Mayors of Main Street
Welcome to Mayors of Main Street—the podcast that delves into the heart of American communities by exploring the experiences and insights of some of the longest-serving mayors in the country. Hosted by Mayor Kristine Lott, this podcast brings you compelling stories of public service, community challenges, and the triumphs that define local leadership.
Mayor Kristine Lott, the first woman to hold the mayoral office in Winooski, Vermont, is no stranger to community engagement and leadership. Her journey into local politics began in 2017 when she was appointed to the Housing Commission for Winooski. In 2018, she took a bold step by running for a City Council seat, which she won and served with distinction. By January 2019, the incumbent mayor's resignation paved the way for her to run for mayor, and she was elected on March 5, 2019, with a platform centered on financial sustainability, housing affordability, and active community involvement. Since then, she has been re-elected and continues to serve her community with vigor and vision.
Throughout her tenure, Mayor Lott has made significant strides in formalizing and expanding community engagement, improving local ordinances to boost voting participation and housing affordability, and steering through key infrastructure projects despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Notable projects under her leadership include the revitalization of Main Street, the rehabilitation of a community pool, and the development of a municipal parking garage, hotel, and workforce housing.
Born in Southwest Michigan, Mayor Lott earned a bachelor's degree from Michigan State University. In 2009, she moved to Vermont, where she now resides with her husband, a lifelong Winooski resident. Balancing her mayoral duties with her role as Director of Operations for an education non-profit, she embodies dedication and resilience.
Join Mayor Kristine Lott on Mayors of Main Street as she interviews fellow mayors delving into their personal journeys, the issues they face, and the impactful decisions they make every day. Each episode provides an in-depth look at the unique challenges and rewards of leading a community, offering herself and listeners valuable insights and inspiration from the frontlines of local governance.
Mayors of Main Street
Professor Kimberly L Nelson
In the premier episode of Mayors of Main Street, Mayor Kristine Lott interviews Kimberly L. Nelson, Professor of Public Administration and Government in the School of Government at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Nelson’s research on form of government, corruption, and innovation has been published in Public Administration Review, The American Review of Public Administration, State and Local Government Review, and other journals and she recently published a book, Municipal Corruption.
Mayor Lott and Professor Nelson discuss the different forms of local government around the nation and how they impact communities. Professor Nelson explores the evolution of local government forms, focusing on the council manager and mayor council models, and highlights key differences in their approaches to leadership, accountability, and potential for corruption. Professor Nelson emphasizes that while these structures vary, the council manager form often demonstrates advantages in fiscal stability, oversight, and preventing corruption, with professional managers providing critical technical expertise and a dual accountability mechanism that helps maintain governmental integrity. Professor Nelson points out the correlation between declining local media coverage and corruption, highlighting that the press can act as external government oversight.
Throughout the conversation, Nelson advocates for greater public engagement, urging citizens to understand their local government structures, participate actively in community processes, and view government as a partnership rather than a transactional service.
The interview emphasizes the complexity of local government and the importance of understanding its structures and potential for community impact.