Open Session - Episode Guide
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New episodes are released intentionally, not on a fixed schedule as we focus on clarity and depth.
Episode 1
What Is a City Administrator — and Why Is La Crosse Voting on One?
Tony Ayala & Mac KielWith a city council vote just days away, this episode focuses on understanding the proposed city administrator role in La Crosse, what it is, where the idea came from, and how it would function within the city’s existing form of government.
Rather than debating positions or predicting outcomes, this conversation centers on process and context. Former La Crosse City Council member Mac Kiel walks through how the role has been discussed over time, how similar cities operate, and what questions residents should be asking as the vote approaches.
This episode is designed to provide clarity before opinion offering a baseline understanding so listeners can follow the decision, read the meeting agenda with more confidence, and engage more thoughtfully with what happens next.
Learn more:
1) City Administrator info hub (official city page)
City Administrator Working Group (overview + context; notes the ordinance coming before Council)
2) Where to find the meeting agenda + packet + video (official Legistar “Meetings” portal)
City of La Crosse Legistar – Meetings (this is the master list; click the specific meeting date → agenda/packet/video)
Common Council body page (Legistar “Common Council” landing; helpful for tracking Council items)
3) Direct link to the committee meeting where the amended City Administrator item appears
Judiciary & Administration Committee meeting detail (shows the City Administrator charter ordinance item and action)
4) The draft ordinance PDF (if you want people reading the exact language)
Proposed Amended Ordinance (PDF) (direct document link)
5) Contact your alderperson (official council member directory)
City Council landing page (general council contact + links)
6) Aldermanic district map (so people can figure out their district)
Thanks for listening and supporting Open Session.
Open Session is not a money-making project. Producing episodes does come with real costs including equipment, software, hosting, and time. We’re willing (and fortunate enough) to cover those costs ourselves so this podcast can remain accessible to everyone.
That said, if you feel compelled to support the work we’re doing, you can do so through Ko-fi.
Ko-fi is a simple, voluntary way to support creators. There are no subscriptions, no paywalls, and no pressure… it’s essentially a digital tip jar. You can give once, give occasionally, or not at all.
Any funds raised through Ko-fi will first go toward covering the basic costs of producing Open Session. If contributions exceed those costs, Tony and Mac intend to split the remainder evenly.
We want to be clear: Open Session is not a nonprofit, and it is not yet a formal business. It’s a passion project featuring two people who care about their city, taking the time to learn how it works and sharing that learning publicly in the hope that it leads to greater understanding, engagement, and progress in La Crosse.
Listening, sharing, and participating in the conversation are already meaningful forms of support. Financial support is optional, and never expected.
Have a question you want us to tackle?
Open Session exists to help demystify how local government works in La Crosse.
If there’s a question you’ve been curious about, a process you don’t understand, or a topic you’d like us to explore on a future episode, we’d love to hear from you.
Please share only what you’re comfortable sharing. All fields are optional.