What happens when municipalities stop trying to solve every problem alone?In this episode, members of the Pennsylvania Councils of Government explore how intermunicipal cooperation creates capacity, improves services and helps communities learn from one another. Patrick Conners of South Hills COG, Ben Estell of Centre Region COG, Lance Prator of Slate Belt COG, and Deborah Grass of PACOG share examples ranging from joint purchasing and shared equipment to regional parks, bike networks, planning and public safety.The conversation also looks at why COGs remain poorly understood, how cooperation can preserve local identity while expanding capacity, and why PACOG hopes to strengthen the statewide voice of councils of government.The episode previews PACOG’s September 1-2 conference in State College, themed “Better Together.”CHAPTERS:00:00 — Introduction02:36 — What Is a Council of Government?05:45 — Centre Region: Consistency Across Municipal Borders09:56 — Small Communities, Shared Capacity13:39 — What Municipalities Gain from Working Together16:54 — Sharing Ideas and Not Reinventing the Wheel18:36 — Building Networks Across Municipal Borders20:47 — Cooperation, Consistency and Fairness23:31 — Creating Places to Solve Problems Together25:47 — Think Globally, Act Locally27:12 — What PACOG Brings to the Table31:28 — Learning From Other COGs32:58 — Who Should Be Paying Attention to COGs?34:34 — Building a Statewide Voice37:34 — Why Some Municipalities Hold Back43:00 — Making COGs More Visible44:53 — PACOG Conference Preview: Better Together48:13 — What Everyone Is Looking Forward To
When the Housing Crisis Comes to Town HallIn this APMM series episode, Nancy Hess speaks with John Ernst, Borough Manager of Lansdale, and Sandra Zadell, Township Manager of Upper Gwynedd, about what the housing crisis looks like from the municipal manager’s desk.The conversation begins with an encampment near the border of their two municipalities and moves into workforce housing, shelter, zoning, public opposition, state legislation, and the limits of what local government can do alone. John and Sandra offer a candid look at how housing pressure shows up in parks, public meetings, police calls, comprehensive plans, and the lives of people trying to stay housed.GuestsJohn ErnstBorough Manager, Lansdale Borough, Montgomery County, PennsylvaniaSandra Brookley ZadellTownship Manager, Upper Gwynedd Township, Montgomery County, PennsylvaniaFor more content like this, subscribe to MuniSquare APMMAn advocate for municipal management and professional assistance in the Commonwealth of PennsylvaniaThe Association for Pennsylvania Municipal Management (APMM) is an organization of professional township, borough, city, home-rule and county managers, administrators and COG directors. APMM is dedicated to the promotion of professional and effective local government management of Pennsylvania.Quotes“It might be more affordable — but affordable to who?” - John Ernst“As a municipal manager, I would never advocate for any state legislation that takes away local control... I strongly believe that towns should be able to govern. That's what our Commonwealth was founded upon." - Sandra Zadell“These are the small things that make a culture. This is what makes a community. It’s a way to show up for humanity, not a political leaning. That is just a human desire.” - Nancy HessMentioned in the Episode:Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City, by Matthew DesmondRecommended by Sandra. The book won the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction and examines eviction as both a consequence and a cause of poverty.Upper Gwynedd Planning Commission presentationBackground resource on the township’s planning work and the Pennbrook Parkway affordable housing development.Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program (LIHCP)The federal tax credit program discussed by Sandra in connection with the Walters Group workforce housing development.Walters GroupThe New Jersey-based developer working with Upper Gwynedd on the proposed workforce housing development.NomadlandThe film Nancy was trying to recall during the conversation. It is a narrative feature film starring Frances McDormand, not a documentary. It won Best Picture at the 2021 Academy Awards and was inspired by Jessica Bruder’s nonfiction book, Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century.Kayleigh Silver, LSWAdministrator for Montgomery County’s Office of Housing and Community Development. Nancy spoke with Kayleigh as part of her background preparation for this episode.Pennsylvania zoning and permitting contextThe episode refers to recent reporting on how zoning, permitting, local regulation, and construction costs affect homebuilding in Pennsylvania.Pennsylvania House Bill 2186: Accessory Dwelling UnitsHB 2186 passed the Pennsylvania House on June 1, 2026, by a vote of 139–62. As of July 10, 2026, it had been referred to the Senate Urban Affairs & Housing Committee. The bill would require municipalities to allow accessory dwelling units by right in areas where single-family detached homes are permitted, while allowing some local standards related to safety and neighborhood compatibility.New Jersey affordable housing modelSandra references the New Jersey framework shaped by the Mount Laurel doctrine and the Fair Housing Act, which creates municipal fair-share obligations for affordable housing. The guests compare that approach with Pennsylvania’s stronger tradition of local control.
As producer and publisher here at MuniSquare on Substack, today’s post is hard to write… we have decided to bring the Generation on the Rise podcast to a close, at least for now. Dave, Brandon and Nancy start off with a little light bantor today before making their way to the core message which concerns the absence of Eden.This will not affect PCC Local Time podcast recordings or our MuniSquare podcast stream. Please subscribe to receive full content from our site that focuses on local government and public service!TIMESTAMPS00:00 Opening banter and music talk 03:00 Brandon on ICMA, APMM and the conference season 03:53 Nancy introduces the final episode 04:20 Decision to close this chapter of Generation on the Rise 05:05 Eden’s departure and what is publicly known 06:15 Why the public testimony required a response 07:10 What we know, what we do not know 07:50 Employee voice, risk and organizational recovery 08:20 Building in public and closing this chapter 08:54 Brandon reflects on the purpose of the podcast 09:35 Conversations people need but do not get formal training for 10:30 The value of candid professional dialogue 11:20 Continuing the conversation beyond the podcast 12:01 Dave reflects on Eden, Middletown and next chapters 13:00 Dave’s leadership lesson: people need to want to follow you 14:15 Authenticity, social intelligence and emotional intelligence 15:40 The danger of trying to be someone you are not 16:50 Mistakes, public judgment and professional recovery 18:10 Learning, growth and second chances in leadership 19:10 Investing in employees, boards and communities 19:45 Looking back on the podcast’s purpose and tone 21:00 Appreciation for listeners and future collaborations 21:47 Nancy reflects on Dave and Brandon’s growth 22:45 Gratitude, community and what comes next 23:40 Final goodbye and “take care of each other” 24:05 Closing banter and authenticity of the show 25:11 Nancy’s final words 25:37 Dave and Brandon close the episode
What does a mature emergency management program look like before a community is tested? In this 2026 APMM series episode of PCC Local Time, Nancy Hess talks with Shawn Kauffman, Fire Director for the Centre Region Council of Governments and former Emergency Management Coordinator, about the human infrastructure behind effective emergency response.Shawn shares what he has learned over 40 years in emergency services. The conversation explores the importance of local knowledge, technical skill, regional coordination, relationships with county and state partners, and the ability to bring people together across silos before a crisis occurs. It is a practical and hopeful conversation for local government managers, elected officials, emergency service leaders, and volunteers who want to understand where this field is headedBe sure to check out and subscribe ro MuniSquare for more content on local government.TIMESTAMPS00:00 — Introducing Shawn Kauffman and the Centre Region model01:40 — What mature emergency management looks like02:30 — From silos to coordination04:00 — Building relationships before the emergency05:20 — Local knowledge versus technical training07:00 — Why county relationships matter in Pennsylvania08:40 — Regionalization as a practical solution11:00 — Volunteer capacity and looking beyond municipal borders12:20 — No-notice events and what keeps emergency managers up at night15:00 — The infrastructure of relationships16:00 — What silos look like in real life18:00 — Who makes a good emergency management coordinator?19:30 — Falling in love with emergency management20:20 — Who needs to be at the table?22:10 — Lessons from major events23:50 — Creating a “community within a community”25:00 — Leadership, ego, and resistance26:40 — COVID and the loss of in-person cohesion29:00 — Working with state police and large institutions30:30 — Large employers, institutions, and local emergency planning32:20 — The future of emergency management33:40 — The next emergency manager34:40 — AI, forecasting, and the human factor36:00 — Emergency management as a career path37:20 — Shawn’s own path into the work38:00 — Closing reflections
"I need help."There are conversations in local government that change how you think about leadership. This is one of them. In this episode of PCC Local Time, I sit down with Chief David Lash of Northern York County Regional Police and Chief Dave Steffen, retired chief of Northern Lancaster County Regional Police, to talk about how the idea of wellness actually converts to meaningful outcomes inside a police agency.Link to an earlier episode with Chief David Steffen on Regional PolicingBe sure to check out MuniSquare on Substack and our YouTube ChannelTIMESTAMPS:00:00 Opening: why wellness and policing are difficult to connect 02:00 A 25-year relationship: how it began 05:30 The shift in policing culture around wellness 10:00 February 2025: the UPMC shooting 13:30 Immediate response and the role of support systems 17:30 Continuity of care and leadership perspective 19:30 September 2025: the second critical incident 22:30 “Two minutes of hell”: what happened and what followed 24:30 Leadership under pressure and the role of relationships 26:30 The three-word call: “I need help” 28:30 Reframing wellness as culture, not program 29:30 Reducing stigma and normalizing support 31:00 Moving from reactive to proactive wellness 32:30 Total wellness: beyond mental health 34:00 Building access: systems, providers, and trust 36:30 Wellness and use of force: a possible connection 38:00 Mindfulness and officer buy-in 39:00 Feeling valued as a core metric 40:30 Resistance, generational differences, and adaptation 44:30 Extending wellness into the community 46:30 Budgeting for wellness as essential, not optional 48:00 Culture shift: from external image to internal strength 49:30 Closing reflections: what can be carried forward