Episodes
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Wait, what? What happened? Where have you guys been? Contrary to popular belief we aren’t dead, but we have experienced lots of changes in the past few months. We’ve been all over the place, but we’re back now. Hear what’s new with the My Town Hustlers, and what we’ve got planned for the future. Thanks for sticking with us and stay tuned for new episodes coming soon. (Don’t worry, plenty of 10,000-foot views and painting with a broad brush to go around.)
Who’s on it?
Sam Tuten
Bret Allphin
Jared PerryRecorded
October 2022Questions?
Email us at [email protected]Shout Out!
As always thank you to The Saylor for the hot jams. Check him out NOW on iTunes and Spotify -
What is gentrification? What does it look like? Is it happening here? Where is it happening? In this episode, we’ll discuss the history and origins of gentrification and offer some definitions, examples, and thoughts on how communities address equity in development (or redevelopment) so that everyone benefits. As you’ll hear, we all know what the tropes of gentrification are, but the actual circumstances are often much more difficult to observe. In case you missed them, hot takes and fun banter are included at no extra cost.
Who’s on it?
Sam Tuten
Bret Allphin
Jared PerryRecorded
April 2022Resources
APA – California Northern Chapter – Gentrification – March 2019
StrongTowns – ‘What does “Gentrification” Really Mean?’ – August 2017Questions?
Email us at [email protected]Shout Out!
As always thank you to The Saylor for the hot jams. Check him out NOW on iTunes and Spotify -
Missing episodes?
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Parking! Minimums! Can you feel the excitement!!!! In all honesty, this is an important topic and one of the key areas of local policy that communities can modify to support small businesses and the general business environment. With Black Friday and Small Business Saturday in our recent memory, and similar events becoming more significant retail opportunities for downtowns, the time to think about parking is NOW. There’s no doubt that most folks still access our downtowns using personal vehicles, so how can we rethink how we utilize our precious space to park the vehicles we need. Our friends at StrongTowns have a few ideas, Jared has a few ideas, and Sam gives us a new entertaining segment to close out the episode.
Recorded
November 2021Resources
APA – October 2018 – ‘People Over Parking’
StrongTowns – ‘How to Build a Parking Garage’
StrongTowns – Parking Mandates Map
Questions?
Email us at [email protected]
Shout Out!
As always thank you to The Saylor for the hot jams. Check him out NOW on iTunes and Spotify
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With the recent passage of the federal infrastructure bill, broadband is once again at the forefront of the conversation. While this topic has never been far from the front page in rural communities, additional funding provided through recent legislation has rekindled many discussions around how to provide access to the highest need and most difficult to serve communities. In this conversation, we discuss a 2017 short documentary entitled ‘Do Not Pass Go’ by Hyrax Films which details the challenges two small communities in North Carolina faced in establishing a municipal broadband network. We feel this documentary is important as many communities may be left facing similar circumstances in the near future if existing service providers cannot (or choose not to) provide service to local communities.
Who’s on it?
Sam Tuten
Bret AllphinRecorded
November 2021Resources
Do Not Pass Go – Hyrax Films - Vimeo
Greenlight Community Broadband
Connecting Appalachia
BroadbandOhioQuestions?
Email us at [email protected]Shout Out!
As always thank you to The Saylor for the hot jams. Check him out NOW on iTunes and Spotify -
Election Day 2021! Both Sam and Bret were running for local office (school board and city council respectively), and this was our honest conversation about the election experience on the most anxious and tense day of the year! In this episode, we give an honest perspective on what it was like conducting a campaign, how it compared to expectations, what kinds of feedback folks provided, and other questions that aspiring local candidates should be thinking about. (Spoiler alert: Both Sam and Bret were successful in their efforts!)
Who’s on it?
Jared Perry
Sam Tuten
Bret AllphinRecorded
November 2021Resources
Washington County Board of Elections – Nov. 2, 2021 Election Results
Ohio Secretary of State – 2021 Candidate Requirement GuideQuestions?
Email us at [email protected]Shout Out!
As always thank you to The Saylor for the hot jams. Check him out NOW on iTunesand Spotify -
Sometimes, you get to meet your heroes. In this week's episode of My Town Hustle, we are excited to share our interview with Chuck Marohn, the Founder and President of Strong Towns, and the author of the new book ‘Confessions of a Recovering Engineer’- released in September 2021. In our conversation, we discuss the transportation challenges identified in Chuck’s new book, ideas around how we can begin to address those challenges in our communities, and many more topics covered by the biggest Minnesota Twins fan to ever appear on our show. Our thanks to Chuck for spending time with us and being a critical advocate for these issues that impact communities across the nation. Don’t forget – you can watch the video of this interview in its entirety by checking out our YouTube channel.
Who’s on it?
Sam Tuten
Bret Allphin
Chuck Marohn - Founder & President of Strong Towns.Recorded
October 2021Resources
StrongTowns
Confessions of a Recovering Engineer
My Town Hustle - YouTubeQuestions?
Email us at [email protected]Shout Out!
As always thank you to The Saylor for the hot jams. Check him out NOW on iTunes and Spotify -
Can you see me now? How about now? As part of our effort to evolve My Town Hustle to the next level – we’re making the podcast a video show! We’ll still have the podcast for you to enjoy as you always have. Now you’ll just be able to see our faces. If you want to. (You definitely want to.)
Be sure to tune in for our interview with Chuck Marohn from StrongTowns!
Who’s on it?
Jared Perry
Sam Tuten
Bret AllphinRecorded
October 2021Resources
My Town Hustle – YouTubeQuestions?
Email us at [email protected]Shout Out!
As always thank you to The Saylor for the hot jams. Check him out NOW on iTunes and Spotify -
My Town Hustle is just over a year old! In celebration of this, we wanted to look back at our first year and reflect on our experience and share what we’ve learned. Perhaps most importantly, we have a new studio, new equipment, new sounds (‘talk to me goose…’), new hot takes, and a new commitment to keep the show going and growing in the future. We’ve got an exciting interview coming up that will launch us well into Year 2 and we’re excited to bring our listeners along for the ride!
Who’s on it?
Jared Perry
Sam Tuten
Bret AllphinRecorded
August 2021Resources
Strong Towns
‘Confessions of a Recovering Engineer’ – Chuck Marohn – Available September 8, 2021.
WestSB – More People
Questions?
Email us at [email protected]Shout Out!
As always thank you to The Saylor for the hot jams. Check him out NOW on iTunes and Spotify -
Infrastructure is often hailed as the key to our future economic success. While there is absolutely no doubt that it is critically important, are we giving enough consideration to the long-term costs of infrastructure projects in our communities? Are we targeting returns that provide actual dollars invested in our communities or tangible cost savings to stakeholders? Or are we targeting something else? We will cover all these items and more as they are discussed in Chapter 4 of the book, 'Strong Towns: A Bottom-Up Revolution to Rebuild American Prosperity' by Charles Marohn Jr. This is a follow-up to Episode 35, where we introduced the book and its concepts to our listeners.
Who’s on it?
Jared Perry
Sam Tuten
Bret AllphinRecorded
July 2021Resources
Strong Towns: A Bottom-Up Revolution to Rebuild American Prosperity by Charles Marohn Jr.
Questions?
Email us at [email protected]Shout Out!
As always thank you to The Saylor for the hot jams. Check him out NOW on iTunes and Spotify -
Rural communities, especially those in Appalachia are filled with legacy industrial sites that remain from our collective industrial past. Often these facilities remain vacant, consuming valuable space in our communities, hoping for a future that despite every opportunity, has never come. In this episode, we will talk about one such site in our town, and how we can (and should) pull the plug on the outdated thinking that keeps us unrealistically holding on to these properties when we should be focusing on what is pushing our communities forward.
Who’s on it?
Jared Perry
Sam Tuten
Bret AllphinRecorded
June 2021Resources
‘A Property’s Past: Remington Kardex’ – Michael Kelly, Marietta Times
Questions?
Email us at [email protected]Shout Out!
As always thank you to The Saylor for the hot jams. Check him out NOW on iTunes and Spotify
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With so many issues demanding our attention, it is often difficult to decide between what’s important and what is relevant to our daily lives. As community advocates and stakeholders this is also true as we work to understand which issues we should be spending our time, energy, and effort on. In this episode, we will recount a recent conversation where this very question came up, and we discuss how easy it is to get tied up in issues that ultimately don’t directly impact our daily lives and overlook the most relevant concerns.
Who’s on it?
Jared Perry
Sam Tuten
Bret AllphinRecorded
June 2021Resources
The Great Game of Business
Questions?
Email us at [email protected]
Shout Out!
As always thank you to The Saylor for the hot jams. Check him out NOW on iTunes and Spotify
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Many communities recognize that there aren’t as many folks around town as there used to be. Why is that? In this episode, we will talk about a fascinating series of articles published in 2020 on www.westsb.com called “More People.” The articles focus on how the population of South Bend, Indiana fell by 50,000 people in 50 years. We’ll be talking about if any of the lessons learned from South Bend can apply to rural communities, especially those in Appalachia. If this hasn’t exactly happened in our community yet, what steps can we take to avoid it? Hot takes, quips, and laughter included.
Who's on it?
Jared Perry
Sam Tuten
Bret AllphinRecorded
May 2021Resources
West.SB - A New Read on South BendQuestions?
Email us at [email protected]Shout Out!
As always thank you to The Saylor for the hot jams. Check him out NOW on iTunes and Spotify -
It’s the remix! DORA legislation successfully passed in Marietta in late April 2021. In this episode, Sam and Bret give updates and lessons learned on the DORA process since we last talked about it on Episode 2 in July 2020. We will give five key points that we have learned through the community engagement process that other communities should be thinking about as they create their DORA programming. If you aren't in Ohio, listen and learn more about Ohio's Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area as a model on how to get this creative economic tool for your downtown. Moderately hot takes are included as always.
Who's on it?
Sam Tuten
Bret AllphinRecorded
May 2021Resources
DORA at the Banks - CincinnatiQuestions?
Email us at [email protected]
Shout Out!
As always thank you to The Saylor for the hot jams. Check him out NOW on iTunes and Spotify
Photo provided by City of Hamilton, Ohio -
Transportation is a key challenge facing all aspects of daily life for citizens, especially for folks living in rural communities. On this episode, Sam and Bret give their ideas about how new technologies could improve transportation options in rural communities. Bret also gives our listeners a preview of comments he’ll be delivering at an upcoming transportation panel on the topic. Don't worry, Jared will be back next week to herd all the cats that were turned loose on this episode.
Who’s on it?
Sam Tuten
Bret AllphinRecorded
April 2021Resources
Energy News Network Article – Maine and Obstacles to EV Adoption
DriveOhio – Automated Driving Systems Project
PAVE Workshop – Preparing Ohio for the Autonomous Future
Questions?
Email us at [email protected]
Shout Out!As always thank you to The Saylor for the hot jams. Check him out NOW on iTunes and Spotify
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Everyone fails! Failing is an important part of learning and improving. This is just as true for individuals and private businesses as it is for governments. On this episode, we’ll talk about some of the stereotypes and fears that hold our governments back from trying the new and innovative ideas that residents may be demanding. We’ll be highlighting a recent report from the Centre for Public Impact that provides details on why governments must fail forward to succeed. Hot takes and storytimes included as always.
Who’s on it?
Jared Perry
Sam Tuten
Bret AllphinRecorded
April 2021Resources
Centre for Public Impact – Governments Must Fail Forward to Succeed.Questions?
Email us at [email protected]Shout Out!
As always thank you to The Saylor for the hot jams. Check him out NOW on iTunes and Spotify
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We support public employees of all types – some of us have been public employees! We also know that a reimagining of some public positions could help our small communities prosper and become increasingly resilient. In this episode, we will introduce the book ‘Strongtowns: A Bottom-Up Revolution to Rebuild American Prosperity’ by Charles Marohn Jr.’ We will take a look at three key positions – City Engineer, City Planner, and Economic Development – and discuss how the Strongtowns approach re-envisions those positions.
Who’s on it?
Jared Perry
Sam Tuten
Bret AllphinRecorded
April 2021Resources
Strong Towns – www.strongtowns.org
Link to the Strong Towns Book - https://www.strongtowns.org/book
204 Front Street – Street View (Switch between 2007 and 2019 to see the transformation of the building.)
Wealthworks - https://www.wealthworks.org/
Questions?
Email us at [email protected]Shout Out!
As always thank you to The Saylor for the hot jams. Check him out NOW on iTunes and Spotify -
Is there enough public space or seating in the downtown you love to visit? Have you ever wondered how a community could quickly (and cheaply) implement more outdoor seating? A parklet may be for you! Join us as we discuss a pop-up parklet we built in conjunction with a local Main Street first Friday event in April 2021. We’ll talk about what we did, how we did it, and how you could do something similar in your town. The lesson from this episode is – find a way to try out your ideas!
Who’s on it?
Jared Perry
Sam Tuten
Bret AllphinRecorded
April 2021Resources
My Town Hustle Insights BlogGreat examples of how to design and build more substantial parklets.
San Francisco Parklet Program
Seattle Parklet Handbook - the program details are intense but provides excellent parklet design specifications.Questions?
Email us at [email protected]Shout Out!
As always thank you to The Saylor for the hot jams. Check him out NOW on iTunes and Spotify -
Investing in the quality of our places is perhaps more important now than ever before. Creating communities where people want to live, work, and have fun is challenging. Doing this effectively in rural communities is. In this episode, we each offer an idea about an area of focus that can help you get started on this journey. We also threw in a few free sports references, and hot takes from an unlikely source.
Who’s on it?
Jared Perry
Sam Tuten
Bret AllphinRecorded
March 2021Resources
https://www.smartcitiesdive.com/ex/sustainablecitiescollective/benefits-placemaking-go-beyond-urban-beautification/240971/https://theroyaltourblog.com/2018/03/05/urban-beautification/
https://www.pps.org/article/5-steps-to-making-places
https://www.cnu.org/publicsquare/four-types-placemaking
Questions?
Email us at [email protected]Shout Out!
As always thank you to The Saylor for the hot jams. Check him out NOW on iTunes and SpotifyPhoto Credit for Episode Artwork!
Marietta Main Street -
In March the American Rescue Plan was passed and signed by President Biden, providing over $360 billion in relief funding and programming in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In this episode, we talk about what this funding means for rural communities, how it can be used, important program timelines, and considerations that local stakeholders should be analyzing as this funding becomes available. We’ll also give a brief overview of previous stimulus and relief packages and how those differ from the CARES Act and the American Rescue Plan. Hot takes and fun facts included as always!
Who’s on it?
Jared Perry
Sam Tuten
Bret AllphinRecorded
March 2021Resources
American Rescue Plan Text:https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1319/text
National Association of Counties – State and Local Recovery Funds:
https://www.naco.org/resources/featured/state-and-local-coronavirus-fiscal-recovery-funds.National Association of Counties – ARP Update Slides (great detail):
https://www.naco.org/sites/default/files/event_attachments/MembershipCall_MAR112021.pdfUnited States Conference of Mayors – American Rescue Plan Overview:
https://www.usmayors.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/USCM-American-Rescue-Plan-Overview.pdf
Economic Development Administration – Awarded $3 billion in additional funding for grant-making and programming:
https://www.eda.gov/
Questions?
Email us at [email protected]Shout Out!
As always thank you to The Saylor for the hot jams. Check him out NOW on iTunes and SpotifyPhoto Credit for Episode Artwork!
Justin Cron on Unsplash -
Preemption, huh? What happens when local regulations conflict with state statutes? What about when state laws conflict with federal regulations? To what lengths can local officials go in creating policy that best serves local communities? Our special guest Adam Schwendeman from Theisen & Brock law firm talks with us about the concept of preemption, and how this concept impacts local communities when it comes to implementing policies. Preemption is an example of a topic that makes us more passionate about our local communities. Sometimes, it can be a double-edged sword for local control but to fully understand it, we'll dive briefly back into the start of the United States. If you have never heard of this concept and how it may impact local communities, listen in to learn more!
Who’s on it?
Jared Perry
Sam Tuten
Bret Allphin
Adam Schwendeman, a lawyer for Theisen & Brock in Marietta, Ohio.Recorded
March 2021Resources
State by State Analysis of Preemption by the National League of CitiesPreemption Laws in the State of Ohio by Giffords Law Center
An article by the BarJournal of State Preemption in Ohio about Fracking
Info on the Supremacy Clause & the Doctrine of Preemption
State of Ohio passes ban on Plastic Bag Ban
Questions?
Email us at [email protected]
Shout Out!
As always thank you to The Saylor for the hot jams. Check him out NOW on iTunes and Spotify - Show more
