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PODCAST

City Manager Unfiltered

City Manager Unfiltered is a podcast by a city manager for city managers. I am your host, Joe Turner, and I’m on a mission to build a community for ambitious city managers. I want to provide you with the career tools and resources to help make you a better executive so you can rack up victories, polish your resume, dominate interviews, land your dream job, and win your contract negotiations. If you are a city manager looking to level up, check out my podcast, City Manager Unfiltered. Hit that

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All Episodes

34:33

Audio Recording: ICMA Staff Supports AAME | Ep. 61

City Manager Unfiltered ·

2024/07/10

A confidential source sent me an audio recording of ICMA West Coast Regional Director Pat Martel discussing the American Association of Municipal Executives. This discussion took place two weeks ago at the Oregon City/Count Management Association conference..In this audio clip, Martel states that the ICMA is very much aware of the AAME, that it supports the AAME mission, and that it is perfectly acceptable for ICMA members to join AAME and other organizations. In this episode, I talk about how many

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40:13

Ep. 60 | ICMA CEO Marc Ott "Retires" & Freed Gets a...

City Manager Unfiltered ·

2024/07/03

Last week the big news story was the announcement by the ICMA that CEO Marc Ott was retiring to spend more time with family. We also learned that Port Huron City Manager James Freed was given a trial date for his defamation lawsuit against the ICMA.Coincidence? These two stories are inextricably linked and are the topic of this week's podcast episode. SHOW NOTES: In this podcast I mentioned that Caribou, Maine City Manager Penny Thompson is a founding member of the American Association of Municipal

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01:00:54

Marilyn Rivers Just Wanted Her Good Name Back | Ep. 59

City Manager Unfiltered ·

2024/06/26

Marilyn Rivers had a stellar career and an impeccable reputation having served for nearly 20 years as the Director of Risk and Safety for the New York city of Saratoga Springs.About 18-months away from this 20-year mark where she would be eligible for her pension, a newly elected commissioner set his sights on her to settle an "old score" from fifteen years ago. Rivers wanted to do this podcast because she never had a chance to defend herself, her record, or address the toxic behavior of this

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59:37

The Case for Terminating ICMA CEO Marc Ott | Ep. 58

City Manager Unfiltered ·

2024/06/21

ICMA CEO Marc Ott has presided over an organization that is dysfunctional, lacks accountability, and produces mediocre work product. His permissive and absentee approach to managing employees allowed ethics staffers to prosecute a personal and political vendetta against Port Huron City Manager James Freed -- a stain that will be forever left upon his legacy. Combined with an international development emphasis that has lacked focus and failed to deliver results, it has been Ott's shepherding of the

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01:09:03

Scott Jorgensen Rebukes the Oregon City/County...

City Manager Unfiltered ·

2024/06/19

Rainier City Administrator Scott Jorgensen is no fan of the Oregon City/County Management Association (OCCMA). A few years ago, he was the subject of an anonymous ethics complaint without any clear explanation of his alleged offense. About a year later, Jorgensen learned that another city manager had accused him of leaking his listserv comments. The evidence was a conversation between this city manager and one of his elected officials the city manager had surreptitiously recorded. Jorgensen

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01:01:26

Why is Ed Meece excited about the AAME? | Ep. 56

City Manager Unfiltered ·

2024/06/12

We continue our conversation with Polson, Montana city manager Ed Meece in Part 2 of our interview series. In this episode, Ed talks about: ✅ a new state association for Montana city managers that is not affiliated with the ICMA, ✅ a conversation he had with ICMA CEO Marc Ott and Ray Baray, his chief of staff, and ✅ why he is so excited about the new American Association of Municipal Executives SHOW NOTES: Ed Meece's LinkedIn page SUBMIT JOB POSTING: Do you have an executive or senior level

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01:14:03

Why did Ed Meece cancel his ICMA membership after 25...

City Manager Unfiltered ·

2024/06/05

In 2015, city manager Ed Meece did something he never thought he would do. He canceled his International City/County Management Association membership twenty-five years after joining the organization.What happened? Meece explains his reasoning in Part 1 of this two-part series. SHOW NOTES: Ed Meece's LinkedIn page SUBMIT JOB POSTING: Do you have an executive or senior level vacancy in your organization? Use this form/link to submit your job listing in my weekly newsletter for just

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40:47

Baker Tilly Bombshell in Amarillo City Manager Search...

City Manager Unfiltered ·

2024/05/29

Baker Tilly has been bad -- again. Recently, yours truly dropped a bombshell about Baker Tilly when he appeared as a guest on the Making Sense with Michael J. talk show in Amarillo, Texas. We discussed the Amarillo city manager recruitment and the consulting contract Baker Tilly landed to help review their charter. Host Michael Stevens graciously allowed me to replay the interview on the podcast. Since the interview aired on May 20th, sources have been feeding me additional information about Baker

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01:19:54

Private vs. Public Sector Executive Compensation with...

City Manager Unfiltered ·

2024/05/22

Public sector executives need to steal some pages out of the private sector executive playbook when it comes to compensation, benefits, and negotiating contracts.Attorney Daniel Reilly has extensive experience in negotiating private and public sector executive contracts. Licensed to practice law in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, we discuss industry norms, tactics, and practices that should be co-opted by city and county managers to secure stronger contracts that will protect them and their

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55:32

ICMA's Rigged Executive Board Elections with Graham...

City Manager Unfiltered ·

2024/05/15

Unhappy with the current direction of the International City/County Management Association, El Cajon City Manager Graham Mitchell decided to get involved and run for a seat on the executive board. In previous years when he only saw one name on the ballot for each seat -- he assumed it was due to apathy. Little did he know that the ICMA establishment created a process whereby they hand-selected the nominee who was all but guaranteed to win because voters would not have another name on the ballot to

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01:21:58

No Fluff! Real Culture Change in Durango with Jose...

City Manager Unfiltered ·

2024/05/08

A lot of people self-proclaim themselves to be "change agents" or transformational leaders who have changed their department or organization's culture. But a lot of this is fluffy, self-promotion meant to stroke the ego. How many public sector executives have actual, quantifiable data to support these claims? Durango, Colorado city manager Jose Madrigal is a truly transformative leader and he has the "receipts" to prove it. We discuss his professional journey and his choice to become a first-time

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01:06:43

Ep. 50 | Introducing the American Association of...

City Manager Unfiltered ·

2024/05/01

Over the last 18 months I have highlighted the plight of city managers and other public sector executives.I have talked about the pervasive sense of loneliness and isolation that is oftentimes overwhelming. I have lamented the lack of advocacy for managers who watch helplessly as the reputation and career they have spent decades building is sullied and damaged. When I have criticized the ICMA for sitting on its hands and not coming to the defense of managers, I am chastised by loyalists who

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01:36:05

Do public comment decorum rules violate the First...

City Manager Unfiltered ·

2024/04/24

Texas attorney CJ Grisham and his client, Jason Followell, were removed from an Aransas Pass city council meeting under the threat of arrest after they both used profane language and violated the rules of decorum during a public comment period. Since that January incident, Grisham has filed a lawsuit (see link below in the show notes) on behalf of Followell and the Aransas Pass police chief has charged both Grisham and Followell with disrupting the meeting. In this episode, Grisham and I discuss the

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01:12:25

Deconstructing Taylour Tedder's Groundbreaking...

City Manager Unfiltered ·

2024/04/17

Taylour Tedder's groundbreaking contract in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware was the talk of the city management community last week. His contract features a $750,000 home loan that is completely forgivable after 7 years of service.Bradley Ford, the city manager for Waco, Texas, sat down with me to review and critique this amazing contract. Ford, the foremost expert when it comes to public sector executive compensation, recently formed his own niche consulting business called City Compensation. We take a

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51:37

Troy Body: Toughest City Manager Job in the Country?...

City Manager Unfiltered ·

2024/04/10

Change my mind: Troy Body has the toughest city manager job in the country!The Hopkinsville, Kentucky manager also has one of the most unique backgrounds in the profession. Oh! By the way -- he is the only black manager in the state. You are going to enjoy this interview as we learn more about why he transitioned into local government and his thoughts on accountability and delivering results at the local level. SHOW NOTES: Troy Body (LinkedIn Profile) CityManagerNews.com SUBMIT JOB POSTING: Do you

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01:15:47

Locking Horns Against an Entrenched Police Chief with...

City Manager Unfiltered ·

2024/04/03

Going to battle against your public safety deparment heads can be extremely perilous for a city manager, especially when you have a politically connected and entrenched police chief.City Manager Theo Melancon was tasked with doing an operational assessment of the police departmenty by his council. In Part 2 of my interview series, Theo outlines the process and approach he took to carryout the wishes of his governing body while also being mindful of the political and professional ramifications if he

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01:27:08

Surviving a Domestic Violence Arrest with Theo...

City Manager Unfiltered ·

2024/03/27

City manager Theo Melancon was arrested on a domestic violence charge in January 2022. Unfortunately for him, his predecessor also made controversial headlines surrounding a domestic incident.In this powerful episode, Melancon gives us a play-by-play recounting of the events that upended his life and nearly ended his career. We talk about his communication with his elected officials, handling the social media firestorm, and examine how his peers responded and interacted with him once the story

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01:03:46

Recruiter Series: Michael Boese of Clear Career...

City Manager Unfiltered ·

2024/03/20

This is the first installment in my upcoming series of interviews with public sector executive recruiters and recruitment firms.In this interview with Michael Boese of Clear Carer Professionals, we discuss his firm's "candidate focus" approach that emphasizes consistent and timely communication with prospective candidates. Near the end of the interview, Boese answers a question posed by a city manager about the importance of ICMA-CM designations and how much they impact the governing body's

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01:11:39

Promoting Black Managers, Mentorship, & Self-Advocacy...

City Manager Unfiltered ·

2024/03/13

Public Works Administrator Kevin Richardson messaged me about a year ago seeking career advice. This inquiry was the genesis of a new friendship and eventual "title change" designed to better reflect the role and responsibilities assigned to him at the City of Rock Hill in South Carolina.In this episode, we illustrate the benefits of self-advocacy and discuss the importance of mentorship, especially in the context of promoting minorities up the ranks of senior leadership in the public sector. We

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24:46

8 Reasons Why Your Cover Letter Sucks | Ep.42

City Manager Unfiltered ·

2024/03/06

The typical cover letter sucks. It literally hurts to read them they are so bad.But, don't fall for the "fried ice cream" peddled by the private sector recruiters who argue that cover letters are no longer necessary. That is not true. Every public sector executive competing for a position needs to have a cover letter and this is one of the easiest places elite candidates can differentiate themselves from their competition. Write a great cover letter that captures the reader's attention and you are

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