🎧 This episode of PCC Local Time is part of the APMM Series, featuring conversations with Pennsylvania’s municipal managers and leaders about the evolving practice of local government.

In this episode on Sustainability, host Nancy Hess talks with three guests who are redefining what local sustainability looks like on the ground:

• Sara Gibson, Borough Manager, Camp Hill Borough, creator of Stormfest
• Bailey Rocco, Sustainability Coordinator, Pennsylvania Municipal League
• Kate Robeson Grubb, Sustainability Specialist, Solebury Township, and Penn State Distinguished Alumni Award recipient

They share how communities are translating mandates into meaningful local action—from stormwater festivals and inter-municipal cooperation to new sustainability certification programs and community engagement efforts.

SHOWNOTES:

00:00 – 02:00 | Introduction

Nancy opens with reflections on the meaning of sustainability and how local governments bring it to life.

Introduction of guests: Sara Gibson, Bailey Rocco, and Kate Robeson Grubb.

02:00 – 22:00 | Sara Gibson – From Compliance to Community: The Story of Stormfest

• Origins of Stormfest and the MS4 stormwater permit requirements
• Turning federal compliance into a community celebration
• Building partnerships among watershed groups, boroughs, and volunteers
• Educating elected officials and residents about stormwater systems
• “We all live downstream” — understanding local impact and interconnectivity
• Reflection on sustainability as intergovernmental collaboration and community awareness

23:00 – 45:00 | Bailey Rocco – Measuring What Matters: The Sustainable PA Program

• Bailey’s path from social work to sustainability
• How Sustainable PA helps municipalities benchmark and communicate their sustainability efforts
• Certification levels: Bronze through Platinum
• Challenges for small municipalities and the importance of partnerships with universities
• Regional collaboration and shared learning among municipalities
• Transparency, resident trust, and the power of visibility
• Future directions: energy use, inclusion tracking, and young professionals entering the field

46:00 – 1:11:00 | Kate Robeson Grubb – Building the Future Locally

• Kate’s journey into sustainability and local government
• Solebury Township’s Energy Transition Plan and Ready for 100 goals
• Partnerships with the Environmental Advisory Council and community volunteers
• Challenges: funding large projects and public education
• The link between sustainability and equity (affordable housing, inclusivity)
• Long-term planning vs. short-term wins (solar installations, single-use plastic ordinances)
• Clarifying misconceptions about sustainability and building local resilience
• Closing reflections: “Resilient communities outlast instability.”

1:11:00 – 1:12:00 | Closing

PCC Local Time is pleased to share another episode of a new podcast series, Generation on the Rise, a great companion piece to the content we post here and something we think you are all going to like.

In this podcast series, local government's next generation sits down to talk about what's changing, what's hard, and why we believe it's worth doing. Join hosts: Dave Pribulka, Brandon Ford, Eden Ratliff, and Executive Producer Nancy J. Hess as they find the new normal — not the one we’re used to, but the one we are here to create.

Welcome to Generation on the Rise!

Be sure to follow this podcast at MuniSquare

SHOW NOTES:

00:00 – Warm-up: Tampa and Leaf Blowers

02:30 – The “Middletown Budget Roadshow”

06:00 – Introducing the Topic: Networking & Mentorship

08:00 – The Brandon Factor

09:00 – Why Networking Matters

14:00 – The Golf Myth

17:00 – Bad Advice from Mentors

23:00 – The Shadow Side of Mentorship

28:00 – When to Leave the Nest

33:00 – The Manager–Assistant Dynamic

35:00 – Bulls in the China Shop

38:00 – Competing for the Same Job

41:00 – The Unwritten Map

44:00 – How to Actually Network

47:00 – Networking as an Introvert

50:00 – Following Up

55:00 – The Value of Small Conferences

58:00 – Closing Thoughts

PCC Local Time is pleased to share the the first episode of a new podcast series, Generation on the Rise, a great companion piece to the content we post here and something we think you are all going to like.

In this podcast series, local government's next generation sits down to talk about what's changing, what's hard, and why we believe it's worth doing. Join hosts: Dave Pribulka, Brandon Ford, Eden Ratliff, and Executive Producer Nancy J. Hess as they find the new normal — not the one we’re used to, but the one we are here to create.

Welcome to Generation on the Rise!

Be sure to follow this podcast at MuniSquare

02:00 – Introductions

Dave introduces Generation on the Rise and hands the mic to each co-host.

• Eden describes his journey from Charlottesville back to Pennsylvania.
• Brandon introduces Lower Merion’s size and scope — “large and in charge.”
• Dave offers his own winding path through Ferguson, Susquehanna, and Bellefonte.
• Nancy explains MuniSquare’s purpose and her role as executive producer.

07:00 – Why We’re Doing This

Brandon explains that these conversations grew out of years of late-night conference chats. Eden adds that this podcast is simply a continuation of those friendships — but shared with others who need to hear it.

09:00 – Finding Purpose in Local Government

Eden reflects on his township’s “why” exercise and describes helping staff reconnect to purpose. “I care about people — the ones who live, work, and play in our community.”

11:00 – A New Generation’s Voice

Brandon speaks about reaching students and newcomers to the field. “Existing podcasts are mostly hosted by people already at the top of their careers. We want something real and relatable.”

14:30 – Nontraditional Paths

Brandon shares how he switched careers from teaching to management, encouraged by his wife and a Villanova MPA program. Eden and Dave discuss how few of them planned to become managers — “We all owe something to serendipity.”

18:00 – Learning from Mentors

Brandon gives credit to mentors like Ernie McNeely and Crandall Jones, calling them “deep puddles” of wisdom. Dave riffs on that: “We stand on the shoulders of giants — or at least knee-deep puddles.”

22:00 – The Gap Between School and Reality

Nancy observes that an MPA doesn’t teach how to be a manager — “You learn that in the trenches.” The group discusses what academia misses about local government.

24:00 – Change and Sacred Cows

Dave and Nancy recall their first encounter when Dave challenged a speaker’s generalizations about millennials. Eden expands with his story of uncovering municipal fraud and rebuilding trust — “When there’s massive fraud, there are no sacred cows.”

28:00 – Lessons in Reinvention

The group reflects on how the profession has evolved: new technologies, new expectations, and a new kind of leader — one who blends professionalism with authenticity.

30:00 – Closing Thoughts

Dave sums it up: “If we’ve seen farther, it’s because we’ve stood on the shoulders of giants — and maybe leaned on each other along the way.”