Small Town, Big Heart: Willcox City Manager Caleb Blaschke on Quality of Life and True Connection
Willcox, Arizona may be small in size, but it’s mighty in charm and in ambition. For City Manager Caleb Blaschke, community boils down to one core idea: bringing everyone together and serving as many people as possible in the best way possible. That spirit is most visible during Willcox’s beloved Christmas Parade and Holiday Bazaar, […]
Building Trust Brick by Brick: Montrose’s Long Game on Community Buy-In
When William Bell talks about capital projects, he doesn’t start with budgets, he starts with trust. Montrose is currently building a $70 million public works facility, the largest capital investment in the city’s history. It follows a $28 million police facility, a new city hall repurposed from a former bank on Main Street, and a […]
We Are CoMo: How Columbia, Missouri Builds Connection Through Culture and Collaboration
In the heart of Missouri, Columbia stands apart as a vibrant college town with a magnetic cultural pulse. For City Manager De’Carlon Seewood, community is “the big C — neighbors taking care of neighbors.” It’s a philosophy rooted in shared responsibility, mutual care, and celebration of the city’s eclectic identity. Few events capture Columbia’s spirit […]
Tight-Knit by Design: Washington, Oklahoma’s Deep Sense of Community
Nestled two square miles south of Oklahoma City, Washington is small enough that everyone knows each other and big enough that its sense of care ripples beyond town limits. For Town Administrator Mica Lunt, who arrived in 2024 as an outsider, Washington’s defining characteristic comes down to one word: “Tight.” A moment from a recent […]
Five Decades of Service: Michael McLaurin on What Makes a Community Truly Great
When Michael McLaurin talks about community, he does so with the clarity of someone who has lived it for fifty years. A North Carolina native whose public-service roots stretch back through generations, McLaurin is part of a rare lineage of leaders who have shaped cities across the state through steady hands, open hearts, and absolute […]
Art, Heritage, and a Stronger Tomorrow: Peoria County’s Year of Celebration
Few counties celebrate a bicentennial with as much creativity as Peoria County. Assistant County Administrator Shauna Musselman lights up when describing the community-wide art project that defined the county’s 200th year. Giant bison sculptures (“a playful nod to bi-centennial”) appeared across the county, each painted by local artists and weatherproofed by high school students. The […]
Learning, Listening, Leading: Lori Curtis Luther and the Future of Overland Park
For Lori Curtis Luther, City Manager of Overland Park, leadership begins with refusing the status quo. “We aren’t happy with the status quo. We are always looking to learn from others and push ourselves,” she says. It’s a philosophy that has helped shape Overland Park into one of America’s most admired mid-sized cities, a community […]
Pride Rooted Deep: Glenn Hull and the Strength of Charlton County
In Georgia’s southeastern corner, Charlton County is a place defined by history, resilience, and generational pride. Newly appointed County Administrator Glenn Hull felt that pride immediately and when pressed to choose a single word to describe his community, he didn’t hesitate: “Pride.” Charlton County’s identity is shaped by families who have lived there for more […]
Trees, Transparency, and Trust: How Ann Arbor Is Growing with Intention
Ann Arbor is often described as a college town, but City Administrator Milton Dohoney Jr. sees something far more layered. To him, community is not a single group or institution — it’s the full ecosystem that makes a city feel like home. “Community refers to every aspect of people that reside within our city. It’s […]
WithCast: Voices of Leadership at ICMA
In a virtually connected and noisy world, it’s easy to forget that some of the most meaningful change still happens close to home in small-town council chambers, county plazas, recreation centers, and downtown streets. At the 2025 ICMA Conference in Tampa, WithCast: Voices of Leadership sat down with city and county leaders from across the […]
