Full Text
Agenda Item No. 5(E) RESOLUTION 2012-XX I RESOLUTION OF THE EL CERRITO CITY COUNCIL IN RECOGNITION OF THE "CHOOSE CIVILITY" INITIATIVE WHEREAS, civility is a core value of a well functioning community and one of its defining components; and WHEREAS, the civility level in a community underscores its general health and wellness and quality of life depends in great part on how community members treat each other; and WHEREAS, concern for the common good and well-being of all citizens is one of the highest virtues of American democracy; and ' · WHEREAS, two-thirds of the public believe that American society is uncivil; and seventy-two percent of Americans think the problem has gotten worse in recent years; and WHEREAS, the American·, people. strongly believe that every citizen 1s responsible for improving such behavior; and WHEREAS, in collaboration with organizations throughout the community, the Contra Costa County Office of Education is implementing the "Choose Civility" campaign to promote civil behavior. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City ofEl Cerrito recognizes and supports the "Choose Civility" initiative and encourages others to participate in this campaign thiough activities that demonstrate to the public the importance of civility. I CERTIFY that at a regular meeting on April 17, 2012 the City Council of the City of El Cerrito passed this Resolution by the following vote: AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: IN WITNESS of this action, I sign this document and affix the corporate seal of the City ofEl Cerrito on April_, 2012. Cheryl Morse, City Clerk APPROVED: William C. Jones III, Mayor ---PAGE BREAK--- January 5, 2012 The Honorable Bill Jones Mayor, City of El Cerrito 10890 San Pablo Ave. El Cerrito, CA 94530 Dear Mr. Jones: Joseph A. Ovick, Ed. Superintendent of Schools 77 Santa Barbara Road • Pleasant Hill, CA 94523 • (925) 942-3388 Beginning this spring, I will be launching a new initiative for Contra Costa County entitled, "Choosing Civility." I am currently inviting the Board of Supervisors, city mayors and council members, PTAs, and the business community throughout Contra Costa County to participate in my initiative. I arrived at the decision that this initiative is jmportant ,and especially needed at this time when I realized that in today's world there are very few public figures thai demonstrate civility, whether it be on television, the radio, or other forms of media. Civility is a core value of a well-functioning community, and quality of life depends on how people treat each other. The initiative is inspired by the work of Dr. Forni, the author of "Choosing Civility: The 25 Rules of Considerate Conduct." Dr. Forni is a professor of ethics at Johns Hopkins University. Through a broad-based collaborative effort, my goal is to transform Dr. Forni'sconcepts into a workable, meaningful plan that can be integrated into the culture of our schools, government, businesses, organizations, neighborhoods, and families throughout our greater Contra Costa County. It is my hope that the cities throughout our county will place this matter on a future agenda to discuss civility and the need for adopting a resolution in support of my initiative. Attached please find a sample resolution that you may wish to consider adopting on the matter of civility. Also, if you would like me to present this matter personally to you and your city council, I would be happy to do so. I can be reached at 925/942-3432 or by e-mail at [EMAIL REDACTED] 12.ca. us to schedule a presentation. I look forward to receiving a positive response to this initiative from all. Thank you for your consideration of my request. Respectfully, Joseph A. Ovick, Ed.D. Superintendent of Schools Contra Costa County