More respectful meetings? Oswego Village Board unanimously adopts civility pledge

The Oswego Village Board wants to make sure that its public meetings remain civil regardless of what issue is being discussed.

At its May 16 meeting, Oswego Village Board trustees unanimously adopted a civility pledge. The Illinois Municipal League has been encouraging municipalities to adopt the pledge.

The Illinois Municipal League is the statewide association representing local communities throughout Illinois. The league’s board of directors approved the pledge at its spring meeting.

“Adopting it serves as a testament to the significance of ensuring respectful and constructive dialogue within the realm of local government.”

—  Owego Village President Ryan Kauffman

The pledge states, “In the interest of civility, I pledge to promote civility by listening, being respectful of others, acknowledging that we are all striving to support and improve our community and understanding that we each may have different ideas for achieving that objective.”

“Adopting it serves as a testament to the significance of ensuring respectful and constructive dialogue within the realm of local government,” Oswego Village President Ryan Kauffman said, in talking about why the village adopted the pledge. “By doing so, we are making a commitment to promoting civil discourse, empathy, and understanding – not just among ourselves – but the community we serve as a whole. In the era of social media and intense online political disagreements, the civility pledge has the ability to remind us that we are all neighbors and we should deal kindly with one another.”