#13 – Matt Candland – Where collective bargaining with police goes wrong and other challenges in municipal management today

Matt Candland is the manager at Upper Moreland Township in Montgomery County Pennsylvania. In this episode he has a few things to say about collective bargaining laws for police and fire in Pennsylvania. He has a depth of understanding and skill for examining issues from multiple angles that not only makes him valuable in his […]

All you have to do to get into a great conversation with Mark Stivers is ask him about the jobs he has held in his life. From Park Ranger to Addiction Counselor to Planner to Professional Manager, he has seen and experienced the world and brings his unique perspectives to his work.   “You leave […]

In this interview, Ken Battin allows me to tap into my curiosity about how emergency services intersect with municipal services and what role municipal managers play in supporting public safety. He emphasizes the importance of not relying on any one model but finding a model that works for your municipality. He shares an engaging approach […]

Keith Hite spent a good part of his career at the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors (PSATS) and when we met in the late 90’s he had taken the helm as Executive Director. In this interview we talk about some of the challenges he faced during his leadership, not only with helping the organization […]

Dan Zimmerman is a quintessential under-the-radar, always-assessing-potential kind of municipal manager. His career demonstrates the value of commitment to the long game and the outsized results that can come from investment in regionalization. He recently retired as manager of Warwick Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. His work speaks for itself. Over his career he has sheparded […]

[Early Interview Series] Joe Mench was the first member interview I did when I created the Pioneering Change Community. There was a reason for that. The projects we worked on together represent a critical intersection of customer service, work culture and technology. Joe was the key internal partner to work with me on improving customer […]

How does an Assistant Manager make a case to buy an empty department story in a declining retail area, raze it to the ground and find a buyer? How does that buyer become a Trader Joe’s? It takes a team with vision, willingness to step up to the plate, and steady nerves. Erin Trone came […]

Today we talk with Bradley Gotshall about why he is invested in the profession of municipal management and what makes him excited about the future. Hint: he sees the possibilities for technology to increase effectiveness in delivery of services, outreach to community and efficiency within the organization. With so few young professionals in the pipeline, […]

Marita Kelley recently retired from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development where she most recently served as regional director and deputy executive director at the Governor’s Center for Local Government Services. She has a distinguished career as a leader in public service with a focus, but the most important thing to know about […]

Ed Knittel has been thinking about education and local government for decades and he shares his insights on the future of education and how we might apply new ideas about education to the challenges we are facing in local government. Engagement is a constant theme in our conversation. This conversation is particularly well-suited for young […]