HaltingWinter

HaltingWinter Candid conversations with city managers and public servants leading cities to greater impact.

Personal Coaching: Body, Mind, Soul
Business Consulting: Leadership Development, Strategy, Culture, Marketing, Events

What if your greatest opportunity to serve comes after your military career ends?In Episode 341 of The HaltingWinter Pod...
06/04/2026

What if your greatest opportunity to serve comes after your military career ends?

In Episode 341 of The HaltingWinter Podcast, Seth Winterhalter sits down with former Army Lieutenant Colonel and city manager Dean Huard to discuss leadership, purpose, resilience, and why local government may be the perfect "second mission" for veterans.

Dean shares powerful lessons from his journey through military service, city management, career setbacks, health challenges, and the continued pursuit of meaningful impact.

Whether you're a veteran, local government leader, or someone passionate about public service, you'll find wisdom and encouragement in this conversation.

Listen here: https://haltingwinter.com/hwp-dean-huard/
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Sponsored by Tyler Technologies, Inc.
Residents don’t see systems; they experience outcomes. AI is helping local governments improve response times, access to services, and overall experience for the people they serve. Tyler’s free e-book, “AI for Impact: Proven Results for Government,” walks through real examples of that shift in action. Access it at TylerTech.com/WINTER.

Halting Winter

What makes an organization a great place to work?In Episode 340 of The HaltingWinter Podcast, Seth Winterhalter sits dow...
06/02/2026

What makes an organization a great place to work?

In Episode 340 of The HaltingWinter Podcast, Seth Winterhalter sits down with Jordan Villwock, Deputy City Manager for the City of Ontario, California, to discuss how Ontario became the top local government workplace in America among organizations with 1,000–2,500 employees.

From leadership development and succession planning to employee engagement and strategic alignment, this conversation offers practical lessons for anyone interested in building a stronger organization.

If you're a city manager, county administrator, department leader, or simply passionate about creating thriving workplace cultures, you'll find valuable insights in this episode.

Episode 340: https://haltingwinter.com/hwp-jordan-villwock/
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Sponsored by Tyler Technologies, Inc.
Local government leaders are being asked to do more with less time, fewer resources, and growing expectations. AI is starting to play a real role in helping teams meet that challenge. Tyler’s free e-book, “AI for Impact: Proven Results for Government,” shares how agencies are using AI to improve operations and better serve their communities. Download it at TylerTech.com/WINTER.

Halting Winter

Does your community feel served by your organization or do they feel cared for?Those aren't the same thing. And the gap ...
06/01/2026

Does your community feel served by your organization or do they feel cared for?

Those aren't the same thing.

And the gap between them is where trust either gets built or quietly erodes.

This week, the MLDC is exploring what it takes to close that gap.

Read More:

Halting Winter

Most people don’t think much about county government. And if they think about libraries at all, they probably picture bo...
05/28/2026

Most people don’t think much about county government. And if they think about libraries at all, they probably picture bookshelves and silence.

But this week’s conversation with Leonard Hernandez tells a very different story.

From libraries and parks to roads, public health, courts, and community spaces, counties quietly help hold communities together every single day.

In Episode 338 of The HaltingWinter Podcast, Leonard (County Manager for Thurston County) shares his incredible journey from shelving books in a library to leading one of Washington State’s fastest-growing counties.

This is a thoughtful conversation about leadership, collaboration, belonging, and the unseen work of local government.

🎧 Listen now: https://haltingwinter.com/hwp-leonard-hernandez/
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Sponsored by Tyler Technologies, Inc.
For city and county leaders, the question isn’t if AI will impact local government; it’s how to apply it in a way that actually helps your team and your community. Tyler’s free e-book, “AI for Impact: Proven Results for Government,” offers practical examples of how agencies are doing just that. Download it at TylerTech.com/WINTER.

Halting Winter

What if City Hall became a place people genuinely enjoyed being part of?In this week’s episode of The HaltingWinter Podc...
05/26/2026

What if City Hall became a place people genuinely enjoyed being part of?

In this week’s episode of The HaltingWinter Podcast, Seth sits down with Mike Winder, City Manager in Millcreek, Utah, to discuss how local government can help rebuild community, connection, and civic trust.

From designing a City Hall with public gathering spaces and community events to creating newsletters, recognition programs, and traditions that strengthen belonging, Mike shares practical and inspiring ideas that any local government leader can learn from.

This episode is a reminder that local government is about more than services.

It’s about people.
It’s about place.
And it’s about creating communities people are proud to belong to.

🎧 Listen now: https://haltingwinter.com/hwp-mike-winder/
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Sponsored by Tyler Technologies, Inc.
AI in local government doesn’t have to be theoretical. Across the country, agencies are already using it to simplify workflows, reduce manual tasks, and improve access to information. Tyler’s free e-book, “AI for Impact: Proven Results for Government,” highlights what’s actually working today. Get your copy at TylerTech.com/WINTER.

Halting Winter

Here's something nobody talks about in local government. Your finance director doesn't want the council to see the gap i...
05/26/2026

Here's something nobody talks about in local government. Your finance director doesn't want the council to see the gap in her knowledge of the new federal compliance requirements. Your public works superintendent doesn't want you to know he's struggling with the new capital project system. Your newest hire is performing with confidence she hasn't fully earned yet.

And if you're being honest, you're probably carrying something right now that you haven't said out loud to anyone either.

This is what Harvard researchers Robert Kegan and Lisa Lahey call the second job. And in “An Everyone Culture” — this week's MLDC Book of the Week — they make the case that it's one of the greatest drains on any organization's potential.

The good news? It's not a personnel problem. It's a culture problem. Which means it's a leadership opportunity.

We’re spending the week translating every insight from this book into the specific context of local government…the civil service realities, the elected oversight, the budget constraints, all of it.

Read more: https://haltingwinter.com/mldc-an-everyone-culture/
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The MLDC exists for one reason: to develop the leaders running local government. Find out if it's right for you and your organization at HaltingWinter.com/MLDC

Halting Winter

Most people never think about public works until something stops working.But every day, public works professionals quiet...
05/21/2026

Most people never think about public works until something stops working.

But every day, public works professionals quietly keep our communities functioning through infrastructure, utilities, transportation, sustainability, and emergency response support.

During National Public Works Week, we’re proud to feature Paz Gomez on The HaltingWinter Podcast.

Paz shares her incredible journey from the U.S. Navy Civil Engineer Corps to overseeing public works for the City of Carlsbad, California, along with powerful insights on leadership, service, mentorship, and the future of local government.

This is a conversation that will give you a whole new appreciation for the people behind the infrastructure we often take for granted.

🎧 Listen to Episode 335 here: https://haltingwinter.com/hwp-paz-gomez/
——
Sponsored by Tyler Technologies, Inc.
Residents don’t see systems; they experience outcomes. AI is helping local governments improve response times, access to services, and overall experience for the people they serve. Tyler’s free e-book, “AI for Impact: Proven Results for Government,” walks through real examples of that shift in action. Access it at TylerTech.com/WINTER.

Halting Winter

This National Public Works Week, we’re celebrating the people behind the infrastructure that keeps our communities movin...
05/19/2026

This National Public Works Week, we’re celebrating the people behind the infrastructure that keeps our communities moving every single day.

In Episode 334 of The HaltingWinter Podcast, Seth Winterhalter sits down with Julie Underwood, Public Works Director for the City of Kirkland and former city manager, for a powerful conversation about leadership, service, and the future of local government.

From roads and utilities to culture and leadership development, this episode highlights why public works is ultimately about building people and communities, not just projects.

Julie also shares insights from helping launch the Northwest Women’s Leadership Academy and the urgent need to intentionally develop the next generation of municipal leaders.

🎧 Episode 334: https://haltingwinter.com/hwp-julie-underwood/
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Sponsored by Tyler Technologies, Inc.
Local government leaders are being asked to do more with less time, fewer resources, and growing expectations. AI is starting to play a real role in helping teams meet that challenge. Tyler’s free e-book, “AI for Impact: Proven Results for Government,” shares how agencies are using AI to improve operations and better serve their communities. Download it at TylerTech.com/WINTER.

Halting Winter

Here's a question worth sitting with this week: Do the people on your team genuinely feel like they belong to something,...
05/18/2026

Here's a question worth sitting with this week: Do the people on your team genuinely feel like they belong to something, or are they just showing up?

Owen Eastwood has coached the England Football team, NATO's Command Group, and the British Olympic team, and the foundation of everything he does comes down to one word: belonging.

In his book “Belonging,” he makes the case that it's not a soft concept. It's the foundational condition for human performance. And for local government leaders navigating civil service systems, council pressures, and constant staff turnover, we should pay close attention.

This week inside the MLDC, we're translating Eastwood's framework directly into the context of local government leadership.

Start Here:

Halting Winter

What happens when you step into leadership…and realize you don’t feel ready?That’s the honest reality Kathy Hodgson shar...
05/14/2026

What happens when you step into leadership…and realize you don’t feel ready?

That’s the honest reality Kathy Hodgson shares in today’s episode of The HaltingWinter Podcast.

From starting as a teenage lifeguard to becoming the longtime City Manager of Lakewood, Colorado, Kathy’s story is a reminder that leadership isn’t about having all the answers from day one.

It’s about:
✔ Saying yes to opportunity
✔ Learning in real time
✔ Surrounding yourself with great people
✔ Leading with fairness and humility
✔ Growing into the role over time

We also discuss how local government leadership has changed dramatically over the years and the increasing pressure leaders face navigating homelessness, incivility, and community challenges.

This is a powerful conversation for anyone serving in local government today.

🎧 Episode 332 is now available: https://haltingwinter.com/hwp-kathy-hodgson/
——
Sponsored by Tyler Technologies, Inc.
Local government leaders are being asked to do more with less time, fewer resources, and growing expectations. AI is starting to play a real role in helping teams meet that challenge. Tyler’s free e-book, “AI for Impact: Proven Results for Government,” shares how agencies are using AI to improve operations and better serve their communities. Download it at TylerTech.com/WINTER.

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