GUEST COLUMN.

Public trust in government is under pressure. National political division, misinformation, and frustration with institutions can shape how people view every level of government—including the localities closest to their daily lives.

That is a challenge, but also an opportunity.

Local government is not Washington, D.C. or the state capital. It is the level of government people can see, contact, question, and influence most directly. Cities provide drinking water, wastewater treatment, police, fire and emergency medical services, streets, parks, planning, building permits, recreation, and many other services that help a community function.

Yet many residents understandably do not know how these systems work, who makes which decisions, or how they can participate meaningfully. They may assume city government operates like the federal government, with the same distance, partisanship, and limited access. In reality, local government is designed to be accessible. Residents can attend public meetings, contact elected officials and staff, serve on boards and commissions, participate in planning processes, and help shape community decisions.

But access alone is not enough. People also need a refresher on civics and understandable pathways into the work of government, especially at the level closest to them.

That is why civic academies are so important. They are manageably brief programs that are intended to help residents understand how their local government, its agencies and systems deliver the services to which they’ve grown accustomed.

But a civic academy is more than a public-information program. It is an investment in civic literacy, public trust, and a community’s ability to work through difficult issues together. It doesn’t just help residents understand what local government does but also  how decisions are made, the constraints cities face, and how their voices can be most effective.

In Ellensburg, this need became especially clear during challenging community conversations surrounding the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion chapter of the City’s Comprehensive Plan in 2025. The topic generated strong emotions and polarized public participation during the annual docketing and update process.

The process was, at times, a pressure cooker. It reinforced an important lesson: when residents do not understand the role of local government, the respective responsibilities of city council and staff, the process requirements of a comprehensive plan, and the procedures that guide local decisions, mistrust can grow quickly.

City staff and consulting partners created opportunities for dialogue and structured listening to find common ground. The team heard concerns, facilitated conversations, and worked to identify shared values amid deep disagreement. At the same time, the challenges reinforced the idea that meaningful public engagement cannot begin only after a controversial issue emerges.

We need to build understanding before the next difficult conversation.

That recognition led our team to double down on civic education through an enhanced Ellensburg Academy program. In prior years, our staff had offered topic-specific educational opportunities. But the Academy served as an engaging, practical introduction to the full spectrum of city government and its services.

The Academy included six hours of programming across a range of City departments and topics. Participants learned about the systems behind municipal services and the people who make them work. City staff welcomed the opportunity to share their expertise and highlight work that often goes unnoticed unless a service is interrupted or a problem arises.

The Academy also extended beyond the classroom. Follow-up sessions included a tour of Ellensburg’s Wastewater Treatment Plant and a program night with the Ellensburg Police Department. Substituting for the former six-week Police Citizens Academy, which had become sparsely attended and resource-intensive. These experiences allowed participants to see how City services operate and connect public-policy discussions with the infrastructure, employees, and daily decisions behind them.

Nearly 70 community members participated in the 2026 Ellensburg Academy.

The program’s final hour was intentionally reserved for structured listening. Participants helped identify community challenges and contribute ideas for potential solutions. Civic education should not be one-way communication from government to residents; it should create a stronger exchange of information, experience, and perspective.

Public comment remains an essential feature of open government. However, a thr

ee-minute comment at a public meeting is not always enough to build shared understanding of a complex issue. It rarely gives participants time to learn about tradeoffs, understand legal or financial constraints, hear from others, or help develop workable solutions.

Civic academies help build that capacity. They create relationships before conflict escalates, give residents practical knowledge about city operations, and help people distinguish among policy choices, legal requirements, budget constraints, and implementation challenges. They may also inspire residents to serve on advisory boards, commissions, or City Council.

Civic academies should not be viewed as a way to persuade residents to

agree with their government. Their purpose is more fundamental: to help people participate confidently, ask informed questions, and contribute constructively to their community.

At a time when public trust is fragile, cities cannot afford to treat civic education as an optional extra. It is core work. The promise of civic academies is stronger civic understanding, better engagement, and a more resilient local democracy.

The contents of this Guest Column are those of the author, and not necessarily Barrett and Greene, Inc

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