Episode 74
APMM 2025 Roundtable Series - Southeastern Dispatch with John Ernst, Amanda Lafty and Dave Burman
In this episode of PCC Local Time, we sit down with three dynamic municipal leaders from southeastern PennsylvaniaβJohn Ernst (Lansdale Borough), Amanda Lafty (Upper Merion Township), and Dave Burman (Haverford Township). Representing three generations of managers, they dive into the hard questions facing local governments today: housing instability, generational workforce changes, the role of social media, the looming fiscal cliff, zoning reform, and even the future of public utilities.
ποΈ Topics include:
- Housing pressures in boroughs and suburbs
- Workforce shifts and millennial recruitment
- Succession planning and structural reorganization
- Potential and limits of social media
- Zoning reform and housing affordability
- MS4 compliance burdens
- Shared services and regional collaboration
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APMM - Association for Pennsylvania Municipal Management
Episode Timestamps
00:00 β Housing issues in Lansdale
05:00 β Workforce changes and generational transitions
08:30 β Collective bargaining and staff retention
11:00 β Succession planning and restructuring
13:00 β Using social media in recruitment
17:00 β Affordable housing and zoning tensions
21:00 β Accessory dwelling units and density
24:00 β Transit access and economic concerns
25:30 β Fiscal cliff and revenue diversification
28:30 β Public utilities and privatization
30:00 β MS4 mandates and funding responsibilities
32:00 β Magic wand ideas for civic education and communication
37:00 β Shared staffing and municipal collaboration
40:00 β Cross-community learning and rural leadership
42:30 β Closing reflections