Sep 19, 2022

Local governments address issues that have an impact on nearly everyone who lives, works or plays within city limits. If you look around rural communities, you’ll see that many public servants are our neighbors, co-workers, and local business owners. Unlike federal lawmakers, these individuals actually have skin in the game. For today’s episode, Cliff sits down with Andrew Dawson, mayor of Sedalia, to discuss the opportunities, challenges, and projects that lie ahead for Sedalia and communities like it. 

Local governments address and balance the needs of both the city and its citizens. Tune into this episode to hear from Sedalia Mayor Andrew Dawson on public servanthood and why you can’t approach a public entity with a private sector mindset.

What you’ll learn: 

• The types of communications and messages that Andrew fields daily as mayor
• What led Andrew into local government and how being a council member helped prepare him for his current role
• The strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges that lie ahead of the city in the coming years, including addressing housing and a new sewer plant
• Some of the challenges that come with the role as mayor, from delegating to balancing the needs of the many to the needs of the few
• Opportunities for improved technology or automation in city departments
• The differences in the business approach between the public and private sector 
• The City’s partnership with the Missouri State Fair, the economic and tourism impact, and what it means to our community