 177A) that requires a city (and any other political subdivision) to provide a firefighter, police officer, or emergency medical services employee a leave of absence for an illness or injury related to their line of duty. The leave is with “full pay” for a period “commensurate with the nature of the line of duty illness or injury,” up to at least one year. The complex bill also requires a city to provide additional benefits, including a light-duty return to work option.

The benefit required by the bill appears to be offset by indemnity benefits provided by the city’s workers’ compensation benefits. In other words, the bill doesn’t seem to require a city to pay a first responder’s full salary in addition to workers’ compensation income benefits. It presumably requires only that the city make up the differential or “gap” between workers’ compensation benefits and the first responders’ “full pay.”

Beginning October 1, 2024, the TML Risk Pool will provide a line of coverage that can assist Members with some of the costs to offset the pay gap. More specifically, a Pool Member with Workers’ Compensation and General Liability Coverage can elect to purchase the “Reimbursement of First Responder Injury/Illness Leave Supplemental Income Gap Expenses” Endorsement.

The Endorsement is designed to help a Member offset some of the “gap” using a pre-set formula based on workers’ compensation benefit calculations. To emphasize, the payment is to the Member entity, not the individual first responder. Depending on a first responder’s pay, how a city implements H.B. 471, and other factors, the endorsement may not fully cover the “gap” between a first responder’s workers’ compensation benefit and their “full pay.”

Further Information

Episode 36: What's Your Head Worth - Are First Responders Wearing the Right Head Protection at Roadway Incidents? Sep 13, 2024

Show notes

On January 11, 2020, in Lubbock, a driver from the opposing lane of travel crossed the median while emergency crews were working the scene of an accident. Firefighter Lieutenant Eric Hill and Police Officer Nicholas Reyna were killed. Firefighter/Paramedic Matt Dawson suffered many broken bones across his legs, arms, and torso, a cracked skull along with multiple orbital fractures, and a traumatic brain injury. After working tirelessly to recover, Dawson also ultimately passed away in 2024.

In this episode, Scott visits with Lubbock Firefighter Brady Robinette about the use of specialized helmets by first responders working roadway incidents. “If those involved were wearing helmets constructed according to standards designed to protect their heads against the impacts they experienced, would the results have been different? Would the head injuries have been less serious?” Those questions have led Robinette to make it his mission to educate local officials on the issue.

Interested Members are encouraged to reach out to him at brady.d.robinette@gmail.com for more information.

Further Information

Episode 35: The Opioids Crisis – A Tragedy Close to Home and One City’s Prevention Efforts Aug 09, 2024

Show notes

In this episode, Scott first speaks with Arkansas Municipal League Executive Director Mark Hayes. Mark lost his son Wells in 2020 to a drug overdose. Mark and his wife Allison decided to share Wells’ story as publicly as they can in the hopes that doing so helps others avoid such a tragedy. Mark is also a co-founder of the Arkansas Opioids Recovery Partnership, which uses millions in drug company settlement funds to fight the opioid epidemic in Arkansas.

Scott then explains the TML Risk Pool’s Partnership Award, which was given to the City of Laredo for its outstanding efforts to fight overdoses locally. The city’s efforts run the gamut from prevention campaigns and treatment centers to overdose response and law enforcement operations. Scott interviews Laredo Police Chief Miguel A. Rodriguez, Jr., who highlights the city’s efforts.

This episode is so compelling it goes longer than a typical 15-minute STP episode. Every city official will want to listen to and learn from Wells’ story and Mark’s efforts, as well as those of the City of Laredo.
Further Information

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