PCC Local Time

• APMM Series: Everybody’s Hometown: How Media Borough Built a Sense of Place with Brittany Forman

  🎧 This episode of PCC Local Time is part of the APMM Series, featuring conversations with Pennsylvania’s municipal managers and leaders about the evolving practice of local government.In this episode, I talk with Brittany Forman, Manager of Media Borough in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, about what it takes to build — and preserve — a strong sense of place in a small community that has suddenly become a regional magnet.Brittany walks us through Media’s evolution from a struggling commercial district in the 1990s to today’s walkable, lively, “everybody’s hometown,” complete with trolleys, a regional rail station, an energetic restaurant district, and a deep environmental ethic.Listeners will hear a grounded, practical conversation about what local leaders can control, what they can influence, and what they simply need to adapt to as their communities change.This episode is for municipal managers, planners, elected officials, and anyone wrestling with growth, affordability, and the tension between tourism appeal and local character.CONTACT: Brittany FormanAPMMPCC Local Time on MuniSquareSHOWNOTES00:00–01:10 — Opening & PurposeI introduce Brittany and set the stage: a conversation for municipal managers and elected leaders about transformation and sense of place.01:10–04:00 — Brittany’s Path to MediaHer career in HUD, Norfolk, mayor’s office, planning, private-sector consulting — and how Media’s economic development plan brought her to the borough.04:00–06:00 — Living and Working in the Same CommunityWhy Media feels like the right fit and what it's meant to be embedded in the place she serves.06:00–08:30 — “Everybody’s Hometown” & The TrolleyWe discuss Media’s iconic branding, its historic trolley system, and early investments that anchor identity.08:30–11:00 — Media’s Built Form & Good BonesGrid layout, transit access, mixed housing types, courthouse activity, and how the borough’s size (¾ sq mile) shapes everyday life.11:00–13:30 — Media’s Recovery StoryThe 1990s: crime, vacancies, and disrepair — and how Mayor McMahon and elected officials actively recruited businesses and built events that revived the town.13:30–15:30 — A Full Calendar: 30+ Annual Street ClosuresBrittany describes Dining Under the Stars, seasonal festivals, parades, and weekly programs that create social cohesion.15:30–18:00 — Parks, Environmental Ethos & Regional ConnectivityMedia’s strong environmental culture, parks investment, and the importance of looking to adjacent municipal assets.18:00–21:00 — Housing Pressure & Becoming a “Victim of Success”Demand outpacing supply, luxury units, price spikes, first million-dollar home, and concerns about seniors and young families.21:00–23:30 — Media’s Affordable Housing StrategyVision: a place where residents can access housing at every stage of life.Focus areas: households under $75k, seniors, zoning changes, office conversions.23:30–26:00 — Preserving Character While Welcoming GrowthPlacemaking investments (Plum Street Mall), creating “third places,” and designing for...

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• Generation on the Rise - How to Shape Your Team

  Hosts Dave Pribulka, Eden Ratliff, and Brandon Ford, candid talk about shaping your team in your municipal organizations. They explore the essential roles needed in local government, the importance of dedicated HR departments, and the challenges of managing diverse personalities within teams. The conversation delves into the hiring process, community engagement in recruitment, and the dynamics of leadership, emphasizing the need for a balance between doers and thinkers.TAKEAWAYSHR is crucial for understanding municipal dynamics.Community engagement is vital in the hiring process.The role of the police chief can significantly impact management.Home Rule Charters allow municipalities to create their own regulations.Public safety funding is often misallocated in municipalities.Dedicated HR departments can enhance employee wellness and education.Managing doers and thinkers requires different strategies.Building relationships with new leaders is essential for team cohesion.Internal service departments play a key role in supporting operations.The hiring process should focus on culture fit and qualifications.

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• City Managers as Deliberative Systems Leaders with Martín Carcasson

  🎧 This episode of PCC Local Time is part of the APMM Series, featuring conversations with Pennsylvania’s municipal managers and leaders about the evolving practice of local government.Follow APMM on LinkedIn and Read more at APMM.netIn this episode of the APMM Series, produced in partnership with PCC Local Time, Nancy J. Hess and Dr. Martin Carcasson explore how local government leaders can shift from problem-solvers to systems builders. Together, they trace how small shifts in process — better questions, framing, and facilitation — can profoundly affect trust and decision-making in communities.Dr. Martin Carcasson is a professor of Communication Studies at Colorado State University and the founding director of the Center for Public Deliberation (CPD) — a university-community partnership that helps local governments, school districts, and civic organizations improve how they talk about complex public issues.Martin’s work draws from communication theory, social psychology, and systems thinking to design better public conversations about “wicked problems” — the issues that have no simple or permanent solutions.He has collaborated extensively with the Kettering Foundation, the National Civic League, and the International City/County Management Association (ICMA), where he’s trained city managers and superintendents to act as deliberative systems leaders.In his words:“If city managers see themselves as systems leaders — deliberative systems leaders — their job is to get a sense of how this system works, and then figure out how to intervene in this system to improve it.”More resources from Dr. Martin Carcasson:CPD resources page and my youtube channel🧭 Timestamps00:00 – 02:20 — Opening: Why talk about conversations at all?Martin distinguishes debate, deliberation, and dialogue.“Debate, deliberation, and dialogue… each has strengths and weaknesses.” 02:20 – 05:10 — The Charlie Kirk example and what it reveals about campus “deliberative systems”A live example of tough conversations and what universities can learn.05:10 – 07:30 — Nancy introduces Paul Bloom’s “Against Empathy” and the need for reflection“Am I being manipulated or am I being educated?” — Nancy 07:30 – 10:00 — Why conversation matters in local governmentNancy frames the skepticism many leaders have: “Do we really need all these meetings?”Martin connects it to wicked problems and shared goals“We prefer the simple story… but these issues require complexity.” — Martin 10:00 – 13:00 — Brain science and the limits of human natureWhy we resist nuance — and how public processes often make this worse.13:00 – 16:40 — Pre-work matters: why tough conversations shouldn’t start “on the fly”“Confidence becomes very powerful… often when it shouldn’t be.” —...

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• Conditions for Change: What it Takes to Move......a team, an organization, a local government.

  Hosts Dave Pribulka, Eden Ratliff, and Brandon Ford, are joined by Nancy Hess for a candid talk about what real change management looks like in local government. They explore how trust, timing, and human connection shape change — from labor negotiations to leadership teams to community-driven expectations.A double header this week… be sure to check out the chat for this week’s show!Subscribe to MuniSquare.Substack.com where you can find Generation on the Rise and PCC Local Time podcast episodes along with lots of other local government content!⏱️ Show Notes02:00 – 10:00 - What change management really looks like: buy-in, communication, and shifting expectations.10:00 – 18:00 - Real-world examples: labor negotiations, labor dynamics, and the conditions that make change possible.18:00 – 25:00 - External forces: AI, community pressure, and unexpected participation.25:00 – 33:00 - Pacing and leadership: slowing down on purpose, avoiding rushed decisions, emotional intelligence.33:00 – 42:00 - Trust, vulnerability, and the “blockbuster questions” that unlock better decisions.42:00 – 44:00 - Wrap-up: reflections and close.

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• Back from ICMA in Tampa - and a Deep Dive on Trust, Boundaries, and the Human Side of Leadership

  Fresh from the ICMA Conference in Tampa, the Generation on the Rise crew dives into how to draw the line between leadership and politics. Eden reflects on his ICMA session about rebuilding trust after a $3.2 million fraud case, while Dave and Brandon unpack what it means to stay apolitical and human in a world where expectations sometimes conflict with professional ethics. From the emotional side of management to candid talk about boards, boundaries, and values, this episode captures the nuance and humor of a profession in flux. Join hosts: Dave Pribulka, Brandon Ford, Eden Ratliff.Check out more content like this and PCC Local Time at [email protected]

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