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 Pennsylvania—John 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. 🗝️ 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 Sign up for the PCC Friday newsletter. APMM - Association for Pennsylvania Municipal Management Episode Timestamps 00:00 – Housing issues in Lansdale 05:00 – Workforce changes and generational transitions 08:30 – Collective bargaining and staff retention 11:00 – Succession planning and restructuring 13:00 – Using social media in recruitment 17:00 – Affordable housing and zoning tensions 21:00 – Accessory dwelling units and density 24:00 – Transit access and economic concerns 25:30 – Fiscal cliff and revenue diversification 28:30 – Public utilities and privatization 30:00 – MS4 mandates and funding responsibilities 32:00 – Magic wand ideas for civic education and communication 37:00 – Shared staffing and municipal collaboration 40:00 – Cross-community learning and rural leadership 42:30 – Closing reflections