Municipal Equation Podcast

Like in other fast-growing states or regions, housing affordability can be a difficult, sometimes persistent, issue for North Carolina communities. Wilmington, in the southeast, is no exception, but it's among cities working on the issue with priority and results that are expanding local options. On this episode, we ask Mayor Bill Saffo, chairman of the NC Metropolitan Mayors Coalition, about the nature of the issue in his area and how local efforts and partnerships have made a difference.

The League's Municipal Equation podcast closes out 2025 with a through-line on the year, with takeaways from monthly episodes and their common feature of people working as one to advance all. Since its inception, Municipal Equation has been about idea-sharing and exploration of local government's many interesting stories. We'd like to thank all of our expert guests and you for being such a supportive and responsive audience with great feedback and ideas for future content. Together, we released our 100th episode this year! Municipal Equation is available through your preferred podcast service.

We've had many great occasions on this podcast to highlight different ways local governments maintain warmth and trust with the community. For our 100th episode, coinciding with Thanksgiving week, we chat with the Town of Davidson about its Shop With A Cop program underway right now, in which local police officers give children from economically disadvantaged families an unforgettable holiday experience. Other towns have similiar initiatives; Davidson walks us through how theirs works, how its supported, and the community ripple effects that show it's more than just a holiday feelgood concept.

This historic, fascinating and expansive world of municipal clerks is the focus our latest episode. Folks who believe clerks mostly just serve to prepare agenda packets and record council vote outcomes might be surprised by how far and wide the job goes. It's one of the most public-facing roles in town hall; generally, the clerk is the one employee that law requires municipal governments to have. Municipal Equation traveled to Cherokee recently for the annual conference and 50th anniversary of the NC Association of Municipal Clerks to record perspectives, wisdom and nuance that people might not realize about the profession. Learn more about the NC Association of Municipal Clerks: https://www.ncamc.com/

Cary Town Manager Sean Stegall is on the podcast discussing his new book, "Top of the Arc: Cocreating a More Innovative, Adaptive, and Effective Local Government." From the book's promotional materials: "Instilling a 'people first' philosophy, Stegall and the elected Cary Town Council are reshaping local government through collaboration, experimentation, innovation, and adaptation. Cary remains an exceptional place to call home, an inspiring destination for visitors, and a compelling case study for helping keep cities strong."