As residents expect and demand a greater level of transparency from all levels of government, cities everywhere are faced with a rapidly changing media and communications landscape. Local governments grapple with how to adjust to new challenges, such as the rampant spread of misinformation over social media and vicious personal attacks aimed at elected officials and employees. In this episode, City Manager Chris Mann sits down with social media guru Sam Toles, a former elected official and communications executive at companies such as Bleacher Report, MGM, Vimeo and Paramount. The Founder and CEO of CiviSocial, Sam Toles now consults with cities all over the country on improving public communications, transparency, and trust in local government, in today’s social media and video-driven world.

What is a city manager? What role does a city manager play within a local government organization? How does someone become a city manager? Is city manager compensation too high, or perhaps not high enough? Yucaipa City Manager Chris Mann and Calimesa City Manager Will Kolbow sit down with city management professional Joe Turner, founder of the American Association of Municipal Executives and host of “City Manager Unfiltered,” which many consider to be the most influential local government podcast in America.

Yucaipa is experiencing significant growth, and the City is working hard to balance the need for economic development with the desire to hold on to a more rural feel. Housing and Economic Development Analyst Ryan Miller and City Manager Chris Mann discuss current and future commercial development projects bringing restaurants and shops residents will be excited about, and dive into the role of economic development in the City of Yucaipa. From coordinating with housing and commercial developers to helping small businesses thrive, this episode unpacks how the City is working to create a vibrant, sustainable community for generations to come.