Local government works best when residents feel heard, informed, and protected. That philosophy sits at the center of Findlay, Ohio, Mayor Christina Muryn’s leadership style, as she recently shared on the Civint City Podcast.
Muryn joined hosts Rania Jamison, Civint’s COO, and Sam Johnson, Civint’s CEO, for a wide-ranging conversation on transparency, fiscal discipline, infrastructure investment, and how cities can remain competitive for the next generation. Civint is a national advocacy firm based in Columbia, SC that builds coalitions and strategies within a network of municipal leaders.
Listening First: Rethinking Civic Communication
One of the clearest themes from the conversation was Muryn’s belief that communication only works if it addresses what residents actually care about.
Rather than delivering a traditional, one-directional State of the City address, Muryn shifted to a question-and-answer format that prioritized public concerns.
“It’s so easy to talk about all of the great things that we’ve accomplished in the past year and what we’re looking forward to,” Muryn said. “But that really isn’t the stuff that people are thinking about on a daily basis.”
Questions that couldn’t be addressed live were later answered in writing and shared on social media as an intentional step, Muryn said, to reinforce transparency and accessibility beyond City Hall.
Fiscal Discipline and Strategic Use of Grants
Muryn emphasized that Findlay’s financial independence allows the city to remain nimble and locally accountable. The city avoids relying on state or federal funding for daily operations and focuses on grants for large-scale capital projects.
“We have not been reliant on state or federal grants for our operations themselves,” she said. “We really try to use them for specific capital projects.”
That approach has positioned Findlay to successfully compete for major funding, including a recent $28 million FEMA grant for flood mitigation that was an effort years in the making.
“Success in large federal grants like this take years of work,” Muryn said. “It’s not like, ‘We have this problem, let’s go apply for this.’”
Investing in Youth and the City’s Future
Like many mid-sized cities, Findlay faces the challenge of attracting and retaining young talent. Muryn said she regularly meets with students to understand what they value and what might bring them back after college.
“I always ask them what they’re most proud of in Findlay,” she said, “and what we need to do to make sure they want to come back here in the future.”
Those insights are helping guide redevelopment efforts, including reimagining underused commercial spaces and expanding free, community-centered events.
Safety as a Non-Negotiable Priority
Public safety remains foundational to Muryn’s leadership. She highlighted Findlay’s new emergency preparedness center. It is designed to improve coordination among first responders while lowering long-term costs and improving insurance ratings.
“Safety is definitely job number one of any mayor,” Muryn said. “If you can’t keep your people safe, you’re not going to be able to do anything else.”
A Model for Practical, People-Focused Leadership
Muryn’s approach reflects a broader lesson for civic leaders everywhere: listen early, plan for the long term, spend strategically, and never underestimate the value of public trust.
Listen to the Civint City Podcast on all podcast platforms.
