What's happening at the PPMC

May 2025

Message from the Director

Friends,

Summer is my favorite season. I love the freedom it represents, whether it’s the holidays or school being out. I love the spirit of exploration it brings… visiting new places, starting a new home project, or simply enjoying long conversations outside with friends and family. I love the longer days that encourage connections and scream of opportunity to go out and do something.

I am curious how the values of summer can relate to each of our organizations or communities. What new connections or opportunities can you create? What freedom do you need to embrace? What ideas are ready for exploration?

Public service, as it should be, is always under the microscope. Sometimes, the freedom to seize opportunities—to explore, or even to fail—feels out of reach. Yet if we don’t try, we risk getting the same results. To borrow an old summertime quote, “You can’t steal second with a foot on first base.” What chances should you, your organization, or your community be taking?

Wishing you a great start to summer—and may you seize every opportunity with joy and sunshine.

Misty Bruckner

Director

Access & Engagement

The Access & Engagement Team continues to play a key role in supporting Second Light—a community-driven initiative designed to serve individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Formerly the Multi-Agency Center, Second Light will become a one-stop resource offering wrap-around services and low-barrier shelter in partnership with local providers.

With a focus on collaboration and sustainability, the PPMC has helped lay a strong foundation for Second Light’s launch—working alongside community partners to support its early development, secure critical resources, and align efforts around a shared vision of long-term impact and self-sustainability.

You can learn more at secondlightwichita.org

Applied Research & Collaboration

This month, Dr. Nigel Soria from the Applied Research and Collaboration Team traveled to Baltimore, Maryland, for the inaugural ICMA Economic Mobility and Opportunity Conference. The event convened public, nonprofit, and private sector leaders to explore how cross-sector collaboration can address the complex systems that impact a person’s ability to improve their financial standing over time.

Sessions highlighted the importance of aligning efforts across housing, education, workforce development, and community services to support long-term opportunity.

Insights from the conference will help inform the team’s continued work on local strategies that advance economic mobility through research, partnerships, and systems thinking.

Talent & Organizational Success

This May, the Kansas Government Finance Officers Association (KSGFOA) held its 4th Annual Spring Symposium at the Rhatigan Student Center, with planning and execution managed by the Talent & Organizational Success Team.

The daylong event brought together public finance professionals to engage on critical topics like economic development incentives, cybersecurity, banking rules, and employee retention. The symposium featured a keynote session on navigating difficult conversations, delivered by the University of Kansas Public Management Center, along with panels and breakout sessions from state and local experts.

Operations

The Operations Team recently completed a thoughtful upgrade to our physical space with the addition of new vinyl wall graphics featuring the PPMC’s mission statement: “Enhancing Public Service to Best Serve Your Community”, as well as our newest rallying cry: “Public Service is Essential.”

These visual additions now serve as daily reminders to both staff and guests of the purpose that drives our work. Bold, clear, and intentionally placed, they reflect the values at the heart of the PPMC and reinforce our shared commitment to community-focused impact. Kudos to the Operations Team for bringing this vision to life and making our mission visible every day.

Join Us

The WSU City/County Management Summit is an opportunity to connect with local government management professionals to learn about the latest topics and trends relevant to you. Learn ways to update your zoning code to enhance housing development, enhance the effectiveness of your advisory boards, and more. Registration closes on June 5th, so be sure to sign up while there is still time!

Join LGN for the fifth of six live online discussion sessions exploring reasons why young people leave their community and what can be done to get them back. This is a highly interactive learning session that pulls from the book 13 Ways to Kill your Community by Doug Griffiths and the experiences of the participants. All sessions are free to LGN Member Cities and Counties.

Resources

Local Government That Works: The Council-Manager Form of Government

Learn how the council-manager system makes local government more effective and accountable in this short video from ICMA. It’s a great explainer on the balance between elected leadership and professional management. Perfect for sharing with community groups, students, or anyone curious about local government.

Watch HERE