Best Joe Toles Podcasts (2024)

1
Phasing In and Out of Reality Part 2 35:30

4h ago35:30

35:30

Join the conversation and submit a question or request a topic. In this continuation of the previous episode, Renee, Joe, and guests discuss the social emotional issues that are the reality of the foster care system.By Joe Toles

1
Rising to Serve with Brooks Williams | Ep. 73 1:04:34

1h ago1:04:34

1:04:34

City Manager Brooks Williams brings a passionate but demanding philosophical approach to local government. He joins the program to talk about the importance of innovation and efficiency, accountability, employee development, and building strong relationships with your elected officials as he leads the City of Ferris, Texas. Brooks recently publishe…

1
James Freed Wins After ICMA Settles Lawsuit! Now What? | Ep. 72 1:00:34

9d ago1:00:34

1:00:34

As I predicted, the ICMA finally capitulated and settled the anti-defamation lawsuit brought forth by Michigan city manager James Freed. As part of the agreement where financial details were not releaed, the ICMA agreed to retract the censure by removing it from their website. The settlement was announced via a joint statement on ICMA letterhead. H…

1
Chapter 1: Phasing In and Out of a False Reality (part 1) 37:20

15d ago37:20

37:20

Join the conversation and submit a question or request a topic. In this episode Renee, Joe, and guests discuss the social emotional issues that are the reality of the foster care system.By Joe Toles

1
James Freed and ICMA issue multiple statements about lawsuit | Ep. 71 50:37

13d ago50:37

50:37

Things are heating up in the battle between Port Huron City Manager James Freed and the ICMA over the last two weeks. The two-year saga began in June 2022 when the ICMA publicly censured Freed and stripped him of his credential. Freed countered with a lawsuit alleging the ICMA engaged in a conspiracy to defame him. On September 5, 2024, Freed sent …

1
Introduction Reading w/o discussion 7:03

19d ago7:03

7:03

Join the conversation and submit a question or request a topic. In preparation for the next chapter, we are providing a re-play of the Introduction with out the discussion.By Joe Toles

1
Ep. 70 | Surviving Sexual & Domestic Abuse with Audree Guzman 1:02:03

24d ago1:02:03

1:02:03

Audree Guzman refused to become a statistic and has courageously battled through childhood sexual molestation and domestic abuse as a young woman. We discuss her battles along with other struggles encompassing eating disordes and mental health issues. This is very powerful episode but listener discretion is strongly advised. SHOW NOTES: Here is the…

1
The Trials & Tribulations of your First Gig with Audree Guzman | Ep. 69 35:16

27d ago35:16

35:16

Audree Guzman was hired into her first city administrator gig at the beginning of the COVID pandemic. Less than a year later, she would be forced to deal with another historic event that rocked her community. In this episode, Audree and I discuss the trials and tribulations she faced down in her first city administrator gig in small town Kansas. We…

1
Keyboard Warriors & Social Media Terrorists with Sam Toles | Ep. 68 1:07:14

1M ago1:07:14

1:07:14

In Part 2 of my interview with Sam Toles of CiviSocial, we discuss keyboard warriors and social media terrorists. I offer up my distinction between the two and urge elected officials to exercise more discernment when evaluating online attacks. We discuss the outsized impact of the minority, whether they are truly engaged and participating in the pr…

1
Introduction 44:37

1M ago44:37

44:37

Join the conversation and submit a question or request a topic. In this episode, Joe shares a recent event that demonstrates the long term impact foster care has had on his life. Renee and Joe speak with Guillermo Meixueiro, youth advisor and Foster Care Alum, and discuss the challenges and emotional complexities faced by children in the foster car…

1
Your City is Doing Social Media Wrong with Sam Toles | Ep. 67 1:14:09

1M ago1:14:09

1:14:09

Sam Toles is a social media expert having worked for large entertainment companies like Bleacher Report, MGM, and Warner Music, as well as Vimeo. He was also served as an elected councilmember for the California community of Cathedral City. He is passionate about social media and the public sector, but believes that most communities across the coun…

1
How do we attract more women and minorities to the profession with Amy Farkas | Ep. 66 1:05:51

2M ago1:05:51

1:05:51

Patton Township Manager Amy Farkas is passionate about recruiting more women and minorities into the profession of city and county management. In this episode, we talk about the importance of "telling a better story" to attract these candidates. We also discuss her unique approach to dealing with the stresses of the job through her hobby and what b…

1
Michael Penny believes the AAME can help city managers with performance reviews | Ep 65 1:10:54

2M ago1:10:54

1:10:54

In the third and final installment of my interview series with Castle Pines City Manager Michael Penny, he shares his views on the recruitment and performance review processes and puts forth the idea that the American Association of Municipal Executives can assist city and county managers by influencing how these events are structured. Penny argues…

1
Why does the ICMA credential exist & does it measure competency? | Ep. 64 1:27:16

2M ago1:27:16

1:27:16

Why did the ICMA create the credentialed manager program and does it measure competency? We discuss these issues and more in part 2 of my interview series with Castle Pines, Colorado city manager Michael Penny. Penny, who is a founding member of the American Association of Municipal Executives, has also been a member of the ICMA since 1995. He has …

1
Why did 29-year ICMA member Michael Penny join the AAME? | Ep. 63 1:29:32

2M ago1:29:32

1:29:32

Castle Pines city manager Michael Penny isn't your ordinary ICMA member. He currently serves as the chairman of the ICMA's Credentialing Advisory Board (CAB) and has been a member of the organization since 1995. So, why did he join the American Association of Municipal Executives as a founding member and how does he see both organizations co-existi…

1
The AAME is Born & Signup Deadline Extended | Ep. 62 22:02

3M ago22:02

22:02

For a variety of reasons listed in this podcast, the sign up deadline to become a founding member of the American Association of Municipal Executives has been extended. You have until midnight central on Thursday, July 25th to take action and join this historic, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. This is the last call -- so sign up here today. We have…

1
Audio Recording: ICMA Staff Supports AAME | Ep. 61 34:33

3M ago34:33

34:33

A confidential source sent me an audio recording of ICMA West Coast Regional Director Pat Martel discussing the American Association of Municipal Executives. This discussion took place two weeks ago at the Oregon City/Count Management Association conference.. In this audio clip, Martel states that the ICMA is very much aware of the AAME, that it su…

1
Ep. 60 | ICMA CEO Marc Ott "Retires" & Freed Gets a Trial Date 40:13

3M ago40:13

40:13

Last week the big news story was the announcement by the ICMA that CEO Marc Ott was retiring to spend more time with family. We also learned that Port Huron City Manager James Freed was given a trial date for his defamation lawsuit against the ICMA. Coincidence? These two stories are inextricably linked and are the topic of this week's podcast epis…

1
Marilyn Rivers Just Wanted Her Good Name Back | Ep. 59 1:00:54

3M ago1:00:54

1:00:54

Marilyn Rivers had a stellar career and an impeccable reputation having served for nearly 20 years as the Director of Risk and Safety for the New York city of Saratoga Springs. About 18-months away from this 20-year mark where she would be eligible for her pension, a newly elected commissioner set his sights on her to settle an "old score" from fif…

1
The Case for Terminating ICMA CEO Marc Ott | Ep. 58 59:37

4M ago59:37

59:37

ICMA CEO Marc Ott has presided over an organization that is dysfunctional, lacks accountability, and produces mediocre work product. His permissive and absentee approach to managing employees allowed ethics staffers to prosecute a personal and political vendetta against Port Huron City Manager James Freed -- a stain that will be forever left upon h…

1
Scott Jorgensen Rebukes the Oregon City/County Management Association | Ep. 57 1:09:03

4M ago1:09:03

1:09:03

Rainier City Administrator Scott Jorgensen is no fan of the Oregon City/County Management Association (OCCMA). A few years ago, he was the subject of an anonymous ethics complaint without any clear explanation of his alleged offense. About a year later, Jorgensen learned that another city manager had accused him of leaking his listserv comments. Th…

1
Why is Ed Meece excited about the AAME? | Ep. 56 1:01:26

4M ago1:01:26

1:01:26

We continue our conversation with Polson, Montana city manager Ed Meece in Part 2 of our interview series. In this episode, Ed talks about: ✅ a new state association for Montana city managers that is not affiliated with the ICMA, ✅ a conversation he had with ICMA CEO Marc Ott and Ray Baray, his chief of staff, and ✅ why he is so excited about the n…

1
Why did Ed Meece cancel his ICMA membership after 25 years? | Ep. 55 1:14:03

4M ago1:14:03

1:14:03

In 2015, city manager Ed Meece did something he never thought he would do. He canceled his International City/County Management Association membership twenty-five years after joining the organization. What happened? Meece explains his reasoning in Part 1 of this two-part series. SHOW NOTES: Ed Meece's LinkedIn page SUBMIT JOB POSTING: Do you have a…

1
Baker Tilly Bombshell in Amarillo City Manager Search | Ep. 54 40:47

4M ago40:47

40:47

Baker Tilly has been bad -- again. Recently, yours truly dropped a bombshell about Baker Tilly when he appeared as a guest on the Making Sense with Michael J. talk show in Amarillo, Texas. We discussed the Amarillo city manager recruitment and the consulting contract Baker Tilly landed to help review their charter. Host Michael Stevens graciously a…

1
Private vs. Public Sector Executive Compensation with Daniel Reilly | Ep. 53 1:19:54

4M ago1:19:54

1:19:54

Public sector executives need to steal some pages out of the private sector executive playbook when it comes to compensation, benefits, and negotiating contracts. Attorney Daniel Reilly has extensive experience in negotiating private and public sector executive contracts. Licensed to practice law in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, we discuss indust…

1
ICMA's Rigged Executive Board Elections with Graham Mitchell | Ep. 52 55:32

5M ago55:32

55:32

Unhappy with the current direction of the International City/County Management Association, El Cajon City Manager Graham Mitchell decided to get involved and run for a seat on the executive board. In previous years when he only saw one name on the ballot for each seat -- he assumed it was due to apathy. Little did he know that the ICMA establishmen…

1
No Fluff! Real Culture Change in Durango with Jose Madrigal | Ep. 51 1:21:58

5M ago1:21:58

1:21:58

A lot of people self-proclaim themselves to be "change agents" or transformational leaders who have changed their department or organization's culture. But a lot of this is fluffy, self-promotion meant to stroke the ego. How many public sector executives have actual, quantifiable data to support these claims? Durango, Colorado city manager Jose Mad…

1
Ep. 50 | Introducing the American Association of Municipal Executives 1:06:43

5M ago1:06:43

1:06:43

Over the last 18 months I have highlighted the plight of city managers and other public sector executives. I have talked about the pervasive sense of loneliness and isolation that is oftentimes overwhelming. I have lamented the lack of advocacy for managers who watch helplessly as the reputation and career they have spent decades building is sullie…

1
Do public comment decorum rules violate the First Amendment with CJ Grisham | Ep. 49 1:36:05

5M ago1:36:05

1:36:05

Texas attorney CJ Grisham and his client, Jason Followell, were removed from an Aransas Pass city council meeting under the threat of arrest after they both used profane language and violated the rules of decorum during a public comment period. Since that January incident, Grisham has filed a lawsuit (see link below in the show notes) on behalf of …

1
Deconstructing Taylour Tedder's Groundbreaking Contract with Bradley Ford | Ep. 48 1:12:25

6M ago1:12:25

1:12:25

Taylour Tedder's groundbreaking contract in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware was the talk of the city management community last week. His contract features a $750,000 home loan that is completely forgivable after 7 years of service. Bradley Ford, the city manager for Waco, Texas, sat down with me to review and critique this amazing contract. Ford, the fore…

1
Troy Body: Toughest City Manager Job in the Country? | Ep. 47 51:37

6M ago51:37

51:37

Change my mind: Troy Body has the toughest city manager job in the country! The Hopkinsville, Kentucky manager also has one of the most unique backgrounds in the profession. Oh! By the way -- he is the only black manager in the state. You are going to enjoy this interview as we learn more about why he transitioned into local government and his thou…

1
Locking Horns Against an Entrenched Police Chief with Theo Melancon | Ep. 46 1:15:47

6M ago1:15:47

1:15:47

Going to battle against your public safety deparment heads can be extremely perilous for a city manager, especially when you have a politically connected and entrenched police chief. City Manager Theo Melancon was tasked with doing an operational assessment of the police departmenty by his council. In Part 2 of my interview series, Theo outlines th…

1
Surviving a Domestic Violence Arrest with Theo Melancon | Ep. 45 1:27:08

6M ago1:27:08

1:27:08

City manager Theo Melancon was arrested on a domestic violence charge in January 2022. Unfortunately for him, his predecessor also made controversial headlines surrounding a domestic incident. In this powerful episode, Melancon gives us a play-by-play recounting of the events that upended his life and nearly ended his career. We talk about his comm…

1
Recruiter Series: Michael Boese of Clear Career Professionals | Ep. 44 1:03:46

7M ago1:03:46

1:03:46

This is the first installment in my upcoming series of interviews with public sector executive recruiters and recruitment firms. In this interview with Michael Boese of Clear Carer Professionals, we discuss his firm's "candidate focus" approach that emphasizes consistent and timely communication with prospective candidates. Near the end of the inte…

1
Psychology of a Serial Killer w/ Dr. Rachel Toles 15:03

7M ago15:03

15:03

Ever thought you would feel empathy or even compassion for a serial killer? Clinical Psychologist and criminal expert Dr. Rachel Toles is bringing her show, Psychology of a Serial Killer, to the Ridgefield Playhouse on April 7th and gave Jon a behind the scenes look!By 95.9 The Fox

1
Promoting Black Managers, Mentorship, & Self-Advocacy with Kevin Richardson | Ep. 43 1:11:39

7M ago1:11:39

1:11:39

Public Works Administrator Kevin Richardson messaged me about a year ago seeking career advice. This inquiry was the genesis of a new friendship and eventual "title change" designed to better reflect the role and responsibilities assigned to him at the City of Rock Hill in South Carolina. In this episode, we illustrate the benefits of self-advocacy…

1
8 Reasons Why Your Cover Letter Sucks | Ep.42 24:46

7M ago24:46

24:46

The typical cover letter sucks. It literally hurts to read them they are so bad. But, don't fall for the "fried ice cream" peddled by the private sector recruiters who argue that cover letters are no longer necessary. That is not true. Every public sector executive competing for a position needs to have a cover letter and this is one of the easiest…

1
Female Trailblazer's Faith Gets Her Thru Hard Times with Charlotte Colley | Ep. 41 1:03:12

7M ago1:03:12

1:03:12

On multiple occasions, Charlotte Colley has been the "first female" and trailblazed her away across a 20 year career in the public sector. Being the first female manager can be incredibly challenging and she has experienced some tough days. In this episode we talk about her public sector executive journey and how her faith in Jesus Christ has given…

1
Ep. 40 | The Impending Collapse of Fire/EMS Service in America with Tim Nowak 1:19:52

8M ago1:19:52

1:19:52

Consultant and resident expert Tim Nowak argues that there is an impending collapse of fire/EMS services in America and that there must be a paradigm shift in our thinking with respect to how these vital services are funded. In this episode, we talk about the causes of the crisis, what it is going to take to fix it, and engage in other general subj…

1
John Bariou Wants to Recall Entire City Council Over Strong Mayor | Ep. 39 22:12

8M ago22:12

22:12

SHOUT OUT SATURDAY (SOS): San Angelo resident John Bariou wants to recall the entire city council because they have violated the charter and undermined the council-manager form of government. The central Texas community of 100,000 people will get an opportunity to "vote the bums out" in just a few short months if Bariou gets his way. He believes th…

1
Use My Simple Hack to Customize Your Resume for Specific Jobs | Ep. 38 19:41

8M ago19:41

19:41

It is easy to send a custom resume that is specifically tailored to the job you are applying for if you follow my simple hack. Don't sell yourself short and send the same resume to every job. Differentiate yourself and demonstrate how you are the solution to their problem by using my system. When you build a results oriented, custom resume that ill…

1
If At First You Don't Succeed, Try Again with Jordan Cook | Ep. 37 1:03:40

8M ago1:03:40

1:03:40

Jordan Cook didn't even get an interview the first time he tried to land a city administrator gig in Nevada, Iowa. But, on the second go around he not only got an interview -- he got the job. In this episode we discuss perseverance, mental toughness, and talk about the state of public sector executive recruiting. We also extoll the virtues of the M…

1
Did Aransas Pass Expose Itself to Public Comment First Amendment Lawsuit? | Ep. 36 30:49

8M ago30:49

30:49

The Aransas Pass police department recently removed two public speakers from council chambers after they hurled numerous vulgarities and profane language at members of the governing body and city staff. Did they violate the First Amendment rights of these individuals and expose the taxpayers to a lawsuit? One of the men booted from the meeting is a…

1
Sticking Up for Stanley Hawthorne in College Park, GA | Ep. 35 34:04

8M ago34:04

34:04

City manager Stanley Hawthorne was wrongfully fired with cause by just two members of his governing body. It was amateur night in Georgia on January 16, 2024 when Councilman Joe Carn rushed through this vote over the objections of Mayor Bianca Motley Broom. In this episode, I breakdown the tape and show how these unprofessional councilmembers voted…

1
Why are ICMA Exec. Board Members Dodging FOIA Requests? | Ep. 34 39:18

9M ago39:18

39:18

A disgruntled ICMA spouse is submitting public information requests across the country and ICMA executive board members are stonewalling and blocking these requests. Why? In this episode we talk about the increasing levels of scrutiny the ICMA is facing as a result of my podcast and LinkedIn posting. And we also highight various executive board mem…

1
Disgruntled ICMA Spouse, Crappy Salaries & 2023 Year In Review | Ep. 33 52:29

9M ago52:29

52:29

A disgruntled spouse of an ICMA member emailed me in December to express their frustration with staff salaries and the luxurious international travel junkets enjoyed by organizational executives and the executive board members. A city manager vents to me about the crappy salary listed in a job recruitment brochure. And I take a look back at my Link…

1
Threats of Violence Forces Cancellation of City Manager Interview | Ep. 32 1:01:14

9M ago1:01:14

1:01:14

Former Fort Meade City Manager Jan Bagnall declined to be interviewed for the second part of our interview series after receiving multiple threats since our first interview aired on December 13th, or Episode 29. On New Year's Day, I received an email from a stranger named Greg King. I would later learn that he was the campaign manager for Jaret Wil…

1
Live Like You Were Dying with Nick Kittle | Ep. 31 1:06:16

9M ago1:06:16

1:06:16

Nick Kittle is a nationally recognized leader in the field of public sector innovation and author of the book, Sustainovation. At the age of 35, Nick suffered a major health scare and it would become a catalytic moment in his quest to find personal purpose and fulfillment. He would go on to ask himself the following question: "What pays my soul?" W…

1
Ep. 30 | Daniel Rosemond Updates Us on Wrongful Termination Lawsuit 52:35

10M ago52:35

52:35

Former Hallandale Beach city manager Daniel Rosemond checks-in to update us on his wrongful termination lawsuit. The author of the "Death of the Public Servant" won a massive multi-million dollar judgment and we discussed his story from termination to jury awarded verdict to the appeal filed by the Florida beach community. Rosemond recently receive…

1
Becoming a City’s First Ever City Manager with Amanda Mack | Ep. 28 1:07:30

10M ago1:07:30

1:07:30

When Amanda Mack was tapped to lead the City of Watertown, South Dakota, she didn't just become their first ever female city manager. She became their first ever city manager. And the manner in which Watertown maneuvered through this process created the foundation for a successful conversion and fruitful marriage between Mack, the governing body, a…

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