
John McArdle, was the mayor of Independence, Oregon, a city of 10,000 in Western Oregon, for 26 years before retiring in 2024. During his time as mayor, he was known as a leader who tackled tough issues and set ambitious goals. He was also a convener who brought together local leaders from across Oregon as president of both the Oregon Mayors Association and the Oregon League of Cities. He has another title: U.S. track & field Olympian for the hammer throw.
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Each episode of NLC’s podcast, CitiesSpeak with Clarence Anthony, dives into a critical issue facing local leaders today, featuring conversations with elected leaders and policy experts from across the country. New episodes of CitiesSpeak are available monthly on all major podcasting platforms and on YouTube: