I Went to My First City Council Meeting — Here’s What It Was Really Like
No drama. No fireworks. Just the quiet, steady work of neighbors shaping the future of Quincy — and why you should see it for yourself.
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Last Tuesday night, at 46 years old, I went to my first city council meeting.
I’ve lived all over the country. I’ve served on boards. I’ve sat in corporate meetings that lasted longer than they should have. But somehow, until I put down roots here in Quincy, I had never once walked into a city council chamber.
And if I’m being honest with you — I didn’t know what to expect.
Maybe it’s all the courtroom dramas and police shows I’ve watched over the years, but part of me half-expected someone to burst through the doors yelling about injustice. Maybe a dramatic objection. A heated argument. Something cinematic.
That’s not how it works.
Not even close.
Business. Just Business.
Quincy City Council meetings are orderly. Clean. Professional. Efficient.
No shouting.
No cross-room debates.
No grandstanding.
It’s business.
The council follows parliamentary procedure — Robert’s Rules of Order — which means motions are made, seconds are given, votes are taken, and everything moves along according to a very specific structure.
In fact, it’s so structured that if you’re not familiar with the topic already, you might walk away wondering what just happened.
And that’s normal.
Here’s something most of us don’t realize: the council meeting isn’t where everything gets debated. By the time something hits the agenda, it’s already been discussed in committee meetings, internal reviews, and department conversations. The council session is where official votes happen.
So if you’re expecting long explanations and back-and-forth discussion on every item, you won’t find it there.
But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go.
Why I Think You Should Attend at Least Once
Even though it wasn’t dramatic or entertaining, I walked out convinced of something:
Every citizen should attend a city council meeting at least once. Probably more than once.
Here’s why.
1. You Should Know Who Is Making Decisions in Your Town
When we vote in local elections, most of us recognize one — maybe two — names on the ballot. A neighbor. Someone from church. Someone our kids played sports with.
The rest? We’re voting with limited information.
Sitting in that room lets you:
Put faces to names
Hear how council members speak
Watch how they conduct themselves
Form your own impressions
These are the people helping shape our streets, infrastructure, utilities, ordinances, and long-term planning. It’s worth knowing who they are.
2. You See the People Behind the Departments
One of the things that stood out to me wasn’t just the council members at the front.
It was everyone else in the room.
Department heads. City staff. Leaders from public safety, utilities, maintenance, engineering, recreation — the people quietly keeping our community running every single day.
You start connecting dots.
“Oh, that’s who runs that department.”
“So that’s the person behind that decision.”
It reminds you that local government isn’t some distant machine. It’s people. Real people. Our neighbors.
3. You Have a Place to Speak
There is a public comment period.
It’s structured and timed. It’s not an open debate. But if you have something legitimate to bring forward — a concern about safety, infrastructure, neighborhood issues — this is a formal place to be heard.
When you speak there, it becomes part of the official record.
That matters.
It’s Not Glamorous — But It’s Ours
Let me be clear: city council meetings are not thrilling.
They aren’t dramatic.
They aren’t entertaining.
They aren’t designed to be.
They are designed to get work done.
And that might actually be a good thing.
What struck me most wasn’t excitement — it was responsibility. These meetings are where the nuts and bolts of our town move forward. Ordinances. Contracts. Public works. Safety updates. Infrastructure.
This is the engine room of Quincy.
And the doors are open.
Bring Your Kids
One thing I didn’t expect to think about was how valuable this could be for young people.
Seeing parliamentary procedure in action — watching motions, seconds, votes — is different than reading about it in a textbook. It’s civic education in real time.
If we want the next generation to understand how communities function, this is one of the easiest ways to start.
Why I’ll Probably Go Again
Was it exciting? No.
Was it glamorous? Definitely not.
But I walked away with something I didn’t have before — a clearer picture of how our town functions and who is carrying the responsibility.
Local government isn’t Washington, D.C. It’s not Olympia. It’s neighbors serving neighbors.
And whether you ever step up to the podium or not, simply showing up changes how you see the place you live.
If you’ve never been to a city council meeting, maybe it’s time.
Not because it’s entertaining.
Because it’s ours.