Sara Bronin, Professor of Architecture and Planning at Cornell University, joined the podcast to discuss a recent article she wrote about the need for a zoning atlas. She talked about her time on the Planning Commission in the City of Hartford, Connecticut and how they updated the City's zoning code. She discussed founding Desegregate Connecticut and creating the Connecticut Zoning Atlas as well as how better information about zoning affects the conversation about reform. Host: Ben Kittelson

Empowering the next generation of mission-driven technologists. Eva Pereira, Chief Data Officer for the City of Los Angeles, California, joined the podcast to discuss hosting a Fellow from Coding it Forward. She shared the positive experience she had with the program including the work they completed and the talent that the Fellow brought to the City. She also talked about the work of her team and her career path into local government. Host: Kirsten Wyatt

Using K9s to fight COVID-19. Paul Douglas, Sheriff's Office Captain for Bristol County, Massachusetts, joined the podcast to discuss using the K9 unit to detect COVID-19. He shared how the program started and how the dogs are trained. Paul discussed the partnership between the Sheriff's Office and local school districts to better detect positive COVID-19 cases. Host: Alyssa Dinberg

Odie Donald, Chief of Staff for the City of Atlanta, Georgia, joined the podcast just before his transition to his current job to talk about his time as the Administrator for the consolidated government of Augusta–Richmond County, Georgia. He discussed the City's work engaging the community and incorporating feedback into the budget process. He also talked about leading the organization during the COVID-19 pandemic and the incentive program the City offered to encourage vaccinations. Odie also shared his career path and his new role with the City of Atlanta. Host: Ashley Copeland

Sustainable design. Farah Ahmad, Architect for the City of New York City, NY, joined the podcast to talk about green building standards and sustainability. She shared some of the trends in the architecture and design fields as well as initial steps into implementing sustainable design. She also shared her career path into local government and how organizations can do a better job recruiting architects. Host: Kirsten Wyatt

Identifying and correcting bias in County operations and service delivery. Two guests from Ottawa County, Michigan joined the podcast to discuss diversity, equity, and inclusion. Robyn Afrik, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and John Shay, Acting County Administrator, discussed the history of how the DEI Office was formed, the goals, and what equity looks like internally with with employees and externally with the public. They also highlighted two DEI programs and the importance of communicating about the intention of equity efforts. Host: Ben Kittelson

Joining together to reduce homelessness. Cathy Alderman, the Chief Communications and Public Policy Officer at the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, joined the podcast to talk about putting housing first to reduce homelessness. She shared the work of the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless and what Denver’s innovative Supportive Housing Social Impact Bond initiative is doing to help.  Cathy discussed the advantages of putting housing first for those who are homeless and the data to support it. Host: Alyssa Dinberg

Examining the equity and effectiveness of emergency communications systems. Rebecca Neusteter, the Executive Director of University of Chicago Health Lab, joined the podcast to talk about the Transform911 initiative which is exploring how the nation’s 911 system can better prioritize health and safety and ensure the right responder is dispatched at the right time. She shared the history of emergency response services in America, ways to build trust in the 911 system, and ensuring staff have the appropriate support and capacity. She also discussed new approaches and best practices that local governments are testing out to improve 911 response. Host: Alyssa Dinberg

Aligning revenues with a modern economy. Shayne Kavanagh, Senior Manager of Research for GFOA, and Jason Loya, Management Analyst for the City of Monrovia, CA, joined the podcast to talk about GFOA's Rethinking Revenue initiative. The initiative poses that local government revenues have not kept up with the times and need to be rethought to make them more equitable. Shayne and Jason gave background on the initiative and examples of new revenue strategies like urban wealth funds, entrepreneurial thinking, segmented pricing, and legal financing. Host: Ben Kittelson

Shining light on the invisible loss. Bobby Wilson, Council Member for the City of Pittsburgh, PA, joined the podcast to talk about bereavement leave for loss of pregnancy. He shared how the City of Pittsburgh came up with the idea and formed to policy to enact this leave for City employees. Bobby explained the different types of pregnancy losses included in the leave. He also let listeners know the first steps they can take to enact a similar policy at their organization. Host: Kirsten Wyatt

Being a sounding board. Derek Burnham, Principal at Burnham Planning & Development and who's partner Meredith Reynolds is Deputy City Manager of Long Beach, CA, joined the podcast to discuss how he supports his partner in local government. Derek highlighted the need for work-life balance and how his knowledge of local government has helped him better understand the work of his partner. Host: Kirsten Wyatt

Can effective organizational rules reduce turnover? Dr. Erin Borry, Associate Professor at the University of Alabama-Birmingham, and Dr. Leisha DeHart-Davis, Professor at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, joined the podcast to talk about research into the impact of runes on employee turnover. Their article uses survey and administrative data to show that that effective organizational rules are associated with lower turnover intention. They discussed what green tape is, the different types of green tape, and how it impacts innovation. Host: Kirsten Wyatt

Supporting local government. Joe Walters, who's partner Jules Walters is the Mayor of the City of West Linn, OR, joined the podcast to talk about how public service impacts their family. He discussed what it was like to support her through the campaign and how they have shared a love for public service with their children. He also shared his thoughts on work-life balance in local government and attracting more people to elected office. Host: Kirsten Wyatt

Essential inputs for modernizing American infrastructure. Ellory Monks, Co-Founder at The Atlas, joined the podcast to talk about workforce development and procurement challenges as it relates to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). She shared issues facing local government and strategies for tackling both of these problems. Ellory also highlighted how local governments can prepare for IIJA funding. Host: Lauren Palmer

Big ideas in small cities. Three guests joined the podcast to talk about the Texas Target Communities program. Kara Escajeda is the City Manager of Nolanville, Texas. Dr. Wei Li is an Associate Professor and Jaimie Masterson is the Director at Texas Target Communities, both from Texas A&M University. They outlined the innovative partnership between the city and university. They shared the greatest outcomes of the partnership along with how to get involved. Host: Alyssa Dinberg

Strategies for local arts agencies. Two guests joined the podcast to talk about a new guide from Bloomberg Associates on data and art. Erin Harkey is the Commissioner of the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events for the City of Chicago, IL. David Andersson is part of Arts Team for Bloomberg Associates. They shared how arts-minded cities can better leverage data to help local arts organizations. Host: Alyssa Dinberg

Recast your city. Ilana Preuss, author and CEO of Recast City, joined the podcast to talk about her new book Recast Your City, about how small-scale manufacturing is a better way to create thriving communities and strong economic development. She shared what small-scale manufacturing is and how cities can embrace it as an economic development tool.  Host: Kirsten Wyatt

An invitation to engage. Two guests joined the podcast to talk about the Living in One Neighborhood (LION) program between Pennsylvania State University and State College, PA. Kevin Kassab, Community Engagement Manager, and Douglas Shontz, Assistant to the Manager, from the Borough of State College, PA highlighted key elements of the LION program as well as how State College partnered with Pennsylvania State University during the pandemic. This is part of a series with the International Town Gown Association looking at how college and university communities have worked together to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Host: Lauren Palmer

From harassment to a more civil discourse. Brooks Rainwater, Senior Executive and Director of Center for City Solutions at the National League of Cities, joined the podcast to talk about his recent report, On the Frontlines of Today's Cities: Trauma, Challenges, and Solutions. He explained the purpose of the report along with the root causes of harassment toward local elected officials. Brooks shared what can be done to combat polarization and the importance of allowing elected leaders to share the harassment they are facing. He highlighted how to restore civility in 2022. Host: Kirsten Wyatt

Culture change and engaging employees. Brian Bosshardt, County Manager of Clear Creek County, Colorado, joined the podcast to talk about taking on his current role and the transition as a new manager. He discussed his leadership philosophy, facilitating conversations with County staff, and organizational development. He also shared his approach to engaging a leadership team and making decisions as a team. Host: Toney Thompson

Better places, together. Two guests joined the podcast to talk about the UniverCity Year partnership between the Village of Waunakee, WI, the Ho-Chunk Nation, and students from the University of Wisconsin. Todd Schmidt is the Village Manager of Waunakee and Bill Quackenbush is the Tribal Historic Preservation Officer for the Ho-Chunk Nation. They shared how the partnership came about and what the organizations worked on together. Host: Lauren Palmer

Awarding the best of the best. The GovLove co-hosts teamed up to hand out awards and recap the sixth full year of a podcast about local government. Kirsten, Toney, Lauren, Dan, Ashley, and Ben all selected three of their favorite episodes to honor with the most prestigious award in local government podcasting, a GovieLovie. They also shared their favorite lightning round question, the most embarrassing thing they've done in an interview, and the one thing they can't let go of from 2021. Hosts: Kirsten Wyatt, Ben Kittelson, Toney Thompson, Lauren Palmer, Dan Bolin, & Ashley Copeland The GovieLovies Kirsten Onboarding New Employees with Benjamin Mead-Harvey Managing Rapid Growth with Julie Karins, Goodyear, AZ Building and Construction Services with JC Hudgison, Tampa, FL Ben The First 100 Days as a New City Manager with Tanisha Briley, Gaithersburg, MD The Role of a County Clerk with Brianna Lennon, Boone County, MO The Promise of Public Interest Technology with Tara Dawson McGuinness & Hana Schank Toney Zoning Reform with Jake Seid, Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning Transportation for a Strong Town with Charles Marohn Restorative Housing Reparations with Nicholas Cummings, Evanston, IL Lauren GovLove in Love with Holly Krejci, Seattle, WA Truth and Reconciliation with Gina Peebles, Alachua County, FL Addressing Homelessness in Ten Global Cities with Linda Gibbs and Tamiru Mammo Dan Designing Effective Interview Questions and Processes with Benjamin Mead-Harvey Curb Management with Chrissy Mancini Nichols, Walker Consultants Everything You Need to Know about ARPA with Emily Brock & Mehreen Haroon, GFOA Ashley Civil Rights & Racial Equality with Joshua Barr, Des, Moines, IA GovLove in Love with Holley Krejci, Seattle, WA Equity and Workforce Diversity with Nefertiri Sickout, Philadelphia, PA

Community resilience and COVID-19 response. Three guests joined the podcast to talk about how the City of Geneva, New York and the Hobart and William Smith Colleges were affected by and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic Chris Annear is an Associate Professor and Craig Talmage is an Assistant Professor at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. Emma Falkenstein is the Assistant Director of Development at BluePrint Geneva and was a student at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. They published a paper titled, Rapid Community Innovation: a Small Urban Liberal Arts Community Response to COVID-19. This is part of a series with the International Town Gown Association looking at how college and university communities have worked together to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Host: Toney Thompson

Entrepreneurship opportunities for all. Angela Rollins, Coordinator of Financial Empowerment Initiatives for the City of Rochester, New York joined the podcast to talk about their women and minority owned business program. She discussed why Rochester is focusing on women and minority owned businesses along with what steps they are taking to grow these businesses in the community. Angela detailed the role of the Office of Community Wealth Building and goals for moving the program forward. Host: Toney Thompson

Coming together to fight COVID-19. Two guests from the Town of Amherst, MA joined the podcast to talk about their COVID-19 Ambassadors Program. Joseph Maspo, COVID-19 Ambassador Coordinator, and Bill Laramee, Neighborhood Liaison Officer, discussed the creation of the program and the role of the ambassadors. Joseph and Bill shared details about funding the program and how they worked with UMass Amherst students. They also highlighted data collection and the future of the program. This is part of a series with the International Town Gown Association (ITGA) looking at how college and university communities have worked together to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Host: Alyssa Dinberg

Ensuring effective commissioners. Michael Blue, Principal at Teska Associates, joined the podcast to talk about planning commissions. He discussed the purpose of Planning Commissions along with common issues they address. Michael shared what the American Planning Association is doing to assist cities with training their Planning Commissioners. Lastly, he gave strategies for how to engage members of the public in the Planning Commission process. Host: Dan Bolin

Derechos and #GrinnTogether. Russell Behrens, City Manager of the City of Grinnell, IA, and Monica Chavez-Silva, Vice President of Community Engagement and Strategic Planning at Grinnell College, joined the podcast to talk about their community's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. They talked about the early coordination and communication involved in the response, working together to help local businesses, and how they will continue partnering to support the community. This is part of a series with the International Town Gown Association (ITGA) looking at how college and university communities have worked together to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Host: Ben Kittelson

Learn, connect, and lead. Sarah Poulton, Downtown Special Projects Manager for the Town of Chapel Hill, NC, joined the podcast to talk about the Town's People's Academy, which is for anyone who lives, works, plays, prays, or studies in Chapel Hill. She shared how they worked to make it accessible, how their academy is formatted, and how they engage with UNC students. Sarah also discussed the recruitment and communications strategies they used to attract participants. Host: Toney Thompson

Proactively responding to off campus issues. Three guests joined the podcast to talk about how the City of Manchester, University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan University, and Greater Manchester Police partnered to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Poppy Humphrey is the Off Campus Student Affairs Officer at the University of Manchester. Cooper Healey is the Manager at Manchester Student Homes. Richard Timson is the South District Commander for the Greater Manchester Police. They shared how a student strategy partnership originally formed to deal with community concerns around students living off campus was used to share information and employ strategies to deal with the pandemic. This is part of a series with the International Town Gown Association (ITGA) looking at how college and university communities have worked together to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Host: Kirsten Wyatt

Open innovation for all. Three guests joined the podcast to talk about The Opportunity Project, or TOP, which is a framework for agencies to facilitate collaboration between technologists and community advocates. Haley Ashcom is a Communications Strategist for the US Census Open Innovation Labs. Katya Abazajian is a Fellow at Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation. Rebecca Ierardo is a Senior Associate at Centre for Public Impact. Host: Kirsten Wyatt

Holistic wellness. Cameron Marlin, the General Manager of the Clear Creek Metropolitan Recreation District, joined the podcast to talk about how they offered new recreation programming to meet the community's mental health needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. She shared how they identified instructors, partnered with Clear Creek County to use CARES Act funding, and are measuring success. She also talked about how this wellness programming has changed CCMRD and their plans for this programming in the future. Host: Lauren Palmer

Building a foundation. Two guests joined the podcast to talk about strategies for affordable housing. Jerrah Crowder is a Manager for the Office of Affordability and Sustainable Housing for the City of Newark, New Jersey, and Namon Freeman is a Manager for Housing Affordability at Bloomberg Associates. They discussed housing goals in Newark, the effects of COVID-19 on affordable housing, and what other cities can do to get started to address the issue. Host: Alyssa Dinberg

Mandate to be great. Dr. Rob Graham, the Founder & CEO of Techno-Resiliency.com, joined the podcast to talk about his book, Mandate to be Great: The 5 Traits of Techno-Resilient People and Organizations. He shared the definition of Techno-Resiliency and how it relates to organizations.  He discussed pockets of resiliency and how to find them.  Lastly, he provided in-depth information on the five traits of techno-resiliency. Host: Kirsten Wyatt

Housing for all. Jake Seid, a Senior Planner with the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, joined the podcast to talk about zoning reform.  He shares why zoning reform is needed and why there is an increased interest in the topic. Jake discussed the limitations of traditional single-family zoning and exclusionary zoning.  Lastly, he shared four solutions local governments can implement for more equitable zoning. Host: Dan Bolin

Honest and inclusive ecosystems. Nick Lyell, the Co-Founder and Chief Impact Officer for CivStart, joined the podcast to talk about connecting startups with local governments. He discussed the programs that CivStart runs including challenge-based procurement and pilot programs. He also talked about the mission of CivStart and how they help local governments and startups solve challenges.  Host: Kirsten Wyatt

Urban air mobility. Two guests joined the podcast to talk about advanced air mobility and how it could change the transportation landscape for cities. Robert Pearce is the Associate Administrator for NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate and Davis Hackenberg is the Integration Manager for Advanced Air Mobility at NASA. They discussed the types of aircraft this sort of travel would involve, how it might be used, and the impact on local governments. Host: Lauren Palmer

Urban design and sustainability. Adam Freed, Principal with Bloomberg Associates, joined the podcast to talk about how the City of Milan, Italy is working to plant 3,000,000 trees by 2030. He shared how the City is accelerating planting, changing process, and partnering to fund the tree initiative. He also talked about the importance of trees in controlling temperature in a city and how cities can do similar work.  This episode was recorded live at the #ELGL21 Annual Conference. Host: Alyssa Dinberg

Improving internships. Eliza Edwards, a Policy Analyst for the State of North Carolina Office of Strategic Partnerships, and Joy Ruff, the Executive Director of the Local Government Academy, joined the podcast to talk about strategies for recruiting people into government. They discussed the talent needs of government during the pandemic along with innovative talent interventions that have taken place. They also shared important strategies for interns and internships. This episode was recorded live at the #ELGL21 Annual Conference. Host: Peter Morrissey

Creative messaging for local governments. Crystal Son, the Healthcare Analytics Director at Civis Analytics, joined the podcast to talk about COVID-19 vaccination messaging for those who are hesitant to receive the vaccination. She outlined the scientific approach to studying vaccine messaging as well as effective and ineffective vaccine messages. She also shared tips for employers on how they can provide the best messages to their employees. Host: Kirsten Wyatt

Connecting people and jobs. John Zeanah, the Director of Planning and Development for the City of Memphis and Shelby County, Tennessee, joined the podcast to talk about providing opportunities for economic mobility. He discussed the City's new comprehensive plan and how they are working to make it easier for residents to get to their workplaces through both land use and the transportation system. Then Denise Linn Riedl, Chief Innovation Officer for the City of South Bend, Indiana, joined to talk about transportation insecurity and their Commuters Trust initiative. This episode was recorded live at the #ELGL21 Annual Conference. Host: Toney Thompson

Attracting talent. Two guests joined the podcast to talk about two different partnerships to measure local government workforce needs and the methods for recruiting talented staff. Greg Wilson, Unit Manager at the University of Georgia, and Charles Goldman, Senior Economist at the RAND Corporation, discuss the “Jobs with Purpose” Initiative in Georgia and a new report studying barriers to a diverse government workforce in Southern California. This episode was recorded live at the #ELGL21 Annual Conference. Host: Lauren Palmer

Putting people in the process. Four guests from the City of Fort Collins, Colorado and the City of Norfolk, Virginia joined the podcast to talk about equity and data in climate action planning. They discussed how the Cities are modifying their climate actions plans to be more equitable and the What Works Cities certifications. John Phelan is the Energy Services Manager in Fort Collins, Molly Saylor is the Senior Sustainability Specialist in Fort Collins, Pete Buryk is the Chief of Staff in Norfolk, and Lori Crouch is the Director of Communications in Norfolk. This episode was recorded live at the #ELGL21 Annual Conference. Host: Alyssa Dinberg

A year to try new things. Graham Stone, the Vice President of Government Relations at Public Input, joined the podcast to talk about citizen engagement. He shared how to simultaneously handle virtual and in-person engagement. Graham discussed the impact of COVID-19 on citizen engagement along with ways to implement successful virtual tools. He also talked about what to do with increased engagement and the importance of making sense of it all. This episode was recorded live at the #ELGL21 Annual Conference. Host: Ben Kittelson

Challenges and lessons learned. Craig Talsma, the Executive Director of the Hoffman Estates Park District in Illinois, joined the podcast to talk about how his organization implemented a COVID-19 vaccine mandate. He shared how he engaged staff and legal resources to design a policy as well as the other pandemic precautions that the District has implemented. He also discussed his career path and the work of the park district. Host: Dan Bolin

Public memory and public art. Three guests joined the podcast to talk about the process the City of Newark, New Jersey went through to replace a Christopher Columbus statue with a monument to Harriet Tubman. The City conducted a national open call for artists to replace the statue and artist Nina Cooke John was selected to begin working on the monument. Fayemi Shakur is the Arts and Cultural Director for the City of Newark and David Andersson and Tracey Knuckles are part of the Arts Team at Bloomberg Associates.  This episode was recorded live at the #ELGL21 Annual Conference. Host: Ashley Copeland

All your ARPA questions answered. Emily Brock, Director of Federal Liasion Center at Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA), and Mehreen Haroon, Federal Policy Associate at GFOA, joined the podcast to discuss the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021. They detailed the four eligible expense categories.  Emily and Mehreen talked about the most common questions and challenges they receive from local governments. They also shared the reporting requirements and highlighted best practices for administering the funds. Host: Toney Thompson

Innovations that work. Linda Gibbs, Principal with Bloomberg Associates, and Tamiru Mammo, Consultant with Bloomberg Associates, joined the podcast to talk about their new book, How Ten Global Cities Take on Homelessness. They shared what led to writing the book, how the issue of homelessness and housing differed between the ten cities, and the common struggles that individuals experiencing homelessness were dealing with. They also discussed the interventions that help address homelessness and the management solutions to administer them. This episode was recorded live at the #ELGL21 Annual Conference. Host: Dan Bolin

Addressing park equity. Danielle Denk, Community Schoolyard Initiative Director for the Trust for Public Land, joined the podcast to discuss the initiative to turn schoolyards into community parks that are more welcoming, sustainable, and accessible. She talked about the problem with current schoolyards that are often not open to the community after school hours and made up of asphalt. She also shared how opening schoolyards can provide public space to more families and how creating greener schoolyards can address heat islands. Host: Kirsten Wyatt