City Manager Unfiltered

Port Huron City Manager James Freed had never been the subject of an ethics complaint. That is until he raised concerns about the social media activities of Martha Perego, the "ethics guru" at the International City/County Management Association.   When he got a call from Perego's subordinate, Jessica Cowles, just a few weeks later, his "Spidey-sense" tingled. He asked to call her back so he could...

James Freed sent a polite, professional letter to the ICMA ethics director in 2018. Little did he know that that letter would haunt him for the next five years as rogue staff members from the International City/County Managers Association (ICMA) would wage a campaign to ruin his career, destroy his professional reputation, and deprive him of his ability to feed for his wife and children. Freed not...

We discuss the different types of betrayal former Hallandale Beach city manager Daniel Rosemond encountered throughout his ordeal in this third and final installment of our interview series. We talk about the following: Self-betrayal by way of our own self-delusions about our relationship and standing with our organizations as city managers Betrayal by community leaders, friends, and colleagues Be...

Gabe Reaume, a 20-something aspiring city manager harassed by tweakers stealing his laundry moves in with Joan, his best friend's 80-something grandmother. This unlikely duo form a deep bond that would shape and influence him as he became a husband, father, and eventually a city manager. Reaume recounts this friendship in his book " Strangers & Angels " and documents his rise from Michigan far...

Micah Guadet has created the first and only comprehensive course specifically designed to teach public sector professionals how to use ChatGPT to add value to their organization.  " Unlocking ChatGPT for the Public Sector " is designed to take someone with absolutely zero experience and help them become a subject matter expert on ChatGPT within their organization in just a few weekends.  Do you wa...

On August 11, City of Marion police officers and Marion County deputies raided the office of the Marion County Record newspaper; the home of its co-owners, Eric Meyer and his 98 year old mother, Joan Meyer; and the home of Marion vice mayor Ruth Herbel, 80. Joan passed away the following day with many attributing her death to the stress of the raid. The unprecedented raid sent shockwaves throughou...

This is Part 2 of my interview series with Daniel Rosemond, the former city manager for the City of Hallandale Beach, Florida. In this episode, we walk through his quest for justice on his way to winning a $4.4 million verdict from a jury. We examine the challenges of finding legal representation, how the legal system works, and get into the nitty-gritty of lawsuits, settlements, and financial asp...

Topeka City Manager Stephen Wade's battle with depression and mental illness came to a head in June when he attempted suicide. Wade was a "hometown" boy done good and was only about 10 months into his tenure as city manager. After being placed on indefinite leave with pay, he would be shockingly terminated for cause about a month later.  In the aftermath of his dismissal, Wade opted to courageousl...

Daniel Rosemond suffered a horrific, career-killing termination as city manager for Hallandale Beach, Florida back in 2016. It ruined his reputation, ended his career, and forever altered his view of public service -- to say nothing of the horrendous impact it has had on him and his family psychologically, emotionally, and financially. In 2022, he was vindicated in court when a jury awarded him a...

Baker Tilly allowed a city manager candidate to be subjected to a computerized voice stress analysis test in Canfield, Ohio. These are supposedly "lie detector" tests, but they are really just pseudo-scientific quackery that often give inaccurate results. This candidate was smeared and tarnished by Canfield Police Chief Chuck Colucci in the local paper where he was quoted as saying: "Those tests d...

City Manager Tim Rundel is the city manager for the City of Weed, California. He is also a documentarian and an artist. He has been working for several years to get a sitcom about a small town city manager produced. Think of a cross between "The Office" and "Parks & Recreation". The show is called "City of Weed."  A pilot is set to be filmed in the next couple of months and a casting call has...

Whitewater (WI) City Manager John Weidl was a skeptic about ChatGPT until he listened to Episode No. 4 of the City Manager Unfiltered podcast with Micah Gaudet . He literally created an account and started exploring ChatGPT during that episode and quickly realized the amazing potential and benefits of this technology. In this podcast, we examine how he and his staff have used ChatGPT in just the l...

The city manager search in Canfield, Ohio raises a lot of questions that must be answered by public sector recruitment firm Baker Tilly. This is the first recruitment I am aware of where a city manager candidate was subjected to the pseudoscientific quackery of computerized voice stress analysis. It appears to have been at the direction of Canfield Police Chief Chuck Calucci. However, Calucci stat...

Trash hauling rates are skyrocketing across the country, but there are ways you can save your residents money by utilizing a private sector mentality as a public sector executive. In this episode, we discuss what it means to have a private sector mentality, how to acquire one if you do not have one, and ultimately, how to create an environment that promotes competition so that your residents pay l...

Micah Gaudet is a deputy city manager for the City of Maricopa (pop. 63,000) overseeing all public safety operations. Maricopa is the second fastest growing city in Arizona and the 12th fastest growing city in the United States. Micah has quickly carved out a niche as one of the leading voices on the usage of ChatGPT and artificial intelligence in the public sector. In this episode, he provides re...

City and county governments expect their newly hired manager to be "all-in" and make a significant investment in their community. This often includes a residency requirement as a condition of acceptance. Yet, many employers refuse to pay the travel expenses of the candidate's spouse during the recruitment process. Host Joe Turner recounts a recent recruitment experience where his wife's travel exp...

Getting the job offer is exciting, but you can't let emotions get in the way of negotiating a great contract for you and your family. In this episode, I talk about the different types of risks we face as city managers and public sector executives. I also discuss why we have contracts, the most important contract provision, and articulate what I believe to be the most important objective for every...

Being a city manager can be a tough, lonely job. But, I am here to tell you that you are not alone and that there is an entire community of professionals that want to help you succeed. In this episode, I lay out my three primary objectives for this podcast: (1) build a community for ambitious city managers and public sector executives, (2) help you with your personal and professional development,...

Listen up, fellow city managers! We're taking a beating. We’re getting fired faster than ever – often in humiliating fashion. And frankly, I am sick and tired of it. I am Joe Turner, the host of City Manager Unfiltered, a new podcast coming soon. City Manager Unfiltered is created by a city manager, for city managers.  Nobody is out there fighting for us! We’re on an island all by ourselves. If yo...