Ryan Leavengood, the City Manager of Lake Alfred in Polk County, shares his philosophy on public service: success is often measured by invisibility. With a population of around 7,100, Ryan believes that a smooth-running government is one where everything operates behind the scenes, and the public rarely notices because things are going well. He stresses the importance of focusing on core services – the 95% that truly matter. Ryan contrasts this with situations where government fails, like the Flint, Michigan water crisis, where everyone suddenly knows the names of officials when systems break down.
