Civility in government leads to more effective policy-making and better outcomes for the public. One of the first items of non-official business upon being elected to the East Peoria City Council is for all elected officials to sign a pledge. The pledge in itself is a civility pledge that has become tradition and has served our community well for nearly two decades. 

We pledge…

To treat all people with dignity and respect.

To always conduct our duties in the best interest of the people.

To work towards a consensus, while reserving the right to respectfully disagree.

To at all times pursue our duties in a compassionate, professional manner.

To recognize and abstain from potential conflicts of interest.

To, whenever possible, maintain the chain of command.

To assume responsibility for our decisions.

To conduct our personal lives with moral character and integrity. 

We take seriously this pledge as a means of establishing clear guidelines for acceptable behavior in meetings and public events. Everyone has their own opinion, and we are not always going to agree. So long as the differences of opinion are left on the Council floor and not taken personally, we can bridge ideological divides and work together to solve any problems that face our community. Respectful dialogue, willingness to compromise, active listening, and consideration of others are key aspects of civility in government that we use as a Council to foster effective governance. It often takes more courage to be a good listener than it does to be a great speaker.

Civility in government reduces polarization, encourages civil discourse, strengthens democracy, improves governance, and enhances public trust. The lack of civility in government that we have grown accustomed to seeing today continues to erode public confidence in government and will further result in more and more people becoming disengaged from the public process. 

The East Peoria City Council is committed to promoting civility in government through its actions. It truly is amazing how much common ground can be found when those with differences of opinion make a concerted effort to set aside partisan interests or personal animosity when engaging in public discourse.

Always grateful,
John