What does it actually take to run a city? In this episode, Samuel McVay sits down with David Dillner, City Manager of El Dorado, Kansas, to explore the parallels between municipal leadership and business management. Dillner walks through his career path-from a history major at Benedictine College to leading city operations across Kansas and Virginia-and reveals how a city manager functions as the CEO of a municipal corporation, reporting to a mayor and commission who serve as the board of directors.
The conversation tackles the structural differences between a mayor and city manager that most people misunderstand: a mayor in commission-form government is essentially the board chair with equal voting power to other commissioners, not an executive with veto authority. Dillner breaks down El Dorado's economic wins, including negotiating a landmark water debt contract that reduced a potential $400 million future liability to $57 million through restructuring compound interest to simple interest. He explains the complexity of infrastructure financing, water sales to industrial customers like refineries, and long-term strategic planning that rivals any Fortune 500 operation.
Whether you're a local business owner wanting to understand your city's fiscal health or simply curious how municipalities operate, this episode reveals that running a city requires many of the same skills as running a business-with significantly more stakeholder complexity.
When you think of a city manager, you might picture someone in an administrative role. In reality, a city manager is the CEO of a municipal corporation. David Dillner, who has served as City Manager of El Dorado, Kansas for nearly nine years, explained this dynamic clearly: the city manager oversees all operations, while the mayor and commissioners function like a board of directors.
This distinction matters because it reshapes how people understand city governance. In El Dorado's commission-form government, the mayor holds no veto power and casts just one vote equal to the other four commissioners. The mayor is, as Dillner put it, "the first among equals." Their role is to facilitate meetings, ensure order, and represent the city ceremonially-but they don't control day-to-day operations. That responsibility falls entirely to the city manager, who implements policies approved by the commission.
Dillner's journey to this position is instructive for anyone interested in leadership and strategic growth. After earning a degree in history from Benedictine College, he attended the University of Kansas' robust city management program, which combines academic coursework with practical internships. He worked in Ottawa, Winchester (Virginia), Edgerton, and Abilene before arriving in El Dorado. Each role taught him something different about community development and long-term planning.
One achievement Dillner is particularly proud of demonstrates how municipal leadership mirrors business strategy: renegotiating El Dorado's lake debt contract. The original contract compounded interest annually at 3.5%, which would have resulted in a $400 million debt by 2081-an unsustainable burden for a city of 12,500. By restructuring the agreement to simple interest, Dillner reduced that future liability to $57 million. This kind of financial engineering is exactly what corporate leaders do when optimizing balance sheets and long-term liabilities.
The water infrastructure itself reveals how cities manage growth. El Dorado supplies approximately four billion gallons of water annually to multiple customers-the city itself, Augusta, industrial clients like refineries, and rural water districts. Each gallon sold represents revenue that helps service debt and fund municipal operations. This is operational efficiency at scale.
What Dillner's experience underscores is that local business owners should understand their city's financial health and strategic direction. A city manager's decisions on infrastructure, water supply, economic development incentives, and debt management directly impact the business environment. Just as businesses need strong strategic planning and fiscal discipline to thrive, so do municipalities.
What made David Dillner transition from a history degree to becoming a city manager?
David took a local government class at Benedictine College that sparked his interest. After touring city hall, his professor encouraged him to apply to the University of Kansas's city management graduate program, which combines academic work with full-time internships. He completed an internship with the City of Ottawa, Kansas, which solidified his career path into municipal management.
How do government agencies and municipalities benefit from digital marketing and local SEO?
Cities and government offices need to reach residents with permit information, event announcements, and public services. Local SEO ensures residents can find city websites easily, Google Ads drives traffic to important announcements, and social media management keeps communities informed. Like any local organization, municipalities compete for public engagement and need digital visibility.
How does KillerGrowth help local service businesses and community organizations get more clients online?
KillerGrowth specializes in local SEO, Google Ads, Meta Ads, website design, GoHighLevel CRM, and social media management for local service businesses like HVAC, roofing, plumbing, contractors, healthcare, and legal services. We ensure your business appears at the top of local search results, converts website visitors into leads through optimized funnels, and manages your online reputation across all platforms.
What makes KillerGrowth different from other digital marketing agencies in Wichita?
KillerGrowth focuses exclusively on local service businesses and understands their unique challenges. We combine proven strategies-local SEO, paid ads, website design, and CRM automation-into one integrated system instead of piecing together multiple vendors. Our approach is results-driven: we track leads, conversions, and ROI so you know exactly what your marketing dollars produce.
How can I get started working with KillerGrowth?
Book a free strategy call with Samuel McVay at killergrowth.com/booking. During the call, we'll analyze your current online presence, identify gaps, and show you exactly how we can help your business get more clients through local SEO, Google Ads, and digital marketing. No obligation, no sales pitch-just honest strategy.