Local Officials: Stronger, Together Podcast
The Texas Municipal League Intergovernmental Risk Pool proudly introduces the Local Officials: Stronger, Together Podcast Series. The Pool is producing this regular podcast series, which has been dubbed STP, to help local officials (and managers and staff) understand key operational and legal concepts, and the services the Pool provides. After arming members with that information, each 15-minute episode will give easy action items to help keep your citizens, employees, volunteers, and property safe, all while saving public dollars. City council members can earn up to 19 Texas Municipal League Institute CEUs for listening to the podcasts. To receive CEUs for a particular episode, an elected official must provide a description of the episode, which must be educational in nature, pertain to municipal leadership, and should enhance your service as an elected official, for TML approval. Attorneys who listen to podcasts may be eligible for up to three hours of self-study CLE credit. Please refer to the State Bar CLE compliance rules for more information.
Episodes
55 episodes
Episode 38: First Responders’ Mental Health: What Makes Them Special?
First responders operate in a difficult environment. In fact, most civilians have no idea the stressors of their daily work. One thing has become clear: These important jobs can quickly take a toll on the mental health of a city’s police, fire,...
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Season 1
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Episode 38
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15:48
Episode 9F: October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month – The Pool’s Cyber Squad Can Help You Avoid an Attack!
This year marks the 21st annual Cybersecurity Awareness Month and the federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) encourages every American to take steps to “Secure Our World.” In
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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15:54
Episode 37: New State Law and Pool Coverage: First Responder Illness or Injury Leave of Absence at Full Pay
In this episode, host Scott Houston – and guest TML General Counsel Bill Longley – explain H.B. 471 (effective September 1, 2023) and TML Risk Pool coverage designed to assist Members with compliance costs. The bill enacted a new state law (Loc...
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Season 1
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Episode 37
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10:36
Episode 36: What's Your Head Worth - Are First Responders Wearing the Right Head Protection at Roadway Incidents?
On January 11, 2020, in Lubbock, a driver from the opposing lane of travel crossed the median while emergency crews were working the scene of an accident. Firefighter Lieutenant Eric Hill and Police Officer Nicholas Reyna were killed. Firefight...
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Season 1
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Episode 36
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12:46
Episode 35: The Opioids Crisis – A Tragedy Close to Home and One City’s Prevention Efforts
In this episode, Scott first speaks with Arkansas Municipal League Executive Director Mark Hayes. Mark lost his son Wells in 2020 to a drug overdose. Mark and his wife Allison decided to share Wells’ story as publicly as they can in the hopes t...
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Season 1
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Episode 35
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33:08
Episode 9e: Cybersecurity: The Evolving Threat Landscape
Cybersecurity threats are changing, emerging, and growing every day to include city funds, government websites, and water systems and other infrastructure. Local officials should stay aware of the changing cybersecurity landscape and evolving h...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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18:42
Episode 16b: The 2024 Hurricane Season is Upon Us - Are You Ready?
In this episode, Scott explains the predictions for the 2024 hurricane season and visits with a special guest – Matthew Rosencrans, the Climate Testbed Director at NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center – to get his top three things a local official ...
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Season 1
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Episode 16
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10:38
Episode 34: Communicating During a Crisis: A Local Official’s Primer
In this episode, Scott visits with a public relations/communications expert about what a city or other local government official should know about communicating with the public and media during a crisis. Be it severe weather, an act of violence...
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Season 1
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Episode 34
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11:45
Episode 33: The Pool’s Role in Supporting Excellence in Law Enforcement
In this episode, Scott explains the Pool’s internal efforts to ensure appropriate resources are provided to the approximately 800 law enforcement departments covered by the Pool. The efforts began with a July 2023 preliminary report that was ...
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Season 1
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Episode 33
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11:26
Episode 32: STP Special Report: 2024-2025 Rerates
In this special report, you’ll hear from Jeff Thompson (Executive Director) and Aaron Hardiman (Risk Services Manager) as they explain the state of the Pool, the major rate drivers, and their effect on your 2024–2025 rerates.
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Season 1
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Episode 32
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19:55
Episode 9D: DIR-Certified Cybersecurity Training - Featuring the Cyber Guy and Hacker Hank!
Texas Government Code Section 2054.5191 mandates cybersecurity training for local government employees, elected officials, and appointed officials who have access to a local government computer system or database and use a computer to perform a...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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18:30
Episode 31: Servant Leadership: Leading with Trust, Respect, and Honesty
In this episode, Scott talks about Robert Greenleaf’s seminal essay “The Servant as Leader.” Servant leadership is not about a personal quest for power, prestige, or material rewards. Instead, from this perspective, leadership begins with a tru...
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Season 1
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Episode 31
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17:11
Episode 30: Remote Employees: Practical Challenges and Legal Pitfalls
In this episode, Scott explains some of the practical and legal issues related to hiring remote employees, whether in Texas or out-of-state, and interviews several Risk Pool employees with expertise in the subject. Furt...
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Season 1
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Episode 30
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16:53
Episode 9c: You’ve Been Cyber-Attacked: When Nothing Works at All Five Things Every City Manager Should Know
In this eye-opening episode, Scott interviews City of Tomball Assistant City Manager Jessica Rogers. Cyber-criminals hacked Tomball at the end of 2022, and the city is still – one year later – dealing with the aftermath. In this episode – which...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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25:32
Episode 11a: January is R.O.A.D. Ready Month: Protect Those Who Work in and Around Roadways
The year 2023 has seen multiple city employee struck by fatalities on Texas roadways. The TML Risk Pool’s goal is to reduce that to zero in 2024, and we’ve developed a program to do just that. R.O.A....
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Season 1
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Episode 11
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10:45
Episode 29: Employee Drug Testing: An Interview with Dripping Springs City Attorney Laura Mueller
In this episode, Scott interviews Dripping Springs City Attorney and Texas City Attorneys Association Board Member Laura Mueller. In it, Laura explains how the law limits the circumstances in which a city or other local government can drug test...
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Season 1
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Episode 29
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12:17
Episode 28: The TML Risk Pool’s 50th Anniversary: Here’s What You Need to Know
In this special, abbreviated episode, Scott welcomes you back from the TML Annual Conference and Exhibition and explains more about the TML Risk Pool and what we offer our Members. He describes a few of the Pool’s most important Member benefits...
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Season 1
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Episode 28
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3:35
Episode 9b: “Cyber Bytes #2 – Welcome Back Hacker Hank!”
In this episode, Scott introduces the second of several short cyber security training videos. This isn’t some boring webinar. No way. Instead, join the Risk Pool Cyber Guy, Ryan Burns, and his buddy Hacker Hank as they continue to educate you a...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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11:18
Episode 27: Code Enforcement Officers: Certification and Training, Practical Challenges, and Legal Pitfalls
In this episode, Scott explains State of Texas code enforcement officer certification and training and he interviews City of Irving Assistant City Manager Teresa Adrian, Code Enforcement Director Shain Diller, and Deputy City Attorney Janet Spu...
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Season 1
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Episode 27
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17:54
Episode 26: Podcast en Espanol: Mantente segura en el trabajo! (Stay Safe at Work!)
Únase al anfitrión invitado especial Víctor Flores, abogado de la ciudad de Mission y miembro de la Junta de Síndicos del Grupo de Riesgos de TML, mientras explica en español: (1) que el Grupo de Riesgos de TML proporciona propiedad, responsabi...
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Season 1
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Episode 26
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8:25
Episode 25: 2023 Reinsurance Discussion: What it Is, Why the Pool has it, and how the Pool Uses It
In this special episode, Scott interviews Pool Deputy Director and C.O.O. Lindsey Fields about reinsurance – what it is, why the Pool has it, and how the Pool uses it. Further Information:· A Message from the TML Risk...
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Season 1
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Episode 25
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13:32
Episode 24: 2023 Rerates, the State of the Pool, and More
In this special episode, Scott interviews Pool Executive Director Jeff Thompson about the major rate drivers and their effect on your 2023 rerates, the state of the Pool, and more. Further In...
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Season 1
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Episode 24
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17:15
Episode 16a: "Lessons from Hurricane Ian: Are You Prepared?"
Explains preliminary forecasts, lessons from Florida’s Hurricane Ian last year, SynergyNDS (one of the Pool’s turnkey recovery partners), and more.Further information:Are You Prepared: Before, ...
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Season 1
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Episode 16
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12:57
Episode 23: “An Interview with Risk Pool Assistant Director Mike Rains: Lessons Learned from 37 Years”
Posted March 3, 2023In this episode, Scott interviews Mike Rains. Mike is retiring after 37 years of service to the Pool and its Members. Listen to Mike’s insights about the Pool’s growth over his almost four-decade tenure.
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Season 1
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Episode 23
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11:42
Episode 9A: “Cyber Bytes #1 – Hank’s Hacks!”
Posted March 3, 2023In this episode, Scott introduces the first of several short cyber security training videos. This isn’t some boring webinar. No way. Instead, join the Risk Pool Cyber Guy, Ryan Burns, and his buddy Hacker Hank as they...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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11:46
