Council meetings conducted with civility while Gilbert led Barb Olsen Browne DPPA president Point of View - Duluth News Tribune - Jan. 2001 Just walking into the Duluth City Council Chambers can be, for many of us, a daunting experience. At the front of the room sit Duluth's nine city councilors, arranged regally in their plush chairs behind a massive desk, the council president perched in the most regal chair of all. Also ensconced at the front of the room are members of the administration. A gate separates these figures from members of the general public, for whom long, wooden benches are arranged. Planted between these two groups is a podium and a microphone, to which residents must make the long walk if they want to address the councilors. Television monitors serve as a reminder that these sessions are carried live on PAC-TV, as well as on KUMD radio. Put this all together, and you've got a recipe for nerves. There is, however, one key component that can bring some sense of ease to this setting and help make the public feel more comfortable taking an active role in Duluth city government: the City Council president. The president, by treating the public with respect and cordiality, can not only make the public feel welcome but can also set the tone of behavior for the other city councilors. During the year 2000, the council had as its president Second District Councilor Greg Gilbert, who in the estimation of the Duluth Public-Policy Alliance (DPPA) set a new standard of excellence in the conduct of the council president. As president, Gilbert welcomed all with equal kindness and encouragement. He delivered water to a dry-mouthed and nervous resident speaker, kept the calm when tempers were strained, and brought some much-needed humor with the occasional joke. Under his leadership, most councilors followed Gilbert's fine example. Over the past two years, DPPA has observed nearly every City Council meeting and has unfortunately found that this common decency has not always been in place in the Council Chambers. Councilors and the council president alike have in years past carried on conversations among themselves while members of the public spoke, have shown open disrespect for some residents' positions and have addressed members of the public with disdain. In the year 2000, however, this was rarely the case. Members of the public have responded by investing generously of their time, their efforts, and their passion. As a result, residents in the year 2000 contributed greatly to the deliberations that must underlie public decision-making if it is to be of lasting value. This new style of council meeting, it's true, made for late-night entertainment for PAC-TV viewers and KUMD radio listeners and some long nights for the council members. Yet, when urged to maximize efficiency by shuffling public comment to the end of the City Council meetings, Gilbert disagreed, remarking, ``The only thing I know for sure ... is that every minute of public testimony in front of the City Council has been packed with wisdom, intelligence and a sincere desire to make Duluth a better place to live.'' Some worried that such increased public involvement would slow the work of the council. Yet, the list of accomplishments of the 2000 Duluth City Council -- with its five new members -- shows that that need not have been a concern. Here are just a few examples: Open public discussion and council decisions on such huge issues as the smoke-free restaurant ordinance, the McQuade boat launch, the Bayfront, and the proposed student housing at Chester Park and the beginnings of the preservation of the Western Skyline, initiated by Councilor Russ Stover. Also, the progress on the Human Rights Ordinance, championed by Councilors Lynn Fena, Stover, Gilbert and Donny Ness; the start on the Comprehensive Plan, pressed by Councilor Russ Stewart; the formation of the Legacy and Stewardship fund to preserve Duluth's park lands, initiated by Gilbert. Our representative democracy rests on the principle that each resident deserves to be able to participate equally at the decision-making table with our City Council members. When residents are treated fairly, they come forward to meeting after meeting, prepared to greet their civic responsibilities with energy. To those residents who have come forward in the year 2000, many thanks and congratulations. And as we move forward in the coming year, we in the Duluth Public-Policy Alliance urge the newly elected City Council leadership -- President Patty Edwards and Vice President Ness -- to continue the atmosphere of warmth and respect that over the past year has fostered civic dialogue arising from the depth and breadth of our community. These articles are retained on the web for historical interest and do not necessarily reflect the views or goals of DPPA today.