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City officials are stepping in front of the microphone with a new podcast-style video series aimed at keeping Elgin residents informed, connected and engaged.
The first episode of “78621 Live,” hosted by Mayor Theresa McShan and acting Community Services Director Stacey Osborne, premiered May 30 on the city’s YouTube channel. With a goal of offering accessible updates on city services, events and the people behind them, each episode runs about five minutes and is designed to be easily shared on social media, Osborne said.
“We’re really excited about our new podcast,” Osborne said in the debut episode. “And if you’re not an Elgin resident, you can come here anytime and we’ll show you all the great things we have to do here in the city.”
The well-produced video features a modern setup with balanced audio levels. McShan and Osborne, seated comfortably across from each other, welcomed viewers with a conversational rapport—introducing themselves and the project.
McShan, who was born in Elgin and now works in the same building where she entered the world—the former Fleming Hospital, now Fleming Community Center—shared how meaningful it is to serve the city where her story began.
“It’s very special to me. Literally the building where I was born,” she said. “That particular room is real special to me.”
Osborne guided the conversation.
“Elgin has been so good about capturing its history and making sure we retain the unique character of Elgin,” she said.
The episode allowed McShan the opportunity to reflect on her love for the community and the values she believes set Elgin apart.
“Elgin is unique in that the people make the city,” she said. “It’s not just a phrase—it’s serious. It makes it so nice that you can walk down the street and people say hello. This is Big Texas, and we do things big here, but we also want to keep that hometown feel.”
McShan emphasized that the podcast is not just about municipal updates but about people—getting to know city staff, hearing from residents and building community pride.
“Sometimes when you get into local government, people think we’re not just regular folks—but we are,” she said. “We just chose to step out and be leaders. I hope that (residents) will be able to not only gain knowledge about these topics that we bring up, but they’ll get to see we’re just down to earth, homey people—part of Elgin.”
According to Osborne, future episodes will include interviews with city staff like interim City Manager Isaac Turner and Main Street Manager Kristina Alvarez, featuring segments on the city’s new Depot District, local elections and community events.
The podcast will likely be released biweekly, depending on guest availability, she added.
The mayor said she also hopes to bring on local businesses and regional partners, building on the city’s monthly newsletter.
Osborne encourages residents to follow the series on YouTube at youtube.com/@cityofelgin-texas3271 to stay up to date and be a part of what’s next for Elgin.
