Evan Meyer welcomes David White to this edition of Meyerside Chats. Are you interested in any of the civic topics below? Please tune in to Meyerside Chats on the Santa Monica Daily Press.

David White is the current City Manager for the City of Santa Monica. White joined in October 2021 after serving as deputy city manager in Berkeley, where he championed reimagining public safety, including a new model of civilian oversight of Berkeley’s Police Department. Before his time in Berkeley, White was the city manager of Fairfield, CA.

Meyerside Chats seeks to eliminate the “us and them” narrative and toxic polarization by praising those who lead by example, virtuous community leadership, and authentic conversation. The intent is to showcase the humanity in those that take on the often thankless jobs of public service through civil discourse and honoring differing points of view.

Recorded by santamonicamusic.com

Summary

• Some personal fun, well-groomed beard maintenance, and past DJ work.

• The importance of music in our lives

• Creating an ever-improving city culture

• How city staff can bring their best selves to work (e.g., David’s music in the office and falcon watching at City Hall)

• Infusing “who you are” into the workspace thru building safety, vulnerability, and purpose

• COVID Innovations, changes, and cuts we should keep

• Bureaucracy and how to create a “getting to yes” culture & mentality | 22:00

• Working through polarity at the city, council, and community levels

• Balancing “loud voices” that dominate conversations around issues with the ideal of true democracy.

• The importance and impressive nature of leadership involves the community, neighborhood, and business levels.

• Local government -> where action CAN lead to direct change

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About Evan Meyer

Evan is the Founder of BeautifyEarth.com, a tech platform and marketplace that speed tracks the urban beautification process through art, as well as the original 501(c)3 sister organization and public charity that beautifies schools in the communities that need it most. Beautify has now facilitated thousands of murals around the planet, working with hundreds of communities, community organizations, cities and national brands.

He is also the Founder of RideAmigos.com, a tech platform that optimizes commuter travel and behavior through intelligent programs and analytics for governments, large enterprises, and universities, serving many regions across the US.

As a civic leader in the City of Santa Monica, he is the past Chairman of his neighborhood (Ocean Park), giving residents a voice in the public process, as well as helping the City of Santa Monica with innovative, actionable ways of civic engagement. He gives seminars on building corporate cultures and the importance of community and civic engagement.

He loves the outdoors, is a master of creative projects, is an avid muralist and musician, and finds the world fascinating in every regard.