The city of Valparaiso continues discussing ways to boost civility at its government meetings.
This follows criticism over Valparaiso School Board President Dr. Robert Behrend's emotional comments during a January city council meeting. Dr. Behrend raised his voice and turned around to address various audience members, in violation of the rules for public comment, but with little or no pushback from Mayor Jon Costas.
Now, the mayor's advisory human relations council is suggesting ways to educate the community about the council's expectations. HRC Chair Alison Quackenbush says that may include adding plaques and conduct checklists at each council member's seat and the public comment lectern.
"One of the last comments that was also made as an option or an idea was having this statement in a banner at the dais as a reminder: 'Civility, respect and community are the order of the day,'" Quackenbush told the city council last week.
She said there also appeared to be some disagreement among city officials about their individual roles. She noted that any council member could raise a point of order.
"No one person can be the civility police," Quackenbush said. "The mayor is not the civility police. I am not the civility police, nor is the AHRC."
Additionally, the HRC notes that rules for civility should be enforced equitably, regardless of the outside context, relationship or party.
Still, last week's discussion of civility was followed by a back-and-forth with council members about the HRC's role.
City council member Emilie Hunt felt the HRC was moving away from organizing programs. Specifically, Hunt was frustrated that it apparently wasn't able to help organize a documentary screening for Black History Month.
"I think that this council would be interested in ensuring that those goals and values and conversations continue, when we are seeing, nationally, that stopping," Hunt said.
But Quackenbush said no one reached out to her until the month of February had already begun. "A notification on the first of February, to me, a request, is absolutely not giving something as important as it would be the fair time it needed," Quackenbush said.
Despite council members' concerns, Mayor Costas said the HRC is functioning the way he intended. "Essentially, we wanted a council that was independent and could advise me on issues related to human relations, as I directed the core duties of the city," Costas explained.
Quackenbush said the HRC would be willing to support other organizations in holding their own events.
