From City Staffer to Councilmember: How Joe Pradetto Flipped the Script on Local Politics | Ep.13

After 25 years in local government, veteran city manager Kevin Lahner made a decision he never expected to make. He walked away. Why? Because the profession he loved was beginning to change who he was. Among his peers, Kevin was a respected leader and mentor. But in the community he served, he increasingly faced accusations of incompetence and dishonesty. For someone whose identity was built around integrity and public service, those accusations cut deeply. The criticism was relentless. Public meetings. Social media. Emails. Personal attacks. Eventually, the stress followed him home. In Episode 31 of Gov360, City Manager Chris Mann sits down with former Janesville, Wisconsin City Manager Kevin Lahner for a deeply personal conversation about the emotional toll of public leadership, the changing political environment, and one of the hardest questions any leader can confront: When is it time to walk away? Kevin's career began almost by accident. A former journalist, he entered local government in Texas and became interim city manager of Keller at just 26. Over the next two decades, he built a career developing people, strengthening organizations, and solving complex community problems. But his final years in city management were different. In Janesville, a controversial proposal to redevelop the former General Motors assembly plant into a data center became a flashpoint for community opposition. Political tensions escalated, and Kevin found himself the target of increasingly personal attacks. His integrity was questioned, and efforts to respond with facts seemed unable to change the narrative. Kevin describes becoming less patient with his children, struggling to remain present with his family, and carrying stress he didn't fully recognize until he resigned. When he made that decision, he says he literally felt 20 pounds lighter. Chris and Kevin explore why competence alone may no longer be enough for local government leaders, how social media and declining public trust have changed the profession, and why the city manager's office can be an incredibly lonely place. They discuss the importance of professional support networks, vulnerability, executive coaching, and recognizing when the personal cost of leadership becomes too great. Kevin also reflects on transitioning into the private sector, the parts of city management he still misses, and the unexpected freedom of continuing to serve communities without carrying the weight of the city manager's chair. For public servants facing difficult times, this conversation offers an important reminder: leadership requires more than resilience and perseverance. It also requires the wisdom to recognize when staying is costing too much. Because sometimes the hardest leadership decision isn't deciding to stay and fight. It's knowing when to walk away. ⸻ 📺 Watch Gov360 Episode 31 on YouTube: https://youtu.be/7tT6o1h2f_I ⸻ JOIN THE GOV360 COMMUNITY Leadership doesn't have to be lonely. Connect with local government professionals through live conversations, leadership resources, and exclusive behind-the-scenes content. 👉 https://www.patreon.com/Gov360 ⸻ GOV360 PARTNER: JACOB GREEN & ASSOCIATES Gov360 welcomes Jacob Green & Associates as our first official sponsor. JGA helps local governments strengthen organizations, develop leaders, and navigate complex challenges. 🏛️ https://www.jacobgreenandassociates.com ⸻ CHAPTERS 0:00 Cold Open: When Is Enough, Enough?0:50 Introduction: The Personal Cost of Public Service1:46 Gov360's First Sponsor: Jacob Green & Associates4:06 Meet Kevin Lahner: 25 Years in Local Government5:51 An Unlikely Journey into City Management10:27 Becoming a City Manager at 2614:15 What Makes Public Service Worthwhile?16:50 Respected by Peers, Attacked by the Community21:34 Why Competence Is No Longer Enough26:42 What Went Wrong in Janesville?30:22 The Data Center Controversy36:50 When Criticism Becomes Personal43:56 The Hidden Toll on Leaders and The

Most people hear about government when something has gone wrong. A scandal. A failure. A meeting that explodes. An official who betrays the public trust. Those stories matter. Journalism is supposed to expose failure and hold power accountable. But planes landing safely don't make the news. Neither do the thousands of public servants who quietly solve problems, deliver services, and keep communities functioning every day. So if failure is the story we keep seeing, is government really as broken as it looks? In Episode 30 of Gov360, City Manager Chris Mann sits down with veteran journalist David Martin, host of The Good Government Show, for a wide-ranging conversation about government, journalism, public trust, civic engagement, and the people behind public service. David spent more than two decades in television news, including time with CBS News and Fox News. His career took him from presidential campaigns and mayoral politics to organized crime, major criminal trials, 9/11, and Afghanistan. Then he began looking at government through a very different lens: asking what government looks like when it actually works. After nearly 200 conversations with elected officials, administrators, and public servants, David says the biggest surprise has been discovering how many remarkable stories inside government simply never make the news. Those experiences have changed the way David sees the stereotypical government employee and reinforced his belief that, for the most part, government is working and people inside it are trying to do the right thing. The conversation ultimately comes back to something more fundamental: an informed public requires people willing to do the work of being informed. David's message is simple: show up. Read local news. Attend a council meeting before you're angry about something. Learn how your government actually works. Get involved. Because democracy works better when the people participating in it understand what their government is actually doing. ⸻ 📺 Watch Gov360 Episode 30 on YouTube: https://youtu.be/4OMKEXuFQgM ⸻ Join the Gov360 Community Leadership doesn't have to be lonely. The Gov360 Community is a professional home for local government leaders who want to continue the conversations started on the podcast. Members connect through live conversations, leadership resources, behind-the-scenes content, and meaningful relationships with professionals who understand the unique challenges and rewards of public service. 👉 Join the Gov360 Community on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Gov360 ⸻ Chapters 0:00 Is Government Really as Broken as It Looks? 1:06 Welcome to Gov360 2:53 Government and Journalism 4:38 David Martin’s Journey as a Journalist 10:55 What Do Journalists Look for at City Hall? 13:46 Why Local TV Focuses on Crisis 16:21 Looking at Government From the Other Side 17:25 Why David Created The Good Government Show 19:25 Why Negative Government Stories Dominate the News 20:32 How Accurate Is the Public’s Picture of Government? 22:01 Social Media, Misinformation and the Decline of Local News 26:10 What Happened to Local Journalism? 28:32 Telling the Stories of Good Government 31:17 Why Government Is Bad at Telling Its Own Story 35:24 What David Has Learned From 200 Conversations 40:46 What Does “Good Government” Actually Mean? 47:03 Why Local Leaders Serve 53:29 Has David’s View of Government Employees Changed? 55:25 Emotion, Ego and Entitlement 57:30 Can We Restore Civility to Public Discourse? 1:00:18 Serving Everyone, Not Just the People Who Voted for You 1:03:56 The Origin of The Good Government Show 1:07:44 The Stories David Never Expected to Find 1:13:25 Inspiring the Next Generation of Public Servants 1:15:45 What Americans Need to Understand About Government 1:18:10 Final Thoughts: Most of Government Is Just People ⸻ Links & Resources 👉 Join the Gov360 Community on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Gov360 📬 Subscribe to The Gov360 Briefing, the free Gov360 email newsletter

Local government has been through a difficult season. Political polarization. Social media attacks. Burnout. Public distrust. Workforce challenges. Talented professionals questioning whether the personal cost of public service is still worth it. Those challenges are real. But they are not the whole story. There are reasons to believe something better is taking shape. In Episode 29 of Gov360, “A New Hope,” City Manager Chris Mann takes a different look at the state of local government and makes the case for optimism about where the profession is headed. A new generation of public servants is bringing fresh ideas and challenging old assumptions. Local governments are learning how to use social media to communicate more authentically and rebuild trust. Artificial intelligence is creating opportunities to eliminate administrative work and give leaders more time for the human side of leadership. And perhaps most importantly, the profession is finally having honest conversations about burnout, loneliness, resilience, and the personal cost of public service. None of that means the challenges have disappeared. Hope isn't pretending everything is fine. It is recognizing the problems in front of us while believing something better is still possible, and then doing something to help build it. Because the future of local government isn't something that simply happens to us. We get to help shape it. This episode explores: ✅ Why the challenges facing local government don't necessarily mean the profession is in decline✅ How a new generation of public servants could reshape local government for the better✅ Why younger professionals are right to question some long-standing assumptions about public-sector careers✅ How social media could evolve from one of government's greatest challenges into a tool for rebuilding public trust✅ Why government needs to tell its own story before someone else tells it for us✅ How AI could make government more efficient, and leadership more human✅ Why openly discussing burnout, loneliness, and the emotional toll of leadership is actually a sign of progress✅ The resilience of public servants who endure difficult seasons and keep moving forward✅ Why a bad chapter, a bad council, or a bad organization doesn't have to define an entire career✅ Five practical things struggling local government professionals can do right now✅ Why experienced leaders have a responsibility to mentor the next generation✅ Why the future of local government will be built one leader, one organization, and one decision at a time 📺 Watch Episode 29 on YouTube: https://youtu.be/56KvatC64Zo ⸻ Join the Gov360 Community Leadership doesn't have to be lonely. The Gov360 Community is a professional home for local government leaders who want to continue the conversations started on the podcast. Members connect through live conversations, leadership resources, Commute with Chris, behind-the-scenes content, and meaningful relationships with professionals who understand the unique challenges and rewards of public service. 👉 Join the Gov360 Community on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Gov360 ⸻ Chapters 0:00 The Challenges Facing Local Government2:02 Welcome to Gov3604:59 Is Local Government Really in Decline?6:30 A New Generation of Public Servants10:53 Is Local Government Finally Figuring Out Social Media?15:16 Why AI Gives Me Hope18:38 We’ve Finally Started Talking About the Problems21:57 The Biggest Reason I Have Hope24:22 What If You Don’t Feel Hopeful Right Now?25:53 Five Things You Can Control28:31 Don’t Wait for Someone Else to Fix the Profession30:05 Why I Called This Episode “A New Hope”32:20 Good People Keep Showing Up33:34 Final Thoughts and How to Support Gov36035:20 Local Government Has Found A New Hope ⸻ Links & Resources 👉 Join the Gov360 Community on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Gov360 📬 Subscribe to The Gov360 Briefing, the free Gov360 email newsletter: https://gov360briefing.beehiiv.com/ 💻 CiviSocial - Social Media

Local government can break your heart. Not because the work lacks meaning, but because it matters so deeply. The people who choose careers in public service often carry enormous responsibility for their communities, organizations, employees, and democratic institutions. They celebrate victories that may never be noticed, absorb criticism few people fully understand, and confront problems that may never be completely solved. And yet, they keep coming back. In Episode 28 of Gov360, City Manager Chris Mann sits down with former San Rafael City Manager Jim Schutz to explore the emotional realities of local government leadership through one of the profession’s most unexpected lenses: poetry. Jim’s book, The Mayor Has a Hammer, is a collection of poems inspired by more than thirty years in local government. But this conversation is about far more than poetry. It is about the people behind the budgets, ordinances, council meetings, infrastructure projects, and public controversies. It is about why the work hurts...and why it remains worth doing. This episode explores: ✅ Why local government leaders struggle to acknowledge the emotional toll of the profession✅ The three “lions” every city manager must care for: the council, staff, and community✅ Why council chambers can feel like sacred spaces for democracy✅ The cumulative effect of crises, criticism, polarization, and constant public scrutiny✅ Why admitting that leadership hurts can feel like admitting weakness✅ The complicated truth behind “Run the city like a business”✅ What separates exceptional elected officials from ineffective ones✅ Why city managers must intentionally build joy into their careers✅ How retirement can challenge a public servant’s identity✅ Why local government breaks your heart, and why we keep coming back

Leadership can be incredibly lonely. Not because leaders are isolated. But because responsibility often can’t be shared. What if the conversation didn’t have to end when the podcast ended? Over the past year, Gov360 has brought together city managers, elected officials, consultants, authors, and other respected leaders from across the local government profession. Every episode ended the same way: the cameras stopped rolling…and the conversation became even more honest. That’s when people shared the decisions that still weighed on them years later. The difficult council relationships. The personnel issues. The mistakes that shaped them. The moments they questioned whether they could continue in the profession. In Episode 27 of Gov360, City Manager Chris Mann shares the three biggest lessons he learned from the first twenty-six episodes and explains why they convinced him that the profession doesn’t simply need more information. It needs more community. This episode explores:✅ Why leadership can be far lonelier than most people realize✅ The biggest lessons learned from interviewing local government leaders✅ Why great professions are built on community, not just conferences✅ The conversations that happen after the microphones are turned off✅ How Gov360 has evolved from a podcast into something much bigger✅ The vision behind the new Gov360 Community✅ Why the future of leadership is built on connection Along the way, Chris shares several personal stories that reshaped his own approach to leadership, including decisions that still stay with him today and the experiences that nearly drove him out of the profession. This is the most personal Gov360 episode recorded thus far. More than anything, this episode is an invitation. An invitation to continue the conversation. 🎧 Watch the full episode:https://youtu.be/XwWRFw_LeS8 ⸻ Introducing the Gov360 Community Early access to the Gov360 Community is now open. The Gov360 Community is a professional home for local government leaders who want to continue the conversations started on the podcast through leadership discussions, live events, AI resources, recommended reading, practical leadership tools, and meaningful connections with professionals across the country. 👉 Join the Gov360 Community (early access is available now for viewers of Ep.27):https://www.patreon.com/cw/Gov360/membership 📅 Join us Tuesday, July 21 at 6:00 p.m. Pacific for a special LIVE Gov360 event on YouTube, where we’ll officially kick off the Gov360 Community, discuss the future of local government leadership, give everyone a live tour of the community, and answer your questions. ⸻ Chapters 0:00 Leadership Doesn’t Have to Be Lonely2:07 Welcome to Gov3603:50 Lesson One: Leadership Is About People6:09 A Leadership Decision That Still Haunts Me8:26 Lesson Two: Leadership Can Be Lonely10:16 Why Responsibility Often Can’t Be Shared12:24 Lesson Three: Great Professions Are Built on Community14:28 The Podcast Wasn’t the Destination15:23 The Story That Changed Everything17:19 Local Government Has a Connection Problem19:28 Introducing the Gov360 Community19:44 Gov360 Live Kickoff Event20:09 Early Access Now Open20:31 What the Gov360 Community Will Become21:41 A Professional Home, Not a Membership Site22:58 Why Local Government Still Matters23:01 The Profession Almost Broke Me25:07 None of Us Gets Through This Alone25:51 Building a Stronger Profession26:15 Final Thoughts and Subscribe ⸻ Links & Resources 👉 Join the Gov360 Community:https://www.patreon.com/cw/Gov360 👉 Explore Gov360 Episodes and Resources:https://www.chrismann.us/gov360 📬 Subscribe to the Free Gov360 Newsletter:https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7320606146577186817/ 📲 Connect with Chris Mann on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrismann76 🎙️ Subscribe to Gov360 on Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gov360/id1807649614 🎧 Listen on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/3Rq8Hxqvx23OVL0H4bQdqa 💻 Visit Chris Mann’s Website