“This is a marathon and not a sprint” (with William Whitson) | Ep. 12
“This is a marathon and not a sprint” (with William Whitson) | Ep. 12  
Podcast: Ground Floor Government
Published On: Thu Oct 30 2025
Description: Life can throw some wrenches into a career. Hugh Plappert sits down with William Whitson to unfold an interesting career path from Washington DC and the U S E P A to city manager and long-term recovery. The conversation moves through hurricanes back to back, an intergovernmental response to Katrina, Hurricane Harvey in Rockport, Texas, COVID, and flash flooding after the 4th of July. Listeners hear how to make an impact with grants and contracts, how local governments pair up the damage with the available funding, and why a comprehensive plan lands north of $150 million in state and federal aid. The mindset is a marathon and not a sprint, with training, ISO certificates, FEMA courses, EOCs, mutual aid, and sister city exchanges. Technology changes expectations for service delivery, from letters to faxes to email and texting, with AI and drone technology, GIS, and cameras in water and sewer lines.ㅤ👤 Guest BioWilliam Whitson worked at headquarters in Washington with the U S E P A, learning contracts, grants, intergovernmental relations, and communication strategies. He moved into local government as a manager with hurricanes back to back, an intergovernmental response to Katrina, and long-term recovery for Hurricane Harvey in Rockport, Texas. He helped write a comprehensive long-term recovery plan and landed north of $150 million in state and federal aid. He is active with ICMA fellows and coaching and serves communities as a consultant and interim city manager.ㅤ📌 What We CoverFrom federal to local: getting told the resource level versus building a budget with consensus on the tax rateHurricanes back to back, Katrina, Hurricane Harvey in Rockport, Texas, COVID, and flash flooding after the 4th of JulyPairing up the damage with the available funding and recording it in a comprehensive plan“Your best work in an emergency happens before the emergency” with training, ISO 100 through 800, and incident commander rolesMarathon mindset, advanced planning, and being a team player with elected officials and staffMutual aid and sister city exchanges, 5 0 1 C 3 roles, enterprise funds, and the parts you do not see undergroundTechnology in service delivery: AI note taking, drone technology, GIS, cameras in water lines and sewer linesGetting started: education, internships, writing studies, volunteering, and working with a managerㅤ🔗 Resources MentionedFEMA courses and ISO 100 through 800EOC and NIMSICMA, ICMA Young Professional fellows, and ICMA coachingRockport, Texas long-term recovery for Hurricane HarveyEnterprise funds, lift stations, generators, and traffic lightsDrone technology, GIS technology, cameras in water lines and sewer lines