Learning to Lead a City
Most people assume that city leaders—mayors, council members, and city administrators—have some level of formal training in running a city. The truth is, there are almost no requirements. In Martindale, to my knowledge, none of our current leaders have pursued in-depth training beyond an introductory seminar for newly elected officials.
When I was elected to City Council last year, I attended a two-day training hosted by the Texas Municipal League (TML). This seminar was helpful, but it made me realize just how much more there was to learn about the responsibilities of running a city—zoning, taxation, infrastructure, budgeting, and so much more.
Rather than settle for figuring things out as I go, I made a plan. I sought out every resource I could find—trainings, mentors, policy guides—and committed to learning how to serve Martindale effectively. Since city funds are limited, I got creative in finding free and low-cost training opportunities, often securing scholarships or personally covering costs.
What I’ve Learned & Why It Matters
Over the past year, I have attended 50 different trainings covering topics essential to running a city, including:
- Budgeting & Finance: Understanding municipal budgets, taxation, and responsible spending.
- Infrastructure & Development: Planning for roads, water, sewer, and sustainable growth.
- Zoning & Housing: Learning strategies to manage development while preserving community character.
- City Governance & Operations: Studying how successful cities run efficient, effective councils and city halls.
Beyond training, I’ve also spent time attending city council meetings in other towns—both our size and larger—to observe how they operate. I’ve studied their decision-making processes, the materials they use, how councils and administrators interact, and what role residents play in shaping policies. I’ve followed up by contacting their city staff for insights and documents that could benefit Martindale.
A Smarter Approach to Leadership
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that small cities like ours don’t have to figure everything out alone. Successful leaders—at the state, federal, and local levels—are eager to mentor and share knowledge with rural communities that want to get things done the right way. The best-run cities don’t rely solely on their own experiences; they study what has worked elsewhere and adapt those ideas to fit their needs.
I believe Martindale deserves leaders who take the time to learn, who bring fresh ideas, and who make informed decisions rather than guessing their way through city management. That’s why I’ve put in the work to understand how to run a city efficiently and effectively.
If we want better results for Martindale, we need leaders who are willing to invest in learning how to lead. I’m committed to that, and I hope to inspire others to do the same.
Calling all Nerds
Nerd out with me for a minute longer…
Below I included a table listing as many of the trainings about how to be a responsible municipal leader as I could recall attending since I was elected just under a year ago. I have the “receipts” to show for each training AND I am happy to send you information about how to register for any if they look interesting to you!
Empowering Leaders
| Topic | Number of sessions | Number of hours | “Hosted by” organization |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gaining Support from Stakeholders on Controversial City Projects | 1 | 1 | Texas Municipal League (TML) |
| Budget and Tax Rate | 6 | 6.5 | TML |
| Land Use Essentials for City Officials | 4 | 4.5 | TML |
| Texas Open Meetings Act (attended 3 times) | 3 | 6 | TML; Texas Attorney General’s Office |
| Texas Public Information Act (attended 3 times) | 3 | 4.5 | TML; Texas Attorney General’s Office |
| Building Effective City Council Relationships | 1 | 1 | TML |
| Branding in an Entrepreneurial City | 1 | 1 | TML |
| Ethics & Integrity in Government | 1 | 1 | TML |
| Succession Planning for Cities | 1 | 1 | TML |
| Public Funds Investment Training | 8 | 10 | TML |
| Region 10 Legislative Priorities 2025 | 1 | 1.5 | TML |
| Using Plain Language in Government Communications | 1 | 1.5 | Center for Plain Language (CPL) |
| TCEQ Municipal Solid Waste Advisory Committee Meeting | 1 | 2 | Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) |
| OneRD Guarantee Disaster Response & Recovery | 1 | 1.5 | United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) |
| Empowering Your City Through Effective Advocacy at the Legislature | 1 | 1 | TML |
| ETJ Issues at the Texas Legislature | 1 | 1 | TML |
| Hazard Mitigation Grant Program | 1 | 1 | Texas Disaster and Emergency Management (TDEM) Region 8 |
| Newly Elected Officials Training Series | 6 | 12 | TML |
| Negotiations Training for Social Justice Lawyering | 4 | 16 | Movement Law Lab |
| Statewide Behavioral Health Coordinating Council Meeting | 1 | 2 | Texas Health and Human Services (TX HHS) |
| Helping Older Borrowers Apply for Total & Permanent Disability Discharge | 1 | 1 | National Center on Consumer Law Center & National Center on Law & Elder Rights |
| Inside the Interim: A Conversation with State Senator Jose Mendez | 1 | 2 | Texas Tribune |
| 89th Legislative Session Priorities for Children in Foster Care | 1 | 2.5 | Court Appointed Special Advocates Public Policy Division (CASA) |
| The Updated Rural Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Toolkit | 1 | 1 | Rural Health Initiative (RHI) Hub |
| Small Towns Big Possibilities Symposium on the Future of Rural Texas | 6 | 10 | Texas Tribune |
| Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Local Parks Grant Debrief | 1 | 1 | Texas Parks and Wildlife Department |
| Introducing the Rural Chronic Disease Management Toolkit | 1 | 1 | Rural Health Initiative (RHI) Hub |
| FEMA and Plain Language Consultation | 1 | 1.5 | Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Flood and Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) |
| PLAIN Language and Section 508 Training | 1 | 1 | Federal Plain Language Action and Information Network (PLAIN) |
| PLAIN Language Training for Clear Financial Communications | 1 | 1 | Federal Plain Language Action and Information Network (PLAIN) |
| Region 11 Guadalupe Regional Flood Planning Group | 1 | 1 | TWDB Region 11 |
| Business and Financial Planning | 2 | 4 | City of San Antonio |
| Preview of the 2025 Legislative Session | 1 | 6 | Texas Tribune |
| Navigating NEPA in Trail Development | 1 | 1.5 | American Trails organization |
| Nontraditional Funding for Rural and Tribal Transportation Agencies | 1 | 1.5 | National Center for Rural Road Safety |
| Humanities Texas: Rural Grant Webinar | 1 | 1 | Humanities Texas organization |
| Measuring Poverty Using Census Bureau Data | 2 | 3 | US Census Bureau |
| Template Design for Branding, Accessibility and PLAIN Language | 1 | 1.5 | US Department of |
| Advocacy for Commercially Sexually Exploited Children (CSEC) Course | 9 | 3 | Texas Court Appointed Special Advocates |
| Parliamentary Procedure | 1 | 1.5 | TML |
| Customer Service Excellence for Cities | 1 | TML | |
| Social Media and the Legal Landscape for Cities | 1 | 1 | TML |
| Fundamentals of Employment Law for Cities | 6 | 5 | TML |
| Innovative Capital Stacks–Ballot Measures for Infrastructure Funding | 1 | 1.5 | Local Infrastructure Hub Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation & National League of Cities (NLC) |
| Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Grant Program, aka RAISE Grant Application Bootcamp [small and mid-sized municipalities can receive an expert suite of supports to develop strong, competitive grant applications through pro-bono technical training and grant-writing Bootcamps] | 24 | 24 | Local Infrastructure Hub Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation & National League of Cities (NLC) Federal Department of Transportation (DOT) |
| Resources & Tools to Improve Pedestrian Safety | 1 | 1.5 | Center for Health and Safety Culture |
| Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) Grant Application Bootcamp | 24 | 24 | Local Infrastructure Hub Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation & National League of Cities (NLC) Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) |
| Federal Grant Administration and Implementation Bootcamp | 24 | 24 | Local Infrastructure Hub Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation & National League of Cities (NLC) |
| Safe Streets for All Grant Application Bootcamp | 24 | 24 | Local Infrastructure Hub Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation & National League of Cities (NLC) |
| Road Safety Champion Certification Program | 15 | 30 | National Center for Rural Road Safety |