Local government can be fascinatingly intriguing, significant, and captivating. This book grew out of years of determination while I was a Mayor, Councilmember, and Planning Commissioner to make local government and public meetings approachable, friendly, customer-oriented, accessible, accountable, and understood. It is a process that needs work on all sides of the dais – by the public, by staff, and by elected representatives. As the first directly elected female Mayor of my town, I achieved all of the goals I set for my two years in office except one: I wanted to set up a course for new Councilmembers to teach them their roles and responsibilities as directors on the many Boards on which they sit. This book is my fulfillment of that goal. Boardsmanship is an art, a science, and a learned skill that isn’t taught, but which would enhance the service we provide to those who elect us if we understood how to do it well. The problem is that there is no playbook, no job description, no education for newly elected representatives or for the public that explains what is expected of us and what our jobs are. It’s all happenstance. The electeds get thrown in at the deep end, and their constituents often don’t even get to the pool, or they check in with their representatives in a haphazard way. I became familiar with local government practice and process by osmosis over the course of thirteen years. You can do that too, but you will be much more effective and waste much less time if you learn how it works before you take up your role. City Council 101 will shorten your learning curve so you can hit the ground running. I share, as an insider, a former Mayor and good government advocate, what nobody tells us going in – your roles and responsibilities. Both are critical if we are serious about governing well. The relationship between the govern-ers and the governed is often perceived as adversarial or actually is adversarial. Neither the public nor their representatives understand how City Hall works. As a result, mistrust develops at best, and apathy at worst. Government staff and electeds may not think in terms of how to engage the public, or they may want to avoid embarrassment and get on with their work, viewing the public as a nuisance, and finding ways to do things without involving the public. But it didn’t start out this way, and it isn’t intended in our National or State Constitutions to be this way. We The People created our form of government to serve us. The very first amendment in our federal and in most State Constitutions, is FREEDOM OF SPEECH. The governed are to speak their truth. We are to be a government by committee. The institutions of our government belong to those who are governed. They are in charge. Your job is to serve them. I will suggest exercises that will enhance your knowledge: something interesting or entertaining to think about, google, complete, or watch. I will provide you with - How to's - Practical actions that get results - Helpful exercises - Real life examples - Occasional comic relief - Worksheets - Food for thought - A template for public records requests This is a much-needed guide relevant at every level of government. It sets out what every public servant needs to know about open government and transparency, whether elected, appointed, or hired, and serves as a reminder that our task is to represent the often-forgotten taxpayer! It should be required reading for civil servants and elected representatives and all who desire to preserve the public trust. Andrea Seastrand Former California Assembly Member Former Representative, US House of Representatives Public Integrity is the foundation for citizen faith in local government. Elected and appointed officeholders hijacking official authority to benefit themselves and their cronies, or to punish those who expose their corruption, jackhammers away those foundations. Debbie Peterson's guide on how to spot, avoid, and remedy corrupt practices from the inside by local elected and appointed officeholders is indispensable for every city council and agency board member. Stew Jenkins Constitutional Attorney, Former Harbor Commissioner Debbie Peterson knows the rules that govern elected and appointed officials' public behavior. This new book defines those rules, so even the most minor official can serve with confidence, knowing how to stay transparent, honest and avoid any appearance of impropriety, while always honoring the public trust! Peter Keith, Former Mayor, Grover Beach, California A former Mayor, Councilmember, and Planning Commissioner, Debbie Peterson works on both sides of the dais as an advocate for good government.By the age of 28 Debbie was an award-winning entrepreneur and food manufacturer in Great Britain and has negotiated more than five hundred win-win transactions as a residential real estate broker in California.Debbie studied journalism and radio-tv, at CSU Fresno, completing a BSc in Communications with a