The FCCMA Podcast

Kim Glas-Castro, Assistant Village Manager of the Village of Palm Springs and Commissioner/Vice Mayor in Lake Park, discusses her unique position and insights gained from simultaneously holding roles as a village manager and elected official. She explores challenges in engaging residents, participating in commission meetings and finding common ground as a certified mediator.  

Dr. Ratna Okhai, a recent Ph. D. graduate in Public Affairs from UCF and soon-to-be faculty member at the University of South Florida, joins us to discuss the critical role of transparency in crisis communication. Drawing from her research on social media and crisis communications, Ratna sheds light on the concept of a "cascading crisis." She highlights the balance between sharing pertin...

In this enlightening episode, Sheryl Sculley, the Amazon bestselling author and keynote speaker at the 2023 FCCMA Annual Conference, shares her wisdom on establishing credibility, confidence and trust in local government. Sheryl provides valuable advice on nurturing employee autonomy while offering guidance and coaching. She emphasizes the importance of political savvy for city government employee...

In this episode, we hear the inspiring story of Steven Hunnicutt, Lake Hamilton Town Administrator. Join us as we explore his transformation from a police officer to a Town Administrator and learn how his diverse experiences have shaped his approach to understanding community needs and navigating resistance to change.

In this episode, Andrea McCue, the City Manager of Greenacres, shares her insights on leading through change. Starting with a clean slate, Andrea outlines her approach to understanding the city's dynamics before implementing impactful changes. She delves into her guideposts for problem-solving, which include leadership training and team building. Andrea emphasizes the importance of grasping th...

In this episode, Assistant City Manager Michelle del Valle from Winter Park explores the importance of giving people victories. She discusses various initiatives, including park and library creation, addressing resistance to change within communities and building consensus through feedback from dissenting residents. Michelle recommends starting discussions with concepts to ensure that everyone&#39...

Travis Wade, City Manager of Apalachicola, reflects on the city's transformation from a seafood-driven economy to a tourist-driven one. The discussion with Steve covers topics such as height limits for new construction permits, challenges in ensuring high-quality drinking water, and the city's efforts to expand its riverfront community.

In this episode, Dania Beach City Manager Ana Garcia shares essential action steps for building great teams in city management. She emphasizes the importance of having one mission and one direction while keeping politics out of city hall. Ana believes that everything starts with the foundation of the team and the shared set of values. While team members may have different mindsets, having a common...

Back in episode #19, Steve interviewed the then fairly new Florida Division of Emergency Management Director, Kevin Guthrie. Today we re-visit Director Guthrie who speaks directly to city and county management with the end goal of saving lives and recovering tens of millions of dollars through FDEM and FEMA.

In this episode, George Landry, County Administrator of St. Lucie County, reflects on his military background and transition to public service. With a 20-year military service and extensive overseas experience, Landry shares the alignment of skillsets required for critical decision-making. He expresses the satisfaction of impacting lives in the public sector and discusses the rapid growth of St. L...

In this episode, Deputy County Manager Donna Renberg of Osceola County explores the value of mentorship and preparing future leaders. Renberg emphasizes the significance of providing all the necessary information to those working under her and creating a safe space for open dialogue. She discusses the challenges of delegating tasks and dealing with the perceived loss of control. Additionally, the...

Temple Terrace City Manager Carlos Baia shares his insights on how government processes can facilitate or hinder business. In this episode, Baia discusses the importance of differentiating your community from larger neighboring areas like, in his case, Tampa. He emphasizes the need for communities to be selective in accepting development projects, ensuring they are the best choices for specific ar...

Explore the transformative power of accountability in leadership with Sam Silverstein, founder of the Accountability Institute and keynote speaker at the 2023 FCCMA Annual Conference. Discover a new perspective on accountability as a gift, not punishment. Learn about relational commitments and the role of leaders in modeling and teaching accountability.

Join Rick Johnson, City Manager of Mulberry, as he shares the inspiring story of the city's revival. Hear about the challenges faced, including corruption and high taxes. Learn about the ongoing projects, such as a new municipal complex and downtown restaurant complex, funded by the Community Redevelopment Agency.

Discover how technology is transforming governance with Christophe St. Luce. Explore the city's progress, including the construction of a Riverwalk. Christophe discusses using leading-edge technology, reaching wider audiences and overcoming daily technological challenges.

Join Deborah Manzo, County Administrator of Okeechobee County, as she navigates the differences between urban Palm Beach County and rural Okeechobee. Explore the challenges of rising homeowner insurance and the importance of stormwater mitigation. Deborah also offers valuable insights from her experience as a mentor.

City Manager of Largo, Henry Schubert, discusses the importance of building relationships with employees and communities. He talks about his monthly breakfast meetings with employees from different departments, where he gets to know them in a casual and conversational way. Henry also shares his experience dealing with diverse geography and communities and the need for honest communication and clea...

In this special 100th episode, our featured guest is Mike Sittig, who worked for the Florida League of Cities for nearly 50 years and served as its Executive Director for 25. He talks about his retirement a little over two years ago and reflects on his long and successful career. The episode provides insights into the challenges and opportunities FLC faced during Mike's time there and how he h...

Lee County Manager Roger Desjarlais  discusses the challenges of recruiting and maintaining the best employees in a changing environment where people get their information virtually. He also shares his experience helping newly elected officials navigate the process and have their voices heard. Roger discusses project management challenges and successes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In this episode, Kristina Ciuperger, Deputy City Manager of Port St. Lucie, emphasizes that people are a product of their behavior and that allowing them to pursue their passions will keep them motivated and enable them to excel at their jobs. Kristina also talks about the need for departments to communicate effectively, utilizing social media and understanding the cultural use of each medium. As...

Retired/Interim City Manager Chris Holley shares insights from his 50 years in local government, particularly on disaster response and financial planning. Known as the "Master of Disaster," Holley has served as an interim manager for cities in need, often those struck by natural disasters. Holley emphasizes the need for a response protocol that managers can use when dealing with storms a...

In this episode of the FCCMA podcast, Chief Human Services Administrator of Hillsborough County Carl Harness talks about the challenges of homelessness. Harness explains the six-legged stool model of human services, how the Tampa Hillsborough Homeless Initiative addresses homelessness, and how they are working with developers to provide housing for homeless vets and families. He also touches on th...

Miami Lakes Deputy Town Manager Dr. Tony Lopez began his Doctor of Business Administration program with one goal: to determine the factors driving the success of local government services and infrastructure. In this episode, he explains the differences between privatization, outsourcing, and public/private partnership and how the public sector can solve problems using business principles.

Assistant County Administrator for Charlotte County Claire Jubb has had plenty of experience dealing with FEMA, disaster housing and flooding in her 19 years working there. She discusses how to put the right tools in place to minimize loss of life and loss of property, manage a flooding threat and make a recovery plan when it looks like a disaster is imminent. 

Lori LaVerriere, Palm Beach Gardens Deputy City Manager and current FCCMA President, discusses the deeply personal journey of an unexpected career transition. “It’s a tough job,” said Lori. “You’ve got to love what you do!”