Municipal Equation Podcast

Our 2016 year-end.

When we think of the word "brand" in an advertising sense, surely we first picture the Nike Swoosh, or the Coca-Cola can, or the Ford medallion, or, who knows, maybe the Quaker Oats guy. And for good reason. Their owners put forth gargantuan levels of money and strategy to make you think of them before their competitors. But what about when branding is the project of a local government? It's been...

A look ahead at Episode 14 of the Municipal Equation podcast from the North Carolina League of Municipalities.

What do drones mean for local government? How can city hall regulate these unmanned aerial systems? What are the rules to fly one? And -- perhaps most interestingly -- how might local governments adopt drones for better service delivery? Or even to save lives? On this episode, we hear from national and state experts in the public and private sectors, and from one town already flying its own drone....

Preview of Episode 13, a look at where drones and local government intersect.

Place your order! Local governments are taking after food trucks and serving up convenience at a curb near you. That's on this episode of Municipal Equation, the podcast from the N.C. League of Municipalities about today's challenges, trends and concepts for cities and towns. We talk with the City of Boston about its City Hall To Go program, which converted an old food truck into a city hall on wh...

A preview of Episode 12.

Mash 'play' for a personal crash-course in local economic development -- with high-value tools, tips and insider knowledge -- in this special, extended episode featuring a couple of pros who know both sides of the business -- public and private -- and where they can pair up to make a difference for cities and towns of any size. It's important to recognize that economic development isn't just one t...

Preview of Episode 11, all about local economic development tools and how to negotiate with business prospects.

We enter a better kind of urban jungle on this episode all about the science and economics of trees in cities -- way more interesting than you might think at first. Yep, there's a big economic argument for more trees in our cityscapes. Our guests here apply scientifically backed dollars-and-cents appraisals to the trees that line our streets or green our downtowns. And they discuss tools you can a...

A preview of Episode 10, a look at the science of city trees.

A question dangles before populous states that grew with low-density development in the 20th century: What do we do now? Planning and development preferences aren't what they used to be. Today they favor higher-density, walkable, mixed use layouts, and local governments far and wide are wondering how to best reshape the traditionally spread-out suburban spaces. "What is the local government's role...

Preview of Episode Nine, another look at suburbia and where it's going.

Joel Kotkin, a prolific writer of articles and books on urbanism, demographics, city planning and density, takes a different angle. Often at odds with convention or popular beliefs on planning, the suburbs, the patterns of millennials and so on, Kotkin in his latest book -- "The Human City: Urbanism for the Rest of Us" -- argues that ongoing focuses on high-density layouts and other popular planni...

Preview of Episode Eight, a talk with Joel Kotkin.

Where's your local government with technology? Sensors? Automation? Readiness for self-driving vehicles? Teleportation? Kidding on that last one but, because we're in an age of exponential advances in technology and the Internet of Things, and with the consumer market now so accustomed to quick gratification and one-touch app services, there's pressure on government to act more quickly, streamline...

A look ahead at Episode Seven, about the rate of technology, what today's consumers expect and what that means for local government.

In this extended episode all about law enforcement, we spend time with a number of police leaders ready to hit the reset button and create positive, new interaction between sworn officers and the public. But with so much tension in the air lately, what can actually be changed? What can police and the greater public learn from one another to create harmony? During a recent panel discussion arranged...

A look ahead at Episode Six, a special focus on police and public safety issues. Trust, technology, a changing conversation and some news you can definitely use.

What's your town doing with its government access television channel? Creatively, we mean. In Raleigh, North Carolina, city government is putting the spotlight on the local music scene with top-shelf live performances -- professionally produced, as good as anything you'll see on TV -- to in turn shine light on the city itself and humanize local government. Using city-owned or -operated venues to s...

A preview of Episode Five, out Aug. 16, 2016.

On this episode, we journey into the psychology of moving from place to place and searching for the perfect town or city to settle down in -- if there is such a thing. Sometimes it comes with finding creative ways to build a relationship with your locale -- a conversation with huge insights not only for residents of any town but for local government as well. Our guest is Melody Warnick, author of...

Preview of Episode Four: Place Attachment! (The 'Art & Science' of...) by NC League of Municipalities

If a city or town is intentional enough, it can foster a local innovation ecosystem -- which isn't just a game reserved for major metros. Christopher Gergen, leader of learning collaborative Forward Cities and entrepreneurship group Forward Impact, tells us how he's seen his town and others of varying sizes become thriving, colorful hubs of creativity and innovation. How? It starts with understand...

Preview of Episode Three: Innovation! (And Where Local Gov't Fits In) by NC League of Municipalities