Confident. Certain. Poised. Prepared.

Jorge Garcia, a first-time city manager in Pismo Beach, California, embodies all of these adjectives.

He has spent many years readying himself for this moment -- his first assignment as a chief executive officer for a municipal corporation.

He is only one year into his tenure, but as you listen to this interview, you will come away with the impression that he's sat in "the chair" for a decade plus!

Jorge is the next generation of public sector leadership and he models a wonderful example for those aspiring to become city managers.

There are several really good nuggets in this conversation and in particular, his communications strategy with his elected officials designed to build trust and create confidence.

SHOW NOTES:

Jorge Garcia's LinkedIn profile

Pismo Beach public works director vacancy with an 11/15/2024 application deadline can be found here: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/pismobeach

EPISODE SPONSOR:

This episode is sponsored by KUDO. Make your council meetings accessible with translated audio and live captions into 45+ languages.

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Our friend, Daniel Rosemond, visits the show to provide an update on his legal case against the City of Hallandale Beach. In February, he had a major set back and we talk about battling through this ordeal that has now stretched out more than 8 years.

We also talk about his work with East to West Development and share some exciting news about his book, "Death of the Public Servant."

Daniel was featured in a 3-part interview series last year:

1. Episode 10: Death of the Public Servant,
2. Episode 12: Revenge of the Public Servant, and
3. Episode 16: Betrayal of the Public Servant

SHOW NOTES:

Daniel Rosemond is the author of "Death of the Public Servant" and CEO of the East to West Development Corporation. You are invited to reach out and contact him for professional advice and consultation on affordable housing initiatives and to support him by purchasing his book.

Daniel's LinkedIn profile

EPISODE SPONSOR:

This episode is sponsored by KUDO. Make your council meetings accessible with translated audio and live captions into 45+ languages.

EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Only listeners of the City Manager Unfiltered podcast can sign up for a FREE, no risk, no obligation one-month trial offer. Use this link: https://kudo.ai/cmu/

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 $100:

https://forms.gle/ceMzWqeLwiRFRAGj9

SUPPORT THE PODCAST:

Subscribe to my FREE weekly report of city and county manager resignations, terminations, and retirements (RTRs) at this link:

https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/city-manager-rtrs-job-board-7164683251112992768/

If you would like to support the podcast by making a donation, please use the "Buy Me A Coffee" link.

Please rate and review the podcast on Apple or your preferred platform if you enjoy the show. It helps tremendously. But more importantly, refer your friends and peers to podcast through personal conversations and posts on your social media platforms.

Joe Turner's LinkedIn Page

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Nick Loper is a legend in the side hustle and internet marketing space. He is the host of the Side Hustle Show podcast and runs the Side Hustle Nation website.

I get excited when talking about internet marketing, start-ups, passive income, and entrepreneurship. And I hope many of you do, too, as I would like to explore this topic in more earnest in the future.

Being a city or county manager is very risky. Governing bodies are churning and burning through public sector executives who are increasingly seen as disposable and interchangeable commodities.

In the past, I have talked about minimizing downside risk exposure during contract negotiations and explored the idea of side hustles and alternative income streams to augment incomes during transitions so that you are not pressured into taking an unattractive opportunity just for the sake of putting food on the table.

Please let me know if you enjoy or do not enjoy this podcast so that I can modify future programming.

SHOW NOTES:

You can find Nick Loper here:

• Side Hustle Show podcast
• Side Hustle Nation website: https://www.sidehustlenation.com/ideas/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickloper/

EPISODE SPONSOR:

This episode is sponsored by KUDO. Make your council meetings accessible with translated audio and live captions into 45+ languages.

EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Only listeners of the City Manager Unfiltered podcast can sign up for a FREE, no risk, no obligation one-month trial offer. Use this link: https://kudo.ai/cmu/

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 $100:

https://forms.gle/ceMzWqeLwiRFRAGj9

SUPPORT THE PODCAST:

Subscribe to my FREE weekly report of city and county manager resignations, terminations, and retirements (RTRs) at this link:

https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/city-manager-rtrs-job-board-7164683251112992768/

If you would like to support the podcast by making a donation, please use the "Buy Me A Coffee" link.

Please rate and review the podcast on Apple or your preferred platform if you enjoy the show. It helps tremendously. But more importantly, refer your friends and peers to podcast through personal conversations and posts on your social media platforms.

Joe Turner's LinkedIn Page

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City Manager Brooks Williams brings a passionate but demanding philosophical approach to local government. He joins the program to talk about the importance of innovation and efficiency, accountability, employee development, and building strong relationships with your elected officials as he leads the City of Ferris, Texas.

Brooks recently published "Rising to Serve," which I can only describe as his personal love letter to public service and city management. The foreward was penned by the incomparable Tommy Gonzalez.

In his book, available on Amazon, Brooks sets out on a mission to reimagine public administration in this era of unprecedented change.

SHOW NOTES:

Brooks Williams' LinkedIn Page

Link to Brooks' book "Rising to Serve" on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4eu66Tw

EPISODE SPONSOR:

This episode is sponsored by KUDO. Make your council meetings accessible with translated audio and live captions into 45+ languages.

EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Only listeners of the City Manager Unfiltered podcast can sign up for a FREE, no risk, no obligation one-month trial offer. Use this link:

https://kudo.ai/solutions/city-manager-unfiltered-live-speech-translation/

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 $100:

https://forms.gle/ceMzWqeLwiRFRAGj9

SUPPORT THE PODCAST:

Subscribe to my FREE weekly report of city and county manager resignations, terminations, and retirements (RTRs) at this link:

https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/city-manager-rtrs-job-board-7164683251112992768/

If you would like to support the podcast by making a donation, please use the "Buy Me A Coffee" link.

Please rate and review the podcast on Apple or your preferred platform if you enjoy the show. It helps tremendously. But more importantly, refer your friends and peers to podcast through personal conversations and posts on your social media platforms.

Joe Turner's LinkedIn Page

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Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

As I predicted, the ICMA finally capitulated and settled the anti-defamation lawsuit brought forth by Michigan city manager James Freed. As part of the agreement where financial details were not releaed, the ICMA agreed to retract the censure by removing it from their website.

The settlement was announced via a joint statement on ICMA letterhead. However, I have received overwhelmingly negative responses from the city managers in my network regarding the language of that statement.

In this episode, I dissect the statement and compare it to the original press release issued by the ICMA when it announced the public censure of James Freed.

And now that this matter has been resolved to the satisfaction of both parties -- we ponder the logical question that remains:

Now what?

SHOW NOTES:

James Freed posted the release on his personal LinkedIn page. You can read it here:

• ICMA Joint Statement
• Freed Email Statement and Court Filing
• Video of James Freed addressing ICMA issue

ICMA Public Statements & Court Filing

• LinkedIn Post
• In Defense of the ICMA Code of Ethics by Jason Grant, Director of Advocacy
• Court Filing

Additional Information about James Freed vs ICMA

• Main Reference Page

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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 $100:

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SUPPORT THE PODCAST:

Subscribe to my FREE weekly report of city and county manager resignations, terminations, and retirements (RTRs) at this link:

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If you would like to support the podcast by making a donation, please use the "Buy Me A Coffee" link.

Please rate and review the podcast on Apple or your preferred platform if you enjoy the show. It helps tremendously. But more importantly, refer your friends and peers to podcast through personal conversations and posts on your social media platforms.

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Things are heating up in the battle between Port Huron City Manager James Freed and the ICMA over the last two weeks. The two-year saga began in June 2022 when the ICMA publicly censured Freed and stripped him of his credential. Freed countered with a lawsuit alleging the ICMA engaged in a conspiracy to defame him.

On September 5, 2024, Freed sent out an email along with a 21-page court filing. See link in the show notes.

On Friday the 6th, the ICMA issued its first public statement on the lawsuit mentioning James Freed by name and referencing yours truly indirectly.

On Monday the 9th, Freed and the ICMA once again made public statements. Freed addressed his employees at an annual luncheon and spoke about the lawsuit and upcoming trial. His remarks were about 20 minutes long and have been included in this podcast.

Additionally, the ICMA's director of advocacy pubished an article on its website. Jason Grant argued that public censures were not punitive and defended the organization. However, the final paragraph signaled to me thta the organization is preparing to settle with Freed while trying to save face.

SHOW NOTES:

James Freed Court Filing and Public Statements:

• Freed Email Statement and Court Filing
• Video of James Freed addressing ICMA issue

ICMA Public Statements & Court Filing

• LinkedIn Post
• In Defense of the ICMA Code of Ethics by Jason Grant, Director of Advocacy
• Court Filing

Additional Information about James Freed vs ICMA

• Main Reference 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 $100:

https://forms.gle/ceMzWqeLwiRFRAGj9

SUPPORT THE PODCAST:

Subscribe to my FREE weekly report of city and county manager resignations, terminations, and retirements (RTRs) at this link:

https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/city-manager-rtrs-job-board-7164683251112992768/

If you would like to support the podcast by making a donation, please use the "Buy Me A Coffee" link.

Please rate and review the podcast on Apple or your preferred platform if you enjoy the show. It helps tremendously. But more importantly, refer your friends and peers to podcast through personal conversations and posts on your social media platforms.

Joe Turner's LinkedIn Page

City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today!

Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Audree Guzman refused to become a statistic and has courageously battled through childhood sexual molestation and domestic abuse as a young woman. We discuss her battles along with other struggles encompassing eating disordes and mental health issues.

This is very powerful episode but listener discretion is strongly advised.

SHOW NOTES:

Here is the LinkedIn page for Audree Guzman

For more information about James Freed's anti-defamation lawsuit against the ICMA, I have created a reference page that will serve as a Wikipedia page of sorts. It can be found here: https://citymanagernews.com/james-freed-vs-icma/

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 $100:

https://forms.gle/ceMzWqeLwiRFRAGj9

SUPPORT THE PODCAST:

Subscribe to my FREE weekly report of city and county manager resignations, terminations, and retirements (RTRs) at this link:

https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/city-manager-rtrs-job-board-7164683251112992768/

If you would like to support the podcast by making a donation, please use the "Buy Me A Coffee" link.

Please rate and review the podcast on Apple or your preferred platform if you enjoy the show. It helps tremendously. But more importantly, refer your friends and peers to podcast through personal conversations and posts on your social media platforms.

Joe Turner's LinkedIn Page

City Manager Unfiltered YouTube Page - Subscribe Today!

Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.