In the wake of a contentious and discordant national election, Mayor Bruce Bassett took a few moments at the start of the Nov. 21 City Council meeting to pause and reaffirm the council’s principles and values of civility, equality, diversity and sustainability.

“As your city government, our role is to bring people together and not divide them,” he said. “Our job is to be welcoming of all people and all ideas in recognition that we truly are stronger and smarter together. We need to recognize certain essential principles and conduct our government — and hopefully our lives — consistent with those principles.”

Bassett said that the council’s pledges include:

• To do all we can to foster civil discourse.

• To ensure that city services are always provided in a manner that does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity.

• To foster a community that always encourages people to achieve their potential and help others to do similarly.

• To protect our air, water and other parts of our natural environment to protect the health and futures of our families and future generations.

• To welcome without reservation new people from all parts of our world, with an abiding faith in their potential to be part of and strengthen our community.

• To never marginalize or demonize any person or group of people.

• To respect and listen to people and their ideas.

• To understand that we have a responsibility not just to ourselves but to others in our region including many who are not as fortunate.

• To do all we can to ensure that our children will inherit a world that includes all of the good that the world our parents brought us into had.

• To demand that our national, state and regional leaders uphold these same values.

The proclamation was signed by all of the council members.