DEMOCRACY WATCH
“Democracy is not a spectator sport.”
That view might conflict with the more common assumption that the people’s role in a democracy is to elect leaders who then represent them, then the people go about their business and don’t get in the way of governance more than necessary.
According to the League of Women Voters, Lotte E. Scharfman coined that phrase. It seems to capture the spirit of a small but growing trend in Homewood and Flossmoor, where there are signs lately that some H-F residents are starting to lean more toward Scharfman’s view.
They want to be in the game, not in the stands.
In Homewood, one sign is the return of the Citizen Civics Academy just a few months after the program’s first class ended.
I was part of the first session. The weekly two-hour meetings gave participants a chance to learn about each department in village government, with sessions devoted to the basic village functions, including the manager’s office, police, fire, public works, economic and community development and finance. Staff gave presentations about their responsibilities and challenges, and participants could ask questions throughout.
Even though I get to talk with village officials regularly as part of my job as a reporter, I learned quite a lot from the broad explanations and answers to the questions from participants. It was a view from the stands and the playing field at the same time.
I wasn’t the only one who appreciated the opportunity. Retired civics educator and local history author Kristine Condon addressed the Homewood Board of Trustees on April 30, in part to express her appreciation for the civics academy.
“Most of us joined the academy to learn more about how local government works. And I think most of us were astonished by the many roles municipal employees, who are also our neighbors, play,” she said. “I chose to participate because I have been troubled by the way social media often influences government-constituent relationships, and I wanted to hear from the village directly on how decisions were made, even decisions with which I may not personally agree.
“I have been in classes where students told me that (TV personality) Judge Judy sits on the U.S. Supreme Court. (She doesn’t.) I have been in classes where students have told me that the three branches of government are the legislative, the executive and the Constitution (correction: judiciary). It is frustrating when we feel the next generation of civicallly literate individuals maybe are struggling with some things that the Village of Homewood took the time to really address with residents who really care about what happens to the future of our village.”
Antonia Steinmiller, Homewood’s community engagement specialist, was the instigator and main organizer of the academy. She, too, said social media conversations were a factor in the motivation to hold the academy.
“My whole goal is to be more communicative,” she said. “As a village our goal is to be more transparent.”
She noted that residents’ questions about village government often are posted on local social media channels, especially Facebook, but the format makes it difficult to provide thorough answers to what can be complex situations. Economic development issues are good examples.
“I read every comment on Facebook,” Steinmiller said. “It’s hard to explain the process of economic development on Facebook.”
She also noted that staff really enjoyed the first academy. There will be a few tweaks made for the fall academy, moving from Wednesday evenings to Monday, combining fire and building department presentations since Fire Chief Bob Grabowski oversees both, and giving economic development its own session.
To sign up for the fall Citizens Civics Academy, click here. The deadline is Sept. 3. The sessions are from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday evenings from Sept. 23 to Oct. 28.
Thirty people signed up for the spring academy. Steinmiller said on Tuesday, Aug. 6, that nine people had already signed up for the fall academy. The limit this time will be 40 participants.
Another sign of the possible shift to participatory democracy is happening in Flossmoor, where a number of residents have been challenging recent decisions by the board. Several have begun appearing at each meeting to continue asking questions and offering critique.
At the July 15 board meeting, three residents asked the village to offer more opportunities for residents to get involved.
Barbara Karstrom noted that a post on Facebook by Mayor Michelle Nelson featuring the construction of two homes in an unincorporated area had prompted questions among some residents about the implications of incorporated vs. unincorporated property. She thought a program like Homewood’s would help clarify things.
“Could Flossmoor do something similar to what they do in Homewood? They have a Homewood Citizens Civics Academy, which is a brief series of educational sessions designed to teach residents about the inner workings of their local government,” she said. “That is something that would be really helpful. Obviously we don’t have to do it like Homewood but something similar.”
Ashly Giddens had a similar request but spelled it out in more detail, suggesting a few variations on Homewood’s academy, including having guest speakers address residents in some cases.
“I am here to propose an initiative to improve transparency and build trust in our community through educational seminars about our local government’s inner workings,” she said. “Transparency is a cornerstone of a healthy democracy. In recent times there has been a noticeable decline in trust between residents and our local government. This mistrust can hinder our ability to work together effectively and make progress as a community.”
She said the opportunity for residents to learn more about how government works help them “get involved and have their voices heard. Residents would gain a better understanding of the complexities and challenges involved in governing our community, leading to more informed and constructive participation. By demystifying government processes, we can encourage more residents to attend meetings, participate in public forums and engage in community initiatives.”
Nelson said staff time to conduct a civics academy would have to be taken into account, but she agreed “it would be useful.” She also recommended that in the meantime, residents could study the budget to learn more about village operations.
“There’s an excellent write up in every section on the history of the funding and the work that’s been done,” she said.
She also noted that the Flossmoor Police Department will be holding a 10-week citizens academy for people who live or work in the village starting Aug. 28.
Pam Jackson, who serves on the District 233 Board of Education, suggested the village make the transparency page on its website more responsive to residents’ questions. She said in recent months “there have been a ton of fantastic suggestions, questions, inquiries” from residents, but the answers from village officials are not always made public.
“Many people here feel like their questions have not been answered publicly. They may have been answered one on one. For me, when questions come up, I’m very curious about the answers. If you spoke to the person who asked the question, I don’t know what the answer was,” she said. “It just seems simple enough to me to put the answers on the website so that we can feel heard.”