Your Community Matters Podcast

What does it mean to be a "strong town"?

Due to a series of difficult personal circumstances earlier this year, I was unable to post a podcast version of my conversation with Maumee City Manager Patrick Burtch at the time the two-part radio show originally aired on WAKT 106.1 FM [https://toledoradio.org/] in late spring. It was thus with some sadness that I saw the news of Mr. Burtch’s resignation [https://www.toledoblade.com/local/suburbs/2025/07/23/maumee-administrator-patrick-burtch-announces-intention-to-retire/stories/20250723118]this past week, so I’m changing the podcast posting schedule to share here what I experienced as a heartfelt accounting of his motivations as Maumee city manager. As I noted during my conversation with Mr. Burtch, I became aware of his perspectives on civic infrastructure when I attended a talk he gave about Strong Towns. I was impressed by his analysis of why government has so much difficulty addressing challenges with civic infrastructure, and I wanted to know more about Maumee’s significant traffic-flow makeovers. My purpose in hosting Mr. Burtch as a guest on Your Community Matters was specific to the mission of the show: I wanted to learn how Maumee made changes to their public spaces that earned them the title of Strongest Town Champion in 2024, and how other communities could do likewise. Not having been a resident of Maumee, I was unprepared for how much of our conversation would be taken up with the sewer issues that had created so much controversy among the town’s citizens. I also learned that some in Maumee were not at all pleased about the changes made to the downtown traffic flow or the recognition that the town received as a result. (Photos here show downtown features that Mr. Burtch describes in this podcast, including how the street narrows as traffic flows into the business district. The second photo suggests how constant semi-truck traffic between Amazon warehouses, mentioned in the podcast, could impact the area.) The lesson for me from this interview and recent coverage of Mr. Burtch’s resignation was that creating visionary public spaces and solving major infrastructure challenges is quite difficult, to say the least. There are many reasons for this, but one of the biggest is that when one risks making a politically unpopular decision, it is generally safer to do nothing. What’s more, when citizens do not agree on the nature of a problem, let alone a proposed solution to it, decisive action can come at a political cost — especially if those solutions create financial issues for a significant number of people, as was the case in the town of Maumee. I greatly appreciated the insights Mr. Burtch shared in this podcast concerning the technical aspects of managing a city or town, as well as his candid views on difficulties community leaders encounter. Managing the conflicting priorities of local constituents while also complying with state or federal laws and balancing a municipal budget is not for the faint of heart — especially at a time when many people have lost confidence in institutions and do not know who to trust. His observations are instructive for anyone who cares about their municipal government, and also seem particularly relevant to how things subsequently unfolded in Maumee — so it feels timely to share them with you now. Thanks for reading Your Community Matters! This post is public so feel free to share it. With our next post, we’ll encounter the story of a grass-roots response to similar issues in Perrysburg, Ohio, the community across the river from Maumee. We’ll explore the tension between efficient traffic flow and pedestrian safety, and how thoughtful strategy and person-to-person communication helped open new directions for discussion in the public arena. Your Community Matters is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Your Community Matters at yourcommunitymatters.substack.com/subscribe [https://yourcommunitymatters.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

One hundred and sixty-five years

Since its humble start in 1860, when a Lutheran pastor began caring for orphans in his east Toledo home, Genacross Lutheran Services has developed into a provider of essential services to thousands of people in every phase of life throughout northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan. Adaptability, resourcefulness, and responsiveness to community needs have made this faith-based organization one of the area’s leading nonprofit social service agencies. In my conversation with Genacross president and CEO, Rick Marshall, the organization’s intentional focus of caring for both the body and soul of those in need was a consistent theme. As you can see, this is a mission that brings him an infectious joy! Importantly, like almost all agencies that provide assisted living, medical care or counseling to those with limited resources, Medicaid plays a huge role in the ability of Genacross to support young and old alike with these vital services. A quarter of a million people in the greater Toledo area receive Medicaid benefits. That’s one-third of the area’s entire population — and in many cases, those benefits come in the form of care from social service agencies like Genacross. Nevertheless, even at the current levels of funding, Medicaid does not fully cover the cost of eligible care by Genacross and many other such agencies. These agencies must make up the gap between the cost of care and Medicaid reimbursements through other means. In this week’s podcast, Rick shares how Genacross manages for growth while sustaining their quality of care — despite incurring a loss on every Medicaid beneficiary — thanks to community fundraising efforts and careful administration of resources. But what will happen to people in their care if cuts to Medicaid mean these funds are no longer available? So much of what government does for us as citizens goes wholly unnoticed unless it stops. When the roads fall into disrepair, or the trash isn’t collected, or our water becomes undrinkable, we suddenly come face to face with how important the wise administration of government resources truly is. Without Medicaid funding, older adults who cannot afford market-rate housing, assisted living or more intensive forms of care may find those services become difficult to access or totally unavailable — and many such people do not have family members capable of providing for their needs. Children without parents or stable homes and who lack the essential elements of life could face serious limitations to their ability to thrive. People without options in these circumstances will find their way to more expensive forms of intervention — hospital ERs and the justice system being the two most likely paths. My conversation with Rick Marshall reinforced my sense that providing for the needs of such people isn’t a “nanny state” intrusion — it’s a vital responsibility of every community. That responsibility currently is being met through successful collaborations between private entities and government. If you want to sustain a system that supports responsible, cost-effective use of public and private resources to make a better life for everyone in our communities, visit house.gov [https://www.house.gov/] now for information on how make your opinions known about proposed cuts to Medicaid in the current federal funding bill. Your Community Matters is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Your Community Matters at yourcommunitymatters.substack.com/subscribe [https://yourcommunitymatters.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Is there anything more delicious than a fresh start?

Teacher. Coach. Advocate. Organizer. Connector. Inspirational leader. And (did I almost forget?) Professionally Trained Chef. Saundra Irvine, creator and director of the Inspiration Kitchen workforce development program, is all this and more. She’s also my guest on this edition of Your Community Matters and she’ll probably be quite vexed with me for “talking her up” here, because she shuns the spotlight and habitually puts service to others first. Her proportion in this photo (the tiny figure at the end of the table) typifies her student-focused attitude: Nevertheless, Saundra has crafted a remarkable program that is making a real difference in the lives of people who face seemingly insurmountable obstacles to career success. She’d be the first to tell you Inspiration Kitchen isn’t about her — it’s about her students, and the people who support the project with their time, talents and funds. But “Inspiration” is baked into the program (if you will) through her own iron-clad conviction that anyone with the passion to succeed can be trained to achieve their goals. Inspiration Kitchen’s web page [https://www.lottserves.org/lott-farm-kitchen] describes the 13-week course as a “culinary education and life transformation program” that “provides individuals with an inspired renewal… regardless of challenge or background.” Some of those challenges have been quite significant for many Inspiration Kitchen students, including abuse, addiction, incarceration, and mental or physical limitations. However, it takes quite a bit more than lofty goals and positive vibes to make a successful career. It takes structure, discipline, skills and the ability to connect in a positive way with others. And so, the Inspiration Kitchen course is designed to be more than cooking technique alone. It also trains students in time management, etiquette, the norms of professional behavior and the value of well-thought-out processes that support successful outcomes. The course is challenging, fast-paced, intense, and often fun — just like a career in the culinary field. You can see the joy that comes from real accomplishment on the faces of students in these photos: Because of the diverse skills required for a successful career in the opportunity-rich culinary and hospitality fields, many students in the program discover talents and interests they never knew they had, and potentials they never knew were possible. Occasionally, this process takes their path to success in a direction quite different from their culinary training. One recent student decided what they truly wanted most was to become a paralegal! Thanks to the diversity of skills this individual acquired in the Inspiration Kitchen program, their goal was within their reach. I’m continually inspired by people and organizations at the community level who, after buying tickets on a few well-established career trains, have the vision and the courage to lay down tracks of their own, fire up their engines and invite others on board for the journey. Saundra and the Inspiration Kitchen team are doing just that. We welcome you aboard this podcast journey to discover what’s possible when committed people elevate others and inspire them to believe in their own potential. Your Community Matters is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. e Get full access to Your Community Matters at yourcommunitymatters.substack.com/subscribe [https://yourcommunitymatters.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Can we live without clean waterways?

Dead fish. That was my first experience with a beach. I was seven years old, and my parents had decided to take my sister and me to Crane Creek State Park for a picnic and swim. The smell of fish wasting away on the shore greeted us on that hot, summer day — scarcely a happy memory and, quite possibly, why I never developed a compelling desire to live on the water. I loved swimming too much to avoid a dip in the lake that day, but it was clear to me even at my tender age that something was wrong with that place. Later in my elementary school years, our Weekly Reader informed us that the Cuyahoga River caught fire. My interview with Jesse Stock, the executive director of Partners for Clean Streams reminded me of these childhood encounters with neglected waterways and showed me how the people who live near them can make a difference. Dead fish and a burning river were the consequence of years of environmental neglect of our waterways — and as it so often happens, it took a crisis to inspire the individual and collective actions that eventually restored Lake Erie to a place where fishing enthusiasts come from across the country to catch perch, bass and the coveted walleye. But this bounty is once again under threat — this time, from toxic algae blooms and oxygen-starved dead zones in the lake. And phenomenal amounts of trash — from windblown paper and plastics to obviously dumped garbage — litter the banks of streams and rivers in our area. Plastic trash that is not removed from these areas ultimately enters our waterways, breaking down into microplastics that invade the bodies of fish, wildlife and humans. Here are a few snapshots taken in early spring near the Ottawa River in Toledo: These are just two of the threats to our waterways that Partners for Clean Streams is working to overcome. Small but mighty, this tiny local organization extends its reach each year through citizen volunteers who collect thousands of pounds of trash and conduct water testing to support scientific research. You’ll find people of all ages and backgrounds among the area residents who participate in these efforts. This edition of Your Community Matters describes what they do and how you can join them. Another stream that is of considerable importance to this organization is their revenue stream. Most of their miniscule budget comes through — but not from — the Ohio EPA. Those funds come from the federal EPA. If this stream suddenly dries up, will the State of Ohio pay for the work of Partners for Clean Streams? If this occurs, it would be likely that many more cost burdens will be shifted from the federal budget to U.S. states. In such an environment, it may be entirely on local supporters to sustain the mission of protecting our watershed. Clean water and uplifting outdoor spaces are essential to our quality of life wherever we call home. In the future, a greater local commitment may be required to sustain the decades-long effort of maintaining a healthy aquatic ecosystem in our region. But for now, working toward their preservation is something anyone can participate in, even if it’s just heading out with a few friends to a stream or river near you to clear its banks of trash. Your Community Matters is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Waterways cleanup is GAME ON at Partners for Clean Streams! Learn how you can get involved [https://partnersforcleanstreams.org/]. Discover how plastic residue is affecting wildlife and human health [https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x9d78ws]. Thanks for reading Your Community Matters! This post is public so feel free to share it. Get full access to Your Community Matters at yourcommunitymatters.substack.com/subscribe [https://yourcommunitymatters.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Come for the homes, stay for the fun

Toledo’s Old West End Festival, now in its 5th decade, is one of the Toledo area’s most well-attended neighborhood festivals. A major reason for its enduring popularity is the historic homes tour, an exceptional opportunity for people to view remarkable examples of late Victorian and Craftsman-style homes built at the turn of the last century. But none of this would have been possible without the persistent dedication of those who’ve come to the neighborhood over the last 50+ years with the mission of preserving these architectural treasures. Two such people are the guests on the interview posted here — Michael Walker and Chuck Madrigal. Michael and Chuck are among many who migrated from other regions, both near and far, to settle in Toledo’s Old West End. As the neighborhood saying goes, “We came for the homes and stayed for the people.” To be a part of preserving what is now the largest continuous neighborhood of homes from this era east of the Mississippi is to be a part of an active community dedicated to a mission — and it has attracted a colorful group of people to participate in it. As Michael and Chuck note in our conversation, this mission is NOT easy. They admit you have to be a little crazy to devote time and funds to bring sometimes uninhabitable homes back from the brink of total ruin while maintaining their historical integrity. But you can also hear in their voices the joy that comes along with it — and that joy can be infectious. I’m personally grateful that in our throwaway culture, there are people like this who not only work to beautify our communities but who also preserve our anchors to the past and the people who built them. Such tangible connections to the norms of another era can inspire us to consider how our own future could be just as markedly different from what we consider “normal” today, and to value building things worth preserving. If you are able, I encourage you to mark your calendar for the first weekend in June (it’s the same weekend every year) and visit the Old West End Festival. Come for the homes — and stay for the fun! The wacky, exuberant kick-off parade on Saturday morning. The music, the food, the yard sales, the art. The pure joy of watching families share the moment together. And of course, the homes. Your Community Matters is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Here’s a sampling of the homes discussed in the interview: The in-progress “Delaware House” The Virginia Land Bank House — before and after The (mostly) rennovated Ford Mansion and the Knight House next door Thanks for reading Your Community Matters! This post is public so feel free to share it. The Old West End Festival is always the first Saturday and Sunday in June. For details about or tickets to the home tours, visit the House Tours page [https://www.toledooldwestend.com/house-tours]at the Old West End website [https://www.toledooldwestend.com/]. (tickets are NOT required for the Project House or the Virginia Land Bank House). Get full access to Your Community Matters at yourcommunitymatters.substack.com/subscribe [https://yourcommunitymatters.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]