Beginnings
Professor Bill's Journal Explained
Beginnings*
*views expressed by the author are his alone and do not represent those of existing or former employers
Why this, why now
It’s summer. That’s the short answer. But it’s also the first summer as a rookie professor on the heels of a 32-year urban and regional planning career for local governments in California, Virginia, and Kansas. And I’m not sure how to spend it. A foreign feeling to say the least. I’ve never had time. Now I do. Yes, plenty of honey-do’s and prep work for new classes in the fall await me. I just got back from a delegation to Cuba which I’ll pontificate on later.
But at least for this summer, and maybe beyond, there is a moment to begin anew.
I write, therefore, I am.
What to expect
The main focus of this Substack will be sharing an insider’s commentary on news that intersects with my unique experiences in city planning, public administration, and local government. Something that can add value to a reader’s understanding of an issue in the public eye.
I treat this as an extension of my classroom teaching and vice-a-versa. A two-way learning module if you will. And a way to bring a former practitioner’s point of view to a broader audience and hopefully them to me and my students. In short, I don’t want to make news…I want to break down the news/trends as if this was the classroom and see where that leads us. If anywhere. Just hopefully not off a cliff.
The things I will touch on are what catches my eye when perusing Twitter feed or media stories that I think I can add value to. The things intersecting my planning and government interests. The things that I could rarely verbalize publicly in my “serve at the will of the city manager” position. Things I should know something about (emphasis on “should”). My scope will be narrow so the posts will be reliant on the timing of news to trigger critical thought. In other words, I have no idea when I will post. Possibly more during the summer and other recesses.
The GOAL - much like my classroom - is to THINK! Think critically. Question assumptions. Grow civic-consciousness. Develop politically neutral solutions. Honor the public good.
Who am I
As for me, I am a Stanford graduate, former student-athlete, have a masters in urban and regional planning, am a certified planner, recently retired as Topeka’s planning and development director, have three time-zones of living experience, and head the “new” public administration program for Washburn University here in Topeka, my home for the last 26 years. My children and step-children either have Washburn, Kansas City, Stanford, or Chicago tentacles. All of these interests are on the table. I suspect news that intersects with my professional interests in Topeka will predominate my posts. As the state capital, this may become a Topeka or Kansas-based site. We’ll see.
But as in teaching, I will try to draw broader implications for learning that can be applied beyond my locality. I’d liked to think Topeka is a microcosm for so many other mid-sized cities that do not get a lot of fanfare in reading and writing circles. I was born and raised in the gritty working-class steel town of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Famous for floods as well. Similar sized-cites have a special place in my heart and will find a way into this Substack.
I also have a California umbilical cord - both southern and northern - that I can’t seem to cut having so many friends and teammates from high school and college I grew up with. It is me as well.
So if you align with any of these interests and can relate to a body-surfing city-planning Gen X “yinzer” linebacker grandson of Polish immigrants whose uncles and aunts perished in the Holocaust, WELCOME!!
Next
To prove a point in the diverse offerings this newsletter can have while still sticking to my narrow insider’s point of view, here are the working titles of my upcoming posts:
Cuba Libre
Making “Cents” of Property Taxes
A Tale of Two Hotels
In Defense of Zoning
No, they are not related. But this picture from Havana tries. Till then!
