Show Notes: MLDC Book of the Week – The Burnout Epidemic
Episode 288 of The HaltingWinter Podcast

Your wellness program isn't fixing burnout, and Jennifer Moss explains why. This week's MLDC book, "The Burnout Epidemic," reveals that burnout isn't a personal problem requiring more yoga and meditation apps. It's an organizational design flaw that local government leaders have the power to fix.

In this episode, Seth introduces the six root causes of burnout and why each one shows up uniquely in municipal and county government. Moss wrote this book during the pandemic while experiencing burnout herself, and her insights hit differently for leaders still navigating hybrid work, staffing shortages, and exhausted teams. This isn't another self-care prescription. It's a framework for diagnosing what's actually broken in your organization and taking specific steps to fix it.

Join the Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC) to explore this book in depth with daily insights, practical applications, and a community of peers facing the same challenges. Learn more at HaltingWinter.com/MLDC.

Join the MLDC for the Complete 5-Part Series

The Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC) is a network of local government leaders from across North America, including city/county managers, administrators, and department heads, giving you access to:

✔ A weekly podcast series breaking down one book for municipal applications
✔ Daily blog reflections and implementation tools
✔ Our live, weekly, virtual mastermind session
✔ Monthly webinars with relevant training from local gov leaders

➡ Learn more at www.HaltingWinter.com/MLDC

Resources Mentioned

• Book: The Burnout Epidemic by Jennifer Moss

Connect with Seth Winterhalter

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter
• Website: www.HaltingWinter.com

Jennifer Bromeland: When Small Cities Carry Big Expectations
Collaboration, Communication, and Community Trust

Episode 287 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Brought to you by Tyler Technologies

In this episode of The HaltingWinter Podcast, Seth Winterhalter sits down with Jennifer Bromeland, City Administrator of Eagle Lake, Minnesota, to explore what leadership really looks like in small cities: where expectations are high, resources are limited, and relationships matter more than titles.

Jennifer shares her journey into local government, the realities of leading in small and rural communities, and why collaboration across sectors isn't a "nice-to-have," but essential to community success. From working closely with school districts to address childcare shortages to navigating growth, identity, and trust in a bedroom community, this conversation highlights the unseen work that keeps cities moving forward.

This episode is a powerful reminder that small cities don't have small problems and that effective municipal leadership is built on communication, adaptability, and trust.

Sponsored by:

• Tyler Technologies – the nation's leading provider of software solutions designed specifically for the public sector and local government. Learn more at tylertech.com/winter

• The Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC) is a global community for local government leaders who want ongoing support, practical insights, and a trusted peer network to help them lead with clarity and conviction. Learn more at haltingwinter.com/MLDC

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter
• Website: www.HaltingWinter.com

Dennis Champine: Built for the Long Haul
How One City Manager Outlasted Politics, Turnover, and Trend-Driven Leadership

Episode 286 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Brought to you by Tyler Technologies

What does it take to last in local government when the average city manager tenure is shrinking and the pressure keeps rising?

In this episode of The HaltingWinter Podcast, Seth Winterhalter sits down with Dennis Champine, City Manager of Center Line, Michigan, recently named one of the Top 10 City Managers of 2025. Dennis has served his community for more than a decade, not by chasing headlines or political wins, but by playing the long game.

Dennis' story is anything but traditional. From growing up in a low-income household, to serving in the Marine Corps, to entering formal higher education at age 40, his path into city management was shaped by service, setbacks, and lived experience, not ambition for the title.

In this conversation, Dennis shares what he's learned about endurance in a role designed to wear people down, including:

• Why longevity in city management comes from listening more than persuading

• How he reduced one of the highest tax rates in his county without cutting services

• The power of regional and federal partnerships to create new revenue without burdening residents

• What it really means to remain professionally neutral in an increasingly polarized environment

• How to engage residents when few show up to meetings, but everyone has an opinion

• Why integrity, restraint, and humility matter more than being right or popular

This episode is for city managers, administrators, and senior leaders who are tired of trend-driven leadership and short-term thinking and who want to build something that lasts.

If you've ever wondered how to stay grounded, effective, and human in the middle of political pressure and public scrutiny, this conversation is for you.

Sponsored by:

• Tyler Technologies – the nation's leading provider of software solutions designed specifically for the public sector and local government. Learn more at tylertech.com/winter

• The Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC) is a global community for local government leaders who want ongoing support, practical insights, and a trusted peer network to help them lead with clarity and conviction. Learn more at haltingwinter.com/MLDC

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter
• Website: www.HaltingWinter.com

Show Notes: MLDC Book of the Week – Grit
Episode 285 of The HaltingWinter Podcast

Why do some municipal leaders thrive through decades of service while others burn out or quit internally? This week in the MLDC, Seth Winterhalter is working through Angela Duckworth's "Grit" and finds the answer isn't about intelligence or charisma. It's about something you can actually develop in yourself and your team. The private sector recruits talent with money. You build capacity through mission and culture. Learn how to harness grit for incredible impact, both for yourself and your municipal organization.

Join the MLDC for the Complete 5-Part Series

The Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC) is a network of local government leaders from across North America, including city/county managers, administrators, and department heads, giving you access to:

✔ A weekly podcast series breaking down one book for municipal applications
✔ Daily blog reflections and implementation tools
✔ Our live, weekly, virtual mastermind session
✔ Monthly webinars with relevant training from local gov leaders

➡ Learn more at www.HaltingWinter.com/MLDC

Resources Mentioned

Special Announcement: Head to our YouTube channel to gain access to our first Leadership & Culture Training Session of 2026: "Personal Well-Being When Work-Life Balance is BS." This webinar is a feature for MLDC/L&C members and is only available to the public through January 31st!

• Book: Grit by Angela Duckworth
• L&C Training Session: YouTube Channel
• MLDC Info: www.haltingwinter.com/mldc

Connect with Seth Winterhalter

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter
• Website: www.HaltingWinter.com

Rose Beverly: Holding the Line When a City Is Struggling
Financial Strain, Fragile Public Trust, and the Work No One Sees

Episode 284 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Brought to you by Tyler Technologies

What does leadership look like when you inherit financial strain, face fragile public trust, and are still expected to keep a city moving forward?

In this episode of The HaltingWinter Podcast, Seth Winterhalter sits down with Rose Beverly, City Manager of Paris, Texas, for an honest and grounded conversation about the realities of municipal leadership when the work is weighty, the challenges feel overwhelming, and the solutions aren't immediate.

Rose shares her unconventional path into local government, from rural Idaho and elected office, to city administration roles in Minnesota and Kentucky, and now leading a regional hub city in Texas, where she finds herself navigating deferred infrastructure, financial pressure, and community expectations. Throughout the conversation, she offers a rare look at what it means to step into complexity you didn't create, but are now responsible for stewarding.

This episode isn't about quick wins or polished success stories. It's about holding the line, earning trust slowly, and doing the work that matters even when it goes unseen.

Sponsored by:

• Tyler Technologies – the nation's leading provider of software solutions designed specifically for the public sector and local government. Learn more at tylertech.com/winter

• The Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC) is a global community for local government leaders who want ongoing support, practical insights, and a trusted peer network to help them lead with clarity and conviction. Learn more at haltingwinter.com/MLDC

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter
• Website: www.HaltingWinter.com

Elvin "EJ" Hardwick: Finding the Call Before the Title
Youth Councils, Public Service, and the Making of a Town Manager

Episode 283 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Brought to you by Tyler Technologies

What happens when someone discovers their calling before they ever hold the title?

In this episode, Seth Winterhalter sits down with Elvin "EJ" Hardwick, Town Manager of Somerset, Maryland, and one of Government Business Review's Top 10 Town Managers to Watch. EJ's journey into municipal leadership didn't begin in graduate school or a corner office; it started as a teenager serving on a Youth City Council and a citizen recycling committee.

This conversation explores what it looks like to grow into leadership early, stay grounded in service, and lead at the most human level of government, where politics fade and community takes center stage.

EJ shares honest reflections on stepping into the town manager role at a young age, navigating council–staff–community dynamics, and creating space for innovation, youth voice, and belonging in a small but vibrant municipality just outside Washington, D.C.

This episode is both a reminder and an invitation:
Local government doesn't just maintain systems; it shapes lives. And the future of the profession depends on who we invite in early, how we mentor them, and whether we help them find the call before the title.

Sponsored by:

• Tyler Technologies – the nation's leading provider of software solutions designed specifically for the public sector and local government. Download your free e-book on cloud managment at tylertech.com/winter

• The Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC) is a global community for local government leaders who want ongoing support, practical insights, and a trusted peer network to help them lead with clarity and conviction. Learn more at haltingwinter.com/MLDC

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter
• Website: www.HaltingWinter.com

Show Notes: MLDC Book of the Week – Deep Work
Episode 282 of The HaltingWinter Podcast

This week in the Municipal Leadership Development Circle, Seth Winterhalter breaks down the key insights from Cal Newport's book, Deep Work, and it might be the most important book you read as a local government leader trying to produce impactful work.

When was the last time you had three uninterrupted hours to think strategically? For most city managers, county administrators, and department heads, the answer is "I can't remember." That's the crisis Newport addresses: your most important work requires sustained focus, but everything about your work environment destroys your ability to concentrate.

In this episode, Seth breaks down why the ability to perform deep work is becoming increasingly rare at exactly the same time it's becoming increasingly valuable and what that means for your leadership effectiveness.

Join the MLDC for the Complete 5-Part Series

The Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC) is a network of local government leaders from across North America, including city/county managers, administrators, and department heads, giving you access to:

✔ A weekly podcast series breaking down one book for municipal applications
✔ Daily blog reflections and implementation tools
✔ Our live, weekly, virtual mastermind session
✔ Monthly webinars with relevant training from local gov leaders

➡ Learn more at www.HaltingWinter.com/MLDC

Resources Mentioned

Special Announcement: Head to our YouTube channel to gain access to our first Leadership & Culture Training Session of 2026: "Personal Well-Being When Work-Life Balance is BS." This webinar is a feature for MLDC/L&C members and is only available to the public through January 31st!

• Book: Deep Work by Cal Newport
• L&C Training Session: YouTube Channel
• MLDC Info: www.haltingwinter.com/mldc

Connect with Seth Winterhalter

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter
• Website: www.HaltingWinter.com

Kevin Robinson: Called When the Water Rose
Floods, Crisis Leadership, and Carrying a City Forward

Episode 281 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Brought to you by Tyler Technologies

What does leadership look like when the plan collapses, the water keeps rising, and an entire city is depending on steady hands?

In this episode of The HaltingWinter Podcast, Seth Winterhalter sits down with Kevin Robinson, City Manager of Spencer, Iowa, to explore a leadership journey shaped not by ambition, but by service, timing, and crisis.

Kevin's path into city management is anything but traditional. From nonprofit work and private-sector entrepreneurship to serving as mayor, cemetery superintendent, and eventually stepping into city leadership during one of the most devastating floods in Spencer's history, his story is a powerful reminder that leadership often finds us before we feel ready.

This conversation pulls back the curtain on what crisis leadership really demands in local government, long after the cameras leave and the headlines fade.

Sponsored by:

• Tyler Technologies – the nation's leading provider of software solutions designed specifically for the public sector and local government. Download their free guides and more at tylertech.com/winter

• The Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC) is a global community for local government leaders who want ongoing support, practical insights, and a trusted peer network to help them lead with clarity and conviction. Learn more at haltingwinter.com/MLDC

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter
• Website: www.HaltingWinter.com