
Advertise on podcast: Ground Floor Government
Rating
5from
This podcast has
29 episodes
Language
EnglishPublisher
PhoneLive.ioExplicit
No
Date created
2025/08/05
Latest episode
2026/02/05
Average duration
23 min.
Release period
7 days
Description
Ground Floor Government is the podcast for the people who make local government work—behind the scenes. Hosted by David Plappert, founder of PhoneLive.io, this show gives city and county clerks, IT leads, communication pros, and public servants their time at the mic. ㅤ Each week, we dig into what really keeps cities and counties running—last-minute meeting prep, tech shifts, team leadership, and the quiet but essential work of transparency and public service. If you’ve ever hit publish on a public notice, stayed late to prep a meeting, or solved a problem no one even saw coming, this show is for you.
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Check latest episodes from Ground Floor Government podcast
From Classroom to City Hall (with Angela Allen) | Ep. 28
2026/02/05
Summary
In this episode of Ground Floor Government, host Hugh Plappert interviews Angela Allen, the city treasurer of Inglewood, California. Angela shares her unique journey from education to local government, discussing the challenges she faced, the importance of finance in city management, and her commitment to community engagement. She emphasizes the need for organization and the value of mentorship for those aspiring to enter local government. Angela's passion for public service shines through as she highlights her efforts to improve transparency and accessibility in her role.
Takeaways
Angela Allen transitioned from education to local government.She faced challenges in gaining the trust of residents during her campaign.Finance is crucial for city operations and decision-making.Angela emphasizes the importance of community engagement.She believes in the power of mentorship for aspiring officials.Organization is key to managing multiple responsibilities in local government.Angela worked hard to catch up on city clerk minutes.She aims to make the city treasurer's office more visible in the community.Starting from the bottom is acceptable in local government careers.Building relationships with residents and officials is essential.
The Journey of a City Clerk (with Belinda Munson) | Ep. 27
2026/02/02
Summary
In this conversation, Hugh Plappert interviews Belinda Munson, the city clerk of Muncie, Indiana, discussing her journey into local government, the modernization of public records, and the challenges faced in her role. Belinda shares insights on the importance of people skills, the intricacies of local governance, and offers advice for those looking to enter public service. The discussion highlights the significance of community engagement and the evolving nature of local government responsibilities.
Takeaways
You can start with local government at the bottom or with experience.Belinda Munson has a diverse background before becoming city clerk.Modernizing records made information more accessible to the public.Challenges in local government often require collaboration with various departments.People skills and patience are crucial in dealing with the public.Belinda emphasizes the importance of transparency in local government.Running a campaign involves more than just getting votes; it requires hard work.Belinda's experience shows the impact of community feedback on government services.The role of a city clerk includes record keeping and supporting the city council.Volunteering in local campaigns is a great way to get involved in government.
Innovative Budgeting in Local Government (with Andrew Kleine) | Ep. 26
2026/01/29
Summary
In this conversation, Andrew Kleine discusses his journey in local government finance, particularly his experiences in Baltimore during the Great Recession. He emphasizes the importance of innovative budgeting strategies, community engagement, and outcome-based budgeting to effectively manage city finances. Andrew shares insights on the skills necessary for success in local government and offers advice for aspiring professionals in the field. The discussion highlights the impact of local government work on communities and the importance of aligning budgets with community priorities.
Takeaways
Finance is crucial for the functioning of cities.Transitioning from federal to local government can be rewarding.Innovative budgeting can help navigate financial crises.Community engagement is essential in the budgeting process.Outcome-based budgeting aligns financial resources with community priorities.Skills in communication and collaboration are vital for budget analysts.Local government work has a direct impact on community well-being.Taking initiative can lead to significant policy changes.Engaging the public in budgeting can make the process more transparent.Understanding the whole organization enhances career prospects in local government.
The Role of Public Service in Community Engagement (with Dominique Davis) | Ep. 25
2026/01/26
In this conversation, Dominique Davis, a city clerk and public affairs officer, shares her journey in local government, emphasizing the importance of public service, community engagement, and accessibility. She discusses the challenges faced in her roles, including crisis management and budget processes, while highlighting the skills necessary for success in local government. Dominique also reflects on her passion for making government accessible and her commitment to nurturing talent within her team.
Takeaways
Dominique Davis began her career in local government in 2013.Her goal is to make government accessible and transparent.Crisis management can involve various challenges, from plumbing issues to public safety.Teamwork is essential in local government; everyone contributes significantly.Accessibility in government is crucial for equity and community engagement.Leadership involves stewardship, nurturing talent, and creating thriving environments.Every city presents unique opportunities for public service.Challenges in local government help develop problem-solving skills.Digital accessibility is a new frontier in public service.Career growth in local government can involve taking on multiple roles.
From Roller Blades to Township Clerk in Clinton Township (with Kim Meltzer) | Ep. 24
2025/11/27
It is never too late to start working in local government. Huge Plappert talks with Kim Meltzer from Clinton Township, Michigan, about raising kids, finishing college, and starting a career in politics and public service. Kim shares how Girls State in high school opened a window into creating community, how the Gulf War and concern for her children shaped her desire to help the right people get elected, and how a political science degree at Wayne State connected to real work in local government.
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Kim explains how a local trustee race, a slate, a last-place primary finish, and a $5,000 decision turned into roller blades, house-to-house contact, and winning by 10 votes. She describes serving as a state representative, returning to the local level as township clerk, and why local politics, serving the people, and building confidence in elections feel like the best fit. The conversation highlights hard work, family, trust, accessibility, and changing the image of elections.
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Guest Bio
Kim Meltzer is the township clerk for Clinton Township, Michigan. She raised three children, then completed her degree in political science at Wayne State after earlier work in medical technology and a chemistry lab. Kim previously served as a local trustee and as a state representative for the 33rd district in the state of Michigan. A former professional figure skater, she says local politics keeps her close to home and closer to the people. She loves serving the people, supporting accurate elections, and helping her community participate in government.
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What We Cover
Moving from a med tech degree and work in a chem lab to political science at Wayne State after raising childrenHow Girls State, the Gulf War, and wanting to help the right people get elected shaped Kim’s interest in public serviceRunning for local trustee on a slate, coming in last in the primary, and deciding whether to keep goingPutting on roller blades to reach more houses, changing strateg,y and winning a local election by 10 votesServing in the state House as a state representative for an open seat in the 33rd distric,t and then returning to the local level as township clerkImplementing an electronic content management system, breaking down silos, reducing snail mail, and making records more accessible and less costlyNavigating trust in government and elections, long election nights, absentee ballot processing, and the impact of Proposition two in 2022Working with the Southeast Michigan Disability Network to make precinct locations and election processes ADA-compliant and welcoming for all votersAdvice for people later in life who want to get started in local government, including open seats, school involvement, church, local nonprofit organizations, trus,t and community support
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Resources Mentioned
Girls StateWayne StateSoutheast Michigan Disability NetworkState Bureau of ElectionsProposition two in 2022
Rebranding, Civic Pride, and Trust in Government in East Hartford (with Marissa Baum) | Ep. 23
2025/11/26
Details are important, especially when communicating in a local community where things can be taken the wrong way. Hugh Clapper talks with Marissa Baum, head of communications for the town of East Hartford, about being a communication leader for residents and businesses. Marissa shares how a career in marketing, communications, fundraising, and development in arts and cultural institutions led to campaign work, local government, and a passion for telling stories of impact on a day-to-day, micro level.
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From booties in seats at a free, family-friendly fall festival to earned media coverage, positive brand and reputation management, and tools like the My East Hartford 3 1 1 center, Marissa walks through metrics, storytelling, and community engagement. She talks about rebranding, civic pride, accessibility, language barriers, the digital divide, policies and processes, patience and perspective, empathy, and trust in government as good government with residents at the center.
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👤 Guest Bio
Marissa Baum is head of communications for the town of East Hartford, Connecticut. She joined the town in January of 2024, shortly after Mayor Connor Martin was elected. Before local government, she spent her career in marketing, communications, fundraising, and development in arts and cultural institutions, including the Connecticut Historical Society, later rebranded as the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History, and the American Jazz Museum in Kansas City, Missouri. After a major rebranding project and extracurricular campaign work, she shifted to Mayor Martin’s administration as head of communications, lives in town as a taxpayer, and focuses on stories of impact for residents and businesses.
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📌 What We Cover
Details are important when you are communicating, getting the message right, and trying not to offend anyone in your local community.Booties in seats, bodies in the door, and what happens when a free, family-friendly annual fall festival with performances, artists, vendors, food trucks, inflatables, and an inflatable corn maze competes with other great events in the Greater Hartford area.Metrics that include attendance, earned media coverage, positive earned media coverage, brand and reputation management, how residents talk about the administration, and how residents use tools like the My East Hartford 3 1 1 center.Rebranding in East Hartford with North Star, edge cities, differentiation and distinction, community engagement, stakeholders, focus groups, one-on-ones, community listening sessions, surveys, and a brand barometer tied to feelings, civic pride, and civic engagement.Creative committees, business owners, longtime residents, commission members, town council, school district representation, and age, gender, ethnic, and geographic diversity in telling the story of East Hartford.Budgets, triage, fiduciary perspectives, economic development, business recruitment, resident recruitment and retention, and telling a clear story about why you should open your new headquarters in East Hartford without raising taxes for this process.Accessibility that includes ADA, language barriers, the digital divide, thirty-some odd languages at the local high school, Language Line, Department of Justice Title Two rulings, screen readers, color contrasts, PDFs, and good government with information that is accessible, digestible, and understandable.Processes, pace, subject matter experts, service to residents and businesses, local government as about service, patience and perspective, quality of life, immediate gratification
Marketing and Communications in City Government (with Tai Lieu) | Ep. 22
2025/11/25
Government careers in marketing and communications bring a different angle than the large corporate world with unlimited ad spends and research tools. Host Hugh Plappert talks with Tai Lieu, a Marketing and Communications Specialist in city government, about moving from psychology, sales, and television advertising into digital marketing and eventually into local government work.
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Tai shares how experience at a television station, Gnet, and the USA Today Network shaped a deep understanding of digital marketing, targeting individual audiences, and working with multiple local sites. That journey led to political consulting, statewide races in Iowa, and a growing network of state leaders, local leaders, and a city manager who later opened the door to her current role.
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Throughout the conversation, Tai explains city budget realities, AI tools, social media policies, citizen questions, city council meetings, and projects like a statewide city podcast and a Bring Buckies to Iowa initiative that connect citizens, city leadership, and local development.
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👤 Guest Bio
Tai Lieu started in the psychology field with a drive to help people, then moved into sales and a first job out of college at a television station, doing television advertising. Tai learned about marketing by working with clients to help grow their business, overcoming challenges, and later moved into the digital space as a digital marketing manager for Gnet and the USA Today Network.
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Political consulting and communications for statewide races in Iowa, working with state leaders and local leaders, and a connection with a city manager led to a marketing and communications role in city government. Tai now works under an economic development department, focusing on city initiatives, citizen communication, and projects that connect city leaders and community members.
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📌 What We CoverHow a background in psychology, sales, and television advertising led to a career in marketing and communications, digital marketing, and eventually the government sector.Learning digital marketing as a digital marketing manager at Gnet with six local sites, then transitioning to the USA Today Network corporate team with 109 sites, and targeting individual audiences based on demographics.Moving into political consulting and communications for statewide races in Iowa, reading FCC filings, tracking where ads were placed, and growing a network of state leaders, local leaders, and a city manager who later invited Tai into city work.Key differences between a large corporate world with unlimited ad spends and research tools, and a city budget where every taxpayer dollar, software decision, and AI chat box proposal requires careful research, comparison, and cost-effective choices.A statewide podcast in Iowa called Know Your City with City Manager Luke Nelson that covers local policies, local initiatives, city issues, citizen questions, property taxes, and new developments, and gives citizens a way to become educated and follow up directly.A Bring Buckies to Iowa initiative tied to Norwalk growth, Highway 5 and I-35, a 2,900-acre annexation, and a Southwest Development Corridor dedicated to industrial, tech, data, and commercial growth.Why people skills matter in government careers, including listening first and acting second, making sure citizens feel heard, connecting city leaders, citizens, and community members, and following up with the right resources or staff.How a revamped social media policy, turning off public commenting, and adding clear contact information on...
Balancing Goals, Authority and Community Expectations (with Corey Woods) | Ep. 21
2025/11/20
A delicate balance between accomplishing goals and bringing everybody along runs through this conversation with Tempe Mayor Corey Woods. Host Hugh Plappert opens with Corey’s path from dinner table conversations about foreign and domestic issues to a city council seat at 29 and then the mayor’s chair. Corey explains the council manager form of government, the limits of mayoral authority and how state law and federal directives can preempt local decisions.
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He shares the challenge of starting as mayor in July 2020 at the height of the COVID 19 pandemic, governing from behind a laptop while trying to steer the ship with the city council and city manager. Corey walks through Tempe’s Hometown for All affordable housing fund, budgets as a reflection of values and why a robust general fund depends on property tax, sales tax and bed tax revenue. The discussion closes with accessibility, many different channels for community outreach, boards and commissions and invitations for younger people to get involved right now.
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👤 Guest Bio
Corey Woods is the mayor of Tempe, Arizona. He first moved to Tempe in 2003 to go to graduate school at Arizona State University and was elected to the Tempe City Council in 2008 at the age of 29. Corey has now served a total of 14 years on the council and began his first term as mayor in July 2020, starting in the middle of the COVID 19 pandemic. He often describes himself as an extroverted, very expressive person who values civic participation, public service and bringing many different voices to the table.
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📌 What We Cover
How dinner table conversations about foreign and domestic issues and civic participation shaped Corey’s interest in government and public policyThe reality of a council manager form of government, including the difference between a strong mayor model and Tempe’s voter approved city charterWhy the mayor is more like a chairman of the board, what a simple majority on the city council can do and what Corey cannot do unilaterallyHow state preemption, housing bills on middle housing and accessory dwelling units and federal directives can supersede city authorityStarting as mayor in July 2020 during the COVID 19 pandemic, governing from behind a computer screen and the impact on an extroverted, people focused styleThe Hometown for All affordable housing fund, creating a sustainable revenue stream and a mindset around affordable housing, workforce housing, home ownership and rental opportunitiesBudgets as a reflection of values, the role of property tax, sales tax and bed tax and why Tempe needs a robust economy to provide services for nearly 200,000 residentsThe tension between picking the lowest bid vendor and delivering systems and services that actually work for residents and business ownersEducation as part of the job, explaining zoning, revenue, preemption and the separation of powers so everyone can read off the same sheet of musicListening to as many people as possible, following a moral compass and North Star, and accepting that a 100 percent approval rating is not realisticAccessibility and outreach through newspapers, television, social media, neighborhood meetings and many different channels for different generationsPathways for young people to get involved through internships at the City of Tempe and service on 28 boards and commissions such as parks and recreation, transportation, economic development and historic preservation
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🔗 Resources Mentioned
City of Tempe boards and...
How Finance Powers Every City Department (with Matthew Lue) | Ep. 20
2025/11/19
Finance is the engine that keeps every city department running. In this conversation, Hugh Plappert talks with Matthew Lue, Director of Finance for the City of Columbia, Missouri, about how municipal finance works behind the scenes.
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From funding challenges to managing public expectations, Matthew shares lessons from his path that began in nonprofit healthcare and led to local government leadership. He discusses how sales tax supports essential city services, how collaboration breaks down departmental silos, and why patience and teaching have become core parts of his role.
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Listeners will hear about Columbia’s investment policies, the reality of project budgeting, and how municipal finance professionals balance limited resources with community needs.
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👤 Guest BioMatthew Lue is the Director of Finance for the City of Columbia, Missouri. His career began in nonprofit finance at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City before transitioning to public service in Warrensburg, Missouri. With experience leading financial strategies in both small and large municipalities, Matthew focuses on transparency, process, and collaboration to ensure citizens’ tax dollars are put to work effectively.
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📌 What We CoverTransitioning from nonprofit finance to city government serviceUnderstanding how sales tax funds local operations and servicesManaging the political side of finance while staying focused on citizensPassing general obligation bonds for firetrucks and road improvementsImplementing investment policies and achieving 5% returns through a laddered approachBreaking down silos between departments to strengthen budget collaborationAddressing inflation, rising expenses, and stagnant revenueWorking with unions and vendors through negotiation and RFP processesThe importance of patience and communication when teaching finance conceptsAdvice for young professionals entering municipal finance careers
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🔗 Resources MentionedChildren’s Mercy Hospital – Kansas City, MissouriCity of Columbia, Missouri – cmo.gov
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Ground Floor Government is hosted by Hugh Plappert and produced by PhoneLive.io.
Lessons from a 30-Year Career in City Government (with Corrine Lindo) | Ep. 19
2025/11/18
Opportunities in local government can take you across cities, careers, and decades of service. In this conversation, Hugh Plappert speaks with Corrine Lindo, who shares her story of transition from New York City to Atlanta and the lessons learned along the way.
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Her career began in Greenwich Village on the community planning board before joining the New York City Mayor’s Office under Mayor Giuliani. After 9/11, her life and work shifted, leading her to the creation of Johns Creek, Georgia, and ultimately to her current role as Municipal Clerk for the City of Atlanta.
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Through her reflections on leadership, service, and resilience, Corrine highlights the responsibilities and rewards of public service—helping citizens, improving systems, and standing firm in difficult decisions while keeping people at the center of government work.
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👤 Guest BioCorrine Lindo is the Municipal Clerk for the City of Atlanta. Her career in government began in 1990 at the community planning board in Greenwich Village, later serving as Senior Manhattan Liaison for the New York City Mayor’s Office. She helped establish the City of Johns Creek in Georgia and continues her service in Atlanta, focusing on legislation, records, and public accessibility.
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📌 What We CoverBeginning a public service career through Fordham University’s community connectionsWorking with the New York City Mayor’s Office and experiences surrounding 9/11Transitioning from New York to Georgia and helping to build Johns Creek from the ground upUnderstanding differences between large-city and community-based governmentCreating systems for citizen response and faster service deliveryManaging budgets, morale, and priorities in city governmentBalancing public expectations, political pressure, and fair decision-makingAdvice for anyone considering a career in local government service
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🔗 Resources MentionedCity of Atlanta: atlantaga.govContact: [email protected] UniversityCity of Johns Creek
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Ground Floor Government is hosted by Hugh Plappert and produced by PhoneLive.io.
Don’t Make Them Ask You Three Times” (with Guest Donna Reed) | Ep. 18
2025/11/13
Local government is often described as part-time work with full-time responsibility. In this conversation, host Hugh Plappert sits down with Donna Reed to explore how a call to community service—literally three calls—turned into a seat on the city council. From a Facebook group supporting parents during COVID to a platform for youth engagement, Donna shares how she learned the rules, built relationships, and found purpose in public service. She opens up about navigating politics she never planned to enter, facing $8.6 million in budget cuts, and prioritizing “people over programs.” Her journey is full of real talk, practical compassion, and a strong belief that leadership is about lifting up others and leaving space for new voices to rise.
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👤 Guest BioDonna Reed serves as a council member in Jeffersonville, Indiana. A mom of two and a full-time educator, she entered public service after leading a local Facebook group that helped parents during COVID. Donna’s focus on youth engagement, transparency, and accessibility has shaped her approach to city leadership and community building.
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📌 What We CoverHow a Facebook group turned community leadership into a council seatThe “three asks” that changed her path to public serviceLessons learned about teamwork, checks and balances, and influenceCreating the Youth Advocate position and Summer Works programManaging an $8.6 million city budget loss while protecting jobs and services“People over programs”: balancing empathy with responsibilityBuilding strong relationships with constituents, representatives, and city staffWhy transparency, accessibility, and open communication matterAdvice for anyone considering running for local officeThe importance of lifting up new leaders and building future public servants
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🔗 Resources MentionedCity of Jeffersonville website: cityofjeff.netDonna’s city email: [email protected]
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Ground Floor Government is hosted by Hugh Plappert and produced by PhoneLive.io.
A Century of Service in Jackson County (with Chris Walker) | Ep. 17
2025/11/12
History becomes personal when it shapes your own career. Host Hugh Plappert welcomes Chris Walker, whose deep family roots in Jackson County date back more than a century. Her great-grandfather, August Singler, served as sheriff in 1913, giving his life in the line of duty. Her father and uncle carried that civic legacy forward as mayor and county commissioner, and Chris continued the tradition through her decades of service in county government.
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From starting as an entry-level employee in 1995 to becoming the elected County Clerk, Chris Walker shares how motivation, work ethic, and family history shaped her purpose. She reflects on navigating financial crises, modernizing systems with Oregon’s first eRecording platform, and creating the Property Recording Alert Service to better protect residents.
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This conversation spans legacy, leadership, resilience, and a lifelong dedication to serving the public with integrity.
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👤 Guest BioChris Walker serves as County Clerk for Jackson County, Oregon. Her family’s history of public service began with her great-grandfather, Sheriff August Singler, in the early 1900s. Over nearly three decades, Chris has led initiatives like Oregon’s first eRecording program and the Property Recording Alert Service. Her leadership reflects a lifelong commitment to accessibility, transparency, and community service.
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📌 What We CoverThe 113-year family legacy of public service in Jackson CountyThe story of Sheriff August Singler and the history behind his serviceHow local leadership continued through generations—from mayor to county commissionerChris’s start in 1995 as an entry-level employee and path to County ClerkLessons from managing financial downturns and departmental cutsBecoming the first county in Oregon to implement eRecordingLaunching the Property Recording Alert Service for residentsUsing digital voting options for military and overseas votersThe value of accessibility, transparency, and proactive public serviceAdvice for young people entering local government careers
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🔗 Resources MentionedJackson County, Oregon – jacksoncountyor.govProperty Recording Alert Service (Jackson County program)Federal E-Sign ActUniform Electronic Transactions ActVotes App – secure voting option for military and overseas voters
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Ground Floor Government is hosted by Hugh Plappert of PhoneLive.io.
Building Thriving Communities Through Technology (with Bob Leek) | Ep. 16
2025/11/11
Technology in local government is more than servers and software—it’s about people and outcomes. In this conversation, Hugh Plappert talks with Bob Leek, CIO of Clark County, Nevada, about how leadership, community impact, and innovation intersect in the public sector.
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Bob Leek shares stories from a career that’s moved from private industry to public service—from Egghead, Banfield, and Kaiser Permanente to leading one of the largest counties in the nation. He discusses the shift from profit-driven technology to mission-driven outcomes, the importance of “success skills” like empathy and communication, and how Clark County’s IT team supports everything from public safety to social services.
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Listeners hear firsthand how technology enables healthy, thriving communities and why careers in public service technology offer both purpose and opportunity.
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👤 Guest BioBob Leek serves as CIO for Clark County, Nevada. With experience spanning private sector technology and public service, his focus is on leveraging technology for better community outcomes. His leadership emphasizes people-centered IT, workforce development, and mission-driven innovation in one of the largest counties in the U.S.
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📌 What We CoverBob Leek’s career path from private sector tech to public serviceHow early exposure to computers inspired a lifelong focus on outcomes through technologyLessons from roles at Egghead, Banfield Pet Hospital, and Kaiser PermanenteThe transition from profit-based business models to mission-driven government workLeading Clark County’s IT organization serving 2.5 million residents and 50 million annual visitorsBuilding healthy teams through “success skills,” empathy, and mindfulnessHow technology supports residents, business owners, visitors, and employeesFrameworks for accessibility, inclusion, and community-centered service designAdvice for students, veterans, and professionals exploring careers in public sector ITThe long-term rewards and stability of a career in local government technology
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🔗 Resources MentionedClark County Nevada – job opportunities and IT department homepageSociety for Information Management – Las Vegas Chapter
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(Show Notes prepared for Ground Floor Government, hosted by Hugh Plappert and produced by PhoneLive.io.)
Turning Challenges into Change in Local Government (with Dayna Williams-Hunter) | Ep. 15
2025/11/06
City clerks are often seen as formal and distant, yet behind those desks are leaders transforming their communities. Hugh Plappert sits down with Dayna Williams-Hunter to explore her unexpected path from entrepreneurship and drone photography to public service.
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Dayna shares how one conversation led her to run for city clerk and discover her calling in local government. She talks about bringing technology and heart together — from digitizing a century of city records to running large-scale food drives. With humor, honesty, and determination, Dayna reflects on serving with neutrality, handling criticism, and leading change with compassion. Her story shows how curiosity, community, and technology can come together to shape better local government.
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👤 Guest BioDayna Williams-Hunter is an elected city clerk whose career began through entrepreneurship and community partnerships. A certified drone pilot and longtime advocate for public service, she combines technology and social responsibility to enhance communication, transparency, and service in her city.
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📌 What We CoverHow a marketing and drone project led to running for city clerkBalancing technology adoption with public service and community impactThe influence of African American innovators in everyday life and infrastructureNavigating communication, neutrality, and public trust as a city clerkLessons from leading food drives and nonprofit initiatives for community supportOvercoming pushback when modernizing processes and replacing paper bindersManaging major technology projects, including agenda software migrationDigitizing more than 100 years of city records for a new, efficient futureMentorship, learning from peers, and advice for new clerks entering the professionEncouragement for residents to get involved and understand their local government
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🔗 Resources MentionedCalifornia Municipal Clerk Association (CMCA)The Brown ActCalifornia Public Records Act (CPRA)“Black People Invented Everything” (book referenced by Dayna)
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Ground Floor Government is hosted by Hugh Plappert and produced by PhoneLive.io.
From Police Chief to City Manager (with Dr. Jonathan Flores) | Ep. 14
2025/11/05
A law enforcement career can teach powerful lessons about leadership, accountability, and service. For Hugh Plappert’s guest, Dr. Jonathan Flores, those lessons shaped a 22-year journey from police communications to major crimes investigator and ultimately city manager.
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In this conversation, Dr. Flores shares how his early experience at the McAllen Police Department and his faith-led approach to leadership prepared him to serve his hometown of Pharr, Texas. He reflects on the challenge of transitioning from paramilitary command to collaborative city management, his passion for developing future leaders, and his dedication to public service that starts with strong character and community connection.
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Listeners hear about his leadership development program, life skills partnership for youth, and how legacy, empathy, and faith guide his daily purpose in city government.
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👤 Guest BioDr. Jonathan Flores serves as City Manager of Pharr, Texas. His public service career began at age 18 in law enforcement, spanning more than two decades across multiple departments before transitioning to city management. Guided by faith and family, Dr. Flores focuses on leadership, workforce development, and community engagement.
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📌 What We CoverBeginning a law enforcement career at 18 and building a 22-year path of public serviceThe transition from police chief to city manager and learning to lead beyond the paramilitary modelBalancing the vision of elected officials with the needs of city employees and citizensAdapting leadership styles across generations in a large municipal organizationCreating a youth life skills program in partnership with local schoolsDeveloping a leadership academy for aspiring and current city employeesEstablishing internship programs that connect high school and college students to real-world municipal workThe role of faith, family, and service in shaping daily motivation and long-term legacy
🔗 Resources MentionedCity of Pharr, Texas — farrtx.govEmail contact for Dr. Jonathan Flores: [email protected]
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Ground Floor Government is hosted by Hugh Plappert and produced by PhoneLive.io.
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