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Mayor distributes 'Extreme Ownership' and proposes tailored leadership training for city staff and council
Summary
The mayor gave councilors copies of 'Extreme Ownership' by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin, urged the council to read the book and proposed hiring trainer Steven Hunsaker to develop a yearlong leadership program for council and supervisors.
Beaver City’s mayor presented copies of the leadership book Extreme Ownership to council members and asked the council to read it as part of a broader push for cultural and leadership improvements in city government.
The mayor summarized key chapters and described parallels between the book’s themes and the city’s current leadership needs. He told the council he planned follow‑up sessions to discuss book chapters during future meetings and with city staff. "Ultimately, as the mayor of Beaver City, whatever issue happens within the city, I own it," the mayor said, framing the book’s principle of "extreme ownership" as a standard he expects council leaders to accept.
The mayor also proposed working with Steven Hunsaker, a trainer recently retired from Utah State University, to develop a customized, principle‑centered leadership course for Beaver City. He said the course might run about one day per quarter over a year and would be open to the council, supervisors and other staff members at the mayor’s discretion. The mayor said he has talked with Hunsaker and had not committed funds or accepted a quote yet.
Council members generally reacted positively, noting that leadership training and coaching can support supervisors. One council member said small‑group mentorship and one‑on‑one coaching had been helpful in another organization. The mayor said the course under consideration would include session themes such as foundations of leadership, internal drive, accountability, integrity and relationships.
No funding decision or program contract was approved at the meeting. The mayor asked permission to continue pursuing the training arrangement; council members expressed no formal objection and asked staff to return with scheduling and cost information before any commitment.
If the council approves a training contract, staff said they would propose timing and participation details and would provide a cost estimate for council review before committing city funds.
