In the premier episode of Mayors of Main Street, Mayor Kristine Lott interviews Kimberly L. Nelson, Professor of Public Administration and Government in the School of Government at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Nelson’s research on form of government, corruption, and innovation has been published in Public Administration Review, The American Review of Public Administration, State and Local Government Review, and other journals and she recently published a book, Municipal Corruption.
Mayor Lott and Professor Nelson discuss the different forms of local government around the nation and how they impact communities. Professor Nelson explores the evolution of local government forms, focusing on the council manager and mayor council models, and highlights key differences in their approaches to leadership, accountability, and potential for corruption. Professor Nelson emphasizes that while these structures vary, the council manager form often demonstrates advantages in fiscal stability, oversight, and preventing corruption, with professional managers providing critical technical expertise and a dual accountability mechanism that helps maintain governmental integrity. Professor Nelson points out the correlation between declining local media coverage and corruption, highlighting that the press can act as external government oversight.
Throughout the conversation, Nelson advocates for greater public engagement, urging citizens to understand their local government structures, participate actively in community processes, and view government as a partnership rather than a transactional service.
The interview emphasizes the complexity of local government and the importance of understanding its structures and potential for community impact.