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3/4/24, 2:48 PM Taking the Lead – How City Officials Can Promote Civility - League of Minnesota Cities <br />https://www.lmc.org/news-publications/magazine/may-june-2023/civility/1/4 <br />Taking the Lead – How City <br />Ofcials Can Promote Civility <br />By Matt Lehrman <br />Civility in local government is similar to the guardrails on a highway — providing structure by <br />which municipal leaders and the public can navigate around each other. Securing the travel <br />lanes provides mutual safety for people heading in all directions. When civility breaks down, <br />however, people and perspectives collide — resulting in misunderstandings and disagreements <br />that can harm relationships and fracture a communityʼs sense of togetherness. <br />Guardrails canʼt provide complete protection from conflicts, but they are the fundamental <br />structures of cooperation and coexistence. <br />In the first half of this article, Iʼm going to make the strategic, and perhaps idealistic, case for <br />celebrating disagreement. If youʼve already been on the receiving end of anger and vitriol, Iʼll <br />understand if you skip to the second half, which offers thoughts on how to stand strong against <br />incivility. <br />Take the lead <br />Every city official owns the responsibility for the infrastructure of civility in their municipality. <br />Whatever your personal agenda or philosophy, you are — by nature of your position — <br />undeniably responsible for ensuring access, information, and respect for all, including for <br />those with whom you disagree. <br />Creating an environment that is open, fair, and considerate to everyone is crucial. This means <br />basing your decisions on factual information, being transparent in your actions and decision- <br />making processes, and being accountable for promoting a sense of pride and togetherness <br />throughout your community. <br />By prioritizing civility, you set a positive example and build trust and confidence — not just in <br />local government, but in your communityʼs essential quality of togetherness. A civil local <br />government is not just nice to have but a must-have. It is the foundation upon which a healthy <br />and functioning democracy is built. <br />Welcome disagreements <br />Disagreement is not a sign of dysfunction, but rather a prerequisite for effective decision- <br />making in a free society. The ideal of democracy is that it enables people with assorted <br />knowledge, values, and lived experiences to come together to recognize and solve community <br />problems. Engaging with those who have differing viewpoints can promote the following: <br />Transparency. Disagreement helps to expose underlying assumptions and biases. When <br />individuals with different perspectives come together, they are oen forced to articulate and <br />6