Between Two Shovels Ep.16: Steve Miklos - Promises Made, Promises Kept & the 75% Voter Mandate

Steve Miklos served as Folsom's mayor and was chairman of the Connector JPA when Derek Minnema was hired as executive director. This conversation covers the origin story of the Capital SouthEast Connector, from forming the JPA in the early 2000s to securing 75% voter approval in 2004.Steve shares what it was like navigating ideological opposition at SACOG, building regional consensus across five jurisdictions, and why institutional knowledge matters when council leadership changes every few years. He also reveals his leadership philosophy on staff reports, team building, and making promises to communities that you keep for decades.Timestamps:00:00 - Introduction and Steve's Background with Connector JPA 03:41 - Fire, Police & Transportation: Top 3 Resident Priorities 06:18 - Traffic Fatalities on White Rock Road Drove Regional Vision 11:15 - Forming a JPA: Leaving Egos at the Door 17:41 - Leadership Style: Keep Staff Reports Simple 23:26 - SACOG Formation: Overcoming Ideology & Sprawl Opposition 27:12 - 75% Voter Approval: How They Built Community Support 32:39 - Lost Institutional Knowledge: Why Regular Council Briefings Matter 35:16 - The Aquatic Center Story: Raising $525K to Flip a VoteBetween Two Shovels is produced by the Capital SouthEast Connector Joint Powers Authority and explores transportation policy, engineering, and project delivery through conversations with industry leaders.Learn more about the Capital SouthEast Connector: Website: connectorjpa.com#Transportation #Infrastructure #Leadership #RegionalPlanning #California #PublicPolicyTitle: Between Two Shovels Ep.16: Steve Miklos - Promises Made, Promises Kept & the 75% Voter Mandate