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 suburbsWorkforce shifts and millennial recruitmentSuccession planning and structural reorganizationPotential and limits of social mediaZoning reform and housing affordabilityMS4 compliance burdensShared services and regional collaborationSign up for the PCC Friday newsletter.APMM - Association for Pennsylvania Municipal ManagementEpisode Timestamps00:00 – Housing issues in Lansdale05:00 – Workforce changes and generational transitions08:30 – Collective bargaining and staff retention11:00 – Succession planning and restructuring13:00 – Using social media in recruitment17:00 – Affordable housing and zoning tensions21:00 – Accessory dwelling units and density24:00 – Transit access and economic concerns25:30 – Fiscal cliff and revenue diversification28:30 – Public utilities and privatization30:00 – MS4 mandates and funding responsibilities32:00 – Magic wand ideas for civic education and communication37:00 – Shared staffing and municipal collaboration40:00 – Cross-community learning and rural leadership42:30 – Closing reflections