The HaltingWinter Podcast

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**The HaltingWinter Podcast**

The HaltingWinter Podcast tells the stories of the people who keep our communities running.

Hosted by Seth Winterhalter, keynote speaker, storyteller, and founder of HaltingWinter Media, the podcast features candid conversations with city managers, county administrators, department directors, elected officials, and public servants from across the country.

Each episode goes beyond policies and procedures to explore leadership, culture, innovation, public service, and the personal journeys of those entrusted with serving their communities. You’ll hear stories of resilience, purpose, difficult decisions, meaningful impact, and the lessons that shape exceptional leaders.

Whether you work in local government, aspire to public service, or simply want a deeper appreciation for the people behind the places we call home, The HaltingWinter Podcast offers thoughtful conversations that inform, challenge, and inspire.

Because America runs on local government. We’re here to tell its story.

Latest Episodes:

211: Kathy O'Nan: Beyond the Tornado: Presence, Pressure, and the Power of Local Leadership Aug 05, 2025

Show notes

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

210: Book of the Week: Who Moved My Cheese? Aug 04, 2025

Show notes

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

209: Laura Philpot: Vision Over Ego: A Shift from Big Projects to Real Impact Jul 31, 2025

Show notes

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

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

208: Alan Keck: Leading Like an Entrepreneur: Risk, Resilience, and Reinventing Local Government Jul 29, 2025

Show notes

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.

Learn more at Zencity.io

Connect with Seth Winterhalter:

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

About HaltingWinter Municipal Solutions

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

Secure Your Seat with our Summer Special: Join the MLDC

207: Book of the Week: Orbiting the Giant Hairball Jul 28, 2025

Show notes

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

206: Sandra Fournier: Filling Potholes in Heels: What it Takes for Bold Leadership in the Face of Bureaucracy Jul 24, 2025

Show notes

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.

Learn more at Zencity.io

Connect with Seth Winterhalter:

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

About HaltingWinter Municipal Solutions

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

Secure Your Seat with our Summer Special: Join the MLDC

205: Daron Jordan: Grants, Grit, and the Quiet Wins That Build Cities Jul 22, 2025

Show notes

Show Notes: Daron Jordan: Grants, Grit, and the Quiet Wins That Build Cities

Episode 205 of The HaltingWinter Podcast Brought to you by Zencity

Overview

In this episode, Seth Winterhalter sits down with Daron Jordan, City Manager of Paducah, Kentucky, to explore a career that started poolside and led all the way to the city manager's seat. From selling boat stickers as a teenager to becoming the first full-time program and aquatics director in his hometown, Daron's story is a masterclass in how local government leaders are formed, not in textbooks, but in the trenches.

Daron opens up about the emotional toll of early leadership, the challenge of always being "on," and why stepping away from local government for a season was one of the best decisions he ever made. He also dives deep into the underestimated power of grant writing and how smart, strategic funding helped him shape community development across four Kentucky cities.

This is a candid conversation about burnout, bounce-backs, and the real work of rebuilding trust—both inside city hall and out. Whether you're a department head eyeing the next level, a city manager navigating political tension, or someone who still believes in the quiet dignity of public service, Daron's story will encourage you to keep showing up.

Episode Highlights:

The Unlikely Path into Public Leadership From night auditor to aquatics director to city manager—how one man's winding journey prepared him to lead with both toughness and heart.

The First Seat Comes with Fire Daron shares what it was like to become a parks and rec director at 24, managing staff twice his age, and what it taught him about presence and pressure.

Burnout Before the Buzzword A raw look at the emotional cost of leadership and what Daron wishes his younger self had known about boundaries, stress, and family impact.

Grants as Growth Strategy How writing a $2,000 grant for trees turned into a multi-decade career in community development and economic impact.

Why the Quiet Wins Matter Most Patching a pothole or fixing a roof may not make headlines, but Daron explains why these are the wins that define a city's soul.

Leading Through Resistance From "we've always done it this way" to Main Street cuss-outs—what it really takes to lead change in communities afraid of it.

Vision Isn't Enough Why knowing 80% of the picture won't help if your community only sees 15%—and how storytelling becomes the bridge between data and trust.

Connect with Daron Jordan

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/daron-jordan

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.

Learn more at Zencity.io

Connect with Seth Winterhalter:

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

About HaltingWinter Municipal Solutions

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

Secure Your Seat with our Summer Special: Join the MLDC

204: Book of the Week: Reality-Based Leadership Jul 21, 2025

Show notes

Show Notes: Book of the Week – Reality-Based LeadershipEpisode 204 of The HaltingWinter Podcast (Part 1 of 5: Reality-Based Leadership Series) Episode Title: Beyond City Hall Drama: Leading with Reality Instead of Stories

Episode Overview

Your team's energy is being drained by something you can control, but most municipal leaders don't recognize it's happening.

In this kickoff episode of our Reality-Based Leadership series, Seth Winterhalter explores how drama, blame, and resistance consume the energy your organization needs for serving your community. Drawing from Cy Wakeman's helpful research, we discover that the difference between high-performing and struggling municipal teams often comes down to one factor: whether they focus on reality or the stories they tell about reality.

Whether you're dealing with budget constraints, regulatory changes, or council tensions, your team's response to circumstances determines everything. In this episode, we examine why most municipal dysfunction isn't caused by challenging circumstances—it's caused by how people think about challenging circumstances.

Key Takeaways

Why municipal teams get trapped explaining problems instead of solving them
How to distinguish between actual circumstances and emotional stories about circumstances
The hidden cost of drama in municipal organizations and how it spreads between departments
Why traditional "change management" creates more resistance than results
How reality-based thinking transforms both team culture and community service delivery

This Week's Journey in the MLDC

Monday: Introduction to reality vs. story thinking for municipal leaders
Tuesday–Thursday: Deep dives into eliminating drama, building accountability without blame, and leading change without resistance
Friday: Virtual Book Club for live conversation and practical reality-based leadership implementation

Join the MLDC: Summer Special

Now is the best time to join the MLDC, giving you access to: ✔ All five episodes breaking down Reality-Based Leadership 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: Reality-Based Leadership by Cy Wakeman
MLDC Info: www.haltingwinter.com/mldc

Connect with Seth

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

203: Wesley Young: From Comfort to Calling: Choosing the Hard Path of Local Impact Jul 17, 2025

Show notes

Show Notes: Wesley Young: From Comfort to Calling: Choosing the Hard Path of Local Impact

Episode 203 of The HaltingWinter Podcast

Overview

In this episode, Seth Winterhalter welcomes Wesley Young, City Administrator of Willard, Missouri, for a conversation that's part memoir, part masterclass on finding purpose in public service.

Wesley's journey spans continents, careers, and courageous decisions, from growing up in England and overcoming dyslexia to building a life of service in the American Midwest. Along the way, he chose the hard path: leaving the safety of state government for the unpredictable frontlines of local leadership.

Whether you're in the early days of your public service career or decades in, this episode will remind you why the work matters. It's about grit, gratitude, and the quiet power of doing the right thing—especially when no one's watching.

Episode Highlights:

You Are the Cavalry How stepping into city management—especially in a small town—means wearing every hat and learning to lead without a net.

Legacy Over Ease Why Wesley left the comfort of state employment to chase local impact and how his young son's words confirmed it was the right move.

Underdog Energy From being labeled "lazy" due to dyslexia to writing 22,000 lines of code to improve performance reviews, Wesley shares what it means to prove people wrong and build systems that serve others.

Faith, Family, and the Work That Lasts How personal loss, fatherhood, and a quiet moment in a car shaped the values he brings to city leadership.

Breaking Down Bureaucracy Insightful reflections on the complexity of public infrastructure and the public's perception gap around local government services (like paying $5 for bottled water but resenting a $1 utility rate increase).

A Call to the Next Generation Advice for Gen Z: Don't just point out what's broken—fix it. Wesley shares how change happens from the inside out and why bold ideas belong in city hall.

Connect with Wesley Young

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/wryoungmpa/

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.

Learn more at Zencity.io

Connect with Seth Winterhalter:

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

About HaltingWinter Municipal Solutions

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

Secure Your Seat with our Summer Special: Join the MLDC

202: Rachel Witherspoon: Stewarding Stories and Small-Town Summers Jul 15, 2025

Show notes

Show Notes: Rachel Witherspoon: Stewarding Stories and Small-Town Summers - Leading with Heart in Local Government

Episode 202 of The HaltingWinter Podcast Brought to you by Zencity

Overview

In this episode, Seth Winterhalter sits down with Rachel Witherspoon, the inspiring Village Manager of Pentwater, Michigan—a leader who reminds us that small towns carry big responsibilities, and often, even bigger stories.

From her early fascination with city council meetings as a kid to navigating the dynamic seasonal rhythms of a summer tourist town on Lake Michigan, this is a story of purpose, persistence, and people-centered leadership.

Rachel shares how internships, mentors, and a deep sense of calling helped her discover city management as a career and why roles like "assistant to the village manager" are some of the most transformative in local government. She reflects on what it's like to lead in a village of under 900 residents that swells to 10,000 in the summer, and what it means to steward not just infrastructure, but legacy and memory.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone considering the leap into municipal leadership or trying to rediscover the heart behind the work. Rachel's wisdom—on building trust, setting boundaries, and embracing the call to lead—is as refreshing as a lake breeze in July.

Episode Highlights:

The Power of Showing Up Early How a childhood memory of watching her dad speak at a city council meeting sparked a lifelong love for local government.

The Assistant Seat is Underrated Why being "the assistant to" may be the most growth-filled role in a city organization and why more people should consider it.

Small Town, Big Complexity What it takes to run a village that triples in population every summer, from water systems to police staffing to economic development.

Building Trust When You're the Outsider Rachel shares her intentional efforts to be visible, communicate openly, and become part of the fabric of Pentwater life.

Six Lessons in Nine Months We unpack her viral LinkedIn post that highlights the early lessons of being in the seat, from utilizing your network to celebrating small wins.

Why Local Government Isn't Just a Job—It's a Calling A beautiful reflection on faith, mentorship, and the reminder that people—not just policy—are at the center of the work.

Connect with Rachel Witherspoon

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/spoonrachel/

Rachel's LinkedIn Post on Lessons Learned: https://bit.ly/4knZKXH

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.

Learn more at Zencity.io

Connect with Seth Winterhalter:

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

About HaltingWinter Municipal Solutions

Learn more at HaltingWinter.com

Seth's Upcoming Keynotes:

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