The HaltingWinter Podcast

Ken Striplin: Culture Is Built, Not Assumed
What It Takes to Develop Leaders and Sustain Excellence in Local Government
*]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id= "7f0aa905-d803-4481-9e44-c1a088a011df" data-testid= "conversation-turn-12" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn= "assistant"> Episode 305 of The HaltingWinter Podcast Brought to you by Tyler Technologies
What does it actually take to build a municipal culture that lasts?
Not slogans. Not one-off trainings. Not a new strategic plan every few years.
In this episode, Ken Striplin, City Manager of Santa Clarita, California, shares what 30 years inside one organization has taught him about leadership, development, and intentional culture-building.
From starting as an intern to leading a city that has doubled in population under his tenure, Ken offers a rare inside look at how sustainable excellence is created and measured.
We explore:
Why leadership is transferable and technical skills are learnable

The power of saying "yes" before you feel fully ready

How structured mentorship changes identity, not just performance

Why culture must be programmed, measured, and reinforced

The role of job shadowing and cross-department exposure in breaking silos

Santa Clarita doesn't guess about engagement. They measure it.
With 91% employee survey participation and scores that reflect genuine pride in the workplace, Ken shares the systems behind the success: leadership academies, mentoring cohorts, wellness initiatives, and intentional succession planning.
If you care about building a culture that outlives your tenure… If you're developing the next generation of municipal leaders… If you're wrestling with growth, burnout, or the weight of the city manager role…
This episode will challenge and encourage you. Because culture isn't accidental.
It's built. And it's worth building well.
Sponsored by:
Tyler Technologies – the nation's leading provider of software solutions designed specifically for the public sector and local government. Learn more at https://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 https://haltingwinter.com/MLDC
Connect with Seth Winterhalter
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter
Website: https://www.HaltingWinter.com

Jeff Weckbach: The Conversation That Launched a Career
How Exposure and Mentorship Shape the Next Generation of City Managers
*]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id= "7f0aa905-d803-4481-9e44-c1a088a011df" data-testid= "conversation-turn-12" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn= "assistant"> Episode 304 of The HaltingWinter Podcast Brought to you by Tyler Technologies
What if the future of local government hinges on a single conversation?
Before he ever stepped into the Township Administrator's office in Colerain Township, Ohio, Jeff Weckbach was simply a college student completing an assignment. He reached out to then–City Manager Milton Dohoney for an interview.
That hour changed everything.
In this episode, Jeff shares how exposure, not early certainty, set him on the path to municipal leadership. From internships and county government to becoming Township Administrator, his journey highlights something critical: the pipeline doesn't build itself.
Jeff's story is steady, thoughtful, and deeply relevant to today's municipal landscape. It's a reminder that leadership is often shaped long before someone sits in the big chair and that today's leaders have a responsibility to open doors for those coming behind them.
Sponsored by:
Tyler Technologies – the nation's leading provider of software solutions designed specifically for the public sector and local government. Learn more at https://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 https://haltingwinter.com/MLDC
Connect with Seth Winterhalter
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter
Website: https://www.HaltingWinter.com

Show Notes: MLDC Book of the Week – Boundaries for Leaders
Episode 303 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
_*]:min-w-0 gap-3"> What if you have more control as a local government leader than you realize? This week in the Municipal Leadership Development Circle, we're exploring "Boundaries for Leaders" by Dr. Henry Cloud, a book that reframes leadership from managing what happens to setting boundaries that create the conditions for success.
In this episode, Seth Winterhalter introduces the core concepts of the book and explains why Cloud's research on neuroscience and leadership is essential for city managers, county administrators, and department heads operating within local government's unique constraints.


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: Boundaries for Leaders by Dr. Henry Cloud
Connect with Seth Winterhalter
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter
Website: www.HaltingWinter.com

Travis Coenen: Leading Where Everyone Knows Your Name
Building Systems That Turn Small-Town Pressures Into Sustainable Growth
*]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id= "7f0aa905-d803-4481-9e44-c1a088a011df" data-testid= "conversation-turn-12" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn= "assistant"> Episode 302 of The HaltingWinter Podcast Brought to you by Tyler Technologies
What does leadership look like when everyone in town knows you and isn't afraid to tell you what they think?
In this episode, Seth sits down with Travis Coenen, Village Administrator of Wrightstown, Wisconsin, to explore the weight and reward of leading in a small community. From growing up in a town of 1,200 people to overseeing its expansion to more than 4,000 residents, Travis shares how intentional systems, transparent communication, and long-term stewardship transformed both infrastructure and community trust.
Before becoming an administrator, Travis worked in utility construction, served as a wastewater operator, and was once told he wouldn't even make the interview process for Director of Public Works. He applied anyway.
This conversation is a reminder that local government isn't small work; it's personal, visible, and generational.
If you lead in a community where your reputation lives next door, this episode 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 https://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 https://haltingwinter.com/MLDC
Connect with Seth Winterhalter
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter
Website: https://www.HaltingWinter.com

Brian Heck: Thick Skin, Soft Heart
Absorbing Criticism While Building Communities That Last
*]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id= "7f0aa905-d803-4481-9e44-c1a088a011df" data-testid= "conversation-turn-12" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn= "assistant"> Episode 301 of The HaltingWinter Podcast Brought to you by Tyler Technologies
What does it take to lead in local government for nearly four decades?
In this episode, Seth sits down with Brian Heck, City Administrator of Montgomery, Minnesota, who was recently named one of the Top 10 City Administrators for 2026. After 38 years serving in city, county, and state government, and now preparing for retirement, Brian reflects on the realities few people see behind the title.
He shares candidly about being fired twice, learning resilience the hard way, and discovering that city managers are "all interim…it just depends on how long."
From rebuilding infrastructure and restructuring failing utility finances to revitalizing a historic downtown, Brian walks through the long-game work of municipal leadership: work that rarely makes headlines but shapes communities for generations.
He also speaks honestly about the personal cost of constant availability, the lesson of putting the oxygen mask on yourself first, and why thick skin must be paired with a soft heart.
Leadership in a small city isn't glamorous. It isn't always secure. It won't make you wealthy.
But it can make you impactful.
And if you do it well, you leave your community stronger than you found it.
Sponsored by:
Tyler Technologies – the nation's leading provider of software solutions designed specifically for the public sector and local government. Learn more at https://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 https://haltingwinter.com/MLDC
Connect with Seth Winterhalter
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter
Website: https://www.HaltingWinter.com