The HaltingWinter Podcast

Scottie Harris: Calm in the Chaos
Leading a Community Through Crisis, Recovery, and Uncertainty
*]: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 343 of The HaltingWinter Podcast Brought to you by Tyler Technologies
What does leadership look like when the phones stop working, the roads wash away, and an entire community is looking for answers?
In this episode of The HaltingWinter Podcast, Seth Winterhalter sits down with Scottie Harris, Town Manager of Weaverville, North Carolina, whose career has taken him from fire service and military deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan to the front lines of local government leadership during Hurricane Helene.
Scottie's journey is anything but conventional. From serving as a firefighter and 911 supervisor to leading emergency operations around the world and ultimately becoming a town manager, his story offers powerful lessons on leadership, preparedness, culture, and public service.
Together, Seth and Scottie discuss what it means to lead when circumstances are at their worst, why trust must be built long before a crisis arrives, and how leaders can remain steady when everything around them feels uncertain.
About Scottie Harris
Scottie Harris is the Town Manager of Weaverville, North Carolina, with more than 30 years of experience in firefighting, emergency management, 911 communications, military service, and municipal leadership. From helping establish fire operations in Iraq and Afghanistan to leading Weaverville through Hurricane Helene and its recovery, Scottie has built a career centered on service, preparedness, and community resilience. He was recently recognized by the North Carolina League of Municipalities with a Certificate of Municipal Excellence at its CityVision Conference.
This Episode is 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
Seth Winterhalter is a keynote speaker, executive coach, and President of HaltingWinter Municipal Solutions. As host of The HaltingWinter Podcast, he shines a spotlight on the people behind local government, sharing the inspiring stories of city and county leaders from across the nation to elevate the profession, encourage those who serve, and inspire the next generation to pursue meaningful careers in public service.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter
Website: https://www.HaltingWinter.com

Show Notes: MLDC Book of the Week – Primed to Perform
Episode 342 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
_*]:min-w-0 gap-3"> _*]:min-w-0 gap-3"> Why do your people come to work? Not what you hope the answer is; the real answer. The motive that actually drives them every day.
In this episode, Seth Winterhalter introduces Primed to Perform by Neel Doshi and Lindsay McGregor, this week's book inside the MLDC, and unpacks why local government leaders need to pay attention to the science of motivation if they want to build cultures that actually perform.
Doshi and McGregor identify six motives that drive every employee. Three of them build performance. Three of them destroy it. And the environments local government leaders operate in — public scrutiny, civil service systems, constrained compensation — naturally generate the wrong three.



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: Primed to Perform by Neel Doshi & Lindsay McGregor
Connect with Seth Winterhalter
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter
Website: www.HaltingWinter.com

Dean Huard: The Second Mission
Why Veterans Belong 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 341 of The HaltingWinter Podcast Brought to you by Tyler Technologies
What happens when a military career ends but the desire to serve remains?
In this episode of The HaltingWinter Podcast, Seth Winterhalter sits down with former Army Lieutenant Colonel and former city manager Dean Huard to discuss leadership, purpose, transition, and why local government may be one of the best-kept secrets for veterans looking for their next mission.
Dean's journey has taken him from growing up in a Coast Guard family, to serving more than three decades in the military, to leading a Texas municipality, and ultimately into consulting and advocacy work supporting state and local governments. Along the way, he experienced career setbacks, health challenges, and difficult transitions that tested his resilience and reshaped his perspective on service.
Together, Seth and Dean explore the surprising similarities between military leadership and municipal leadership, the untapped potential veterans bring to local government, and why communities benefit when experienced leaders continue serving beyond the uniform.
Whether you're a veteran exploring your next chapter, a city manager looking to build stronger teams, or a local government leader seeking encouragement, Dean's story is a powerful reminder that service doesn't end when one career closes—it simply finds a new mission.
About Dean Huard
Dean Huard is a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel, former city manager, and senior consultant specializing in state and local government engagement. Throughout his career, he has served in military, corporate, and municipal leadership roles, bringing a unique perspective on leadership, service, and organizational effectiveness. Dean is passionate about helping veterans successfully transition into local government careers and strengthening the connection between public service and community impact.
Connect with Dean Huard: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dean-huard
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

Jordan Villwock: The Culture Advantage
How Ontario Became America's Top Local Government Workplace
*]: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 340 of The HaltingWinter Podcast Brought to you by Tyler Technologies
What does it take to build a workplace where people want to stay, grow, and lead?
In this episode of The HaltingWinter Podcast, Seth Winterhalter sits down with Jordan Villwock, Deputy City Manager for the City of Ontario, California, to explore the leadership, culture, and intentional employee development practices that helped Ontario earn recognition as the #1 local government workplace in America among organizations with 1,000–2,500 employees.
Jordan's journey into local government began as a police dispatcher in Laguna Beach before evolving into roles in emergency management, fire administration, and executive leadership. Along the way, he discovered a passion for developing people, strengthening organizations, and creating systems that help both employees and communities thrive.
Together, Seth and Jordan discuss the realities of emergency management, leading through growth, succession planning, employee engagement, and the practical steps Ontario has taken to build a culture that employees are proud to be part of.
They talk about:
How Ontario became a nationally recognized top workplace
Why culture is built through consistency, communication, and intentionality
The role strategic planning plays in organizational alignment
How Ontario's leadership development programs are preparing the next generation of municipal leaders
Why succession planning can no longer be an afterthought in local government
The importance of breaking down silos and building collaboration across departments
Lessons learned from a career spanning dispatch, emergency management, fire administration, and executive leadership
Why employee development is one of the most important investments a city can make
Whether you're a city manager, department director, emerging leader, or someone passionate about building stronger organizations, this conversation offers practical ideas for creating a workplace where people can do their best work and grow into their full potential.
About Jordan Villwock
Jordan Villwock serves as Deputy City Manager for the City of Ontario, California. During his local government career, he has served in public safety, emergency management, fire administration, and executive leadership roles. He is also an adjunct professor in emergency management and was recently recognized by ELGL as a 2026 Top Influencer in Local Government.
 
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 – Unreasonable Hospitality
Episode 339 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
_*]:min-w-0 gap-3"> _*]:min-w-0 gap-3"> What separates a competent organization from one that people actually trust? It's not efficiency. It's not accuracy. It's not even innovation.


_*]:min-w-0 gap-3"> According to Will Guidara, former co-owner of Eleven Madison Park (once named the best restaurant in the world), the answer is hospitality. And there's a critical difference between hospitality and service that most leaders have never stopped to consider.


_*]:min-w-0 gap-3"> In this episode, Seth Winterhalter continues a 3-month series inside the MLDC focused on organizational culture by exploring the central ideas from Guidara's Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect and making the case for why this book belongs on every local government leader's desk.


_*]:min-w-0 gap-3"> Local government is extraordinarily good at service delivery. But service alone doesn't build trust. This episode explores what does and why the answer is both more demanding and more achievable than most leaders expect.




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: Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guiadara
Connect with Seth Winterhalter
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter
Website: www.HaltingWinter.com