Civic Language
Proposal, Recommendation and Decision in Public Process
Understand proposal, recommendation and decision in public process so you can tell an early suggestion from advice to…
The reading room
All pieces
Browse explanations and observations on institutions, shared places, civic language, public records and participation. Each piece starts with a question and makes room for the distinctions that help an answer make sense.
Public Space
The Waiting Room, the Lobby and the Service Counter
Understand how a waiting room, lobby and service counter guide different public journeys, so you can spot unclear…
Institutions
Before the Modern Council: A Short History of Local Deliberation
Local deliberation developed through assemblies, custom and written records. Learn how these practices shaped public…
Participation
The Open Meeting Myth: What Attendance Can and Cannot Tell You
Open meeting attendance reveals how officials discuss a decision; learn to identify speaking rules, submission routes…
Public Records
Reading an Agenda Before Your First Public Meeting
Reading a public meeting agenda beforehand helps you follow its order, understand unfamiliar terms and choose which…