Wide Open

Who leads a city when leadership is shared?  
 
In Episode three of Wide Open, we turn our attention to the council-manager model, a system built on professional expertise to run the daily operations of a city while elected leaders set direction and represent the community. With insights from our experts, we look at why many cities rely on this approach, what strengths it offers, and where tension can emerge when authority is distributed.  
 
Does this model risk placing leadership too far from the people it serves? Or has it proven itself over the last 100 years, solidifying its place as the best model to lead us into the future?  

What is Wide Open?

Season one of Wide Open explores one big question: How should cities be governed? In this four-part series, we dive into the two dominant models of local government—the Council–Manager system, which relies on professional administrators, and the Strong Mayor system, which concentrates executive power in a single elected leader. This podcast examines this question through expert interviews, historical reference, and real-world examples from Kansas cities and beyond. What do these structures mean for leadership, accountability, and community identity? Is it time to innovate, or should we trust the models that have endured for over a century? Join us as we unpack the ideas, risks, and opportunities shaping the future of local governance.