Lisa Gardner, City Council Director of Communications and Community Engagement, No Phone Number Available
Thursday, June 18, 2026 at 10:25 a.m.
City Hall can be intimidating place. Council Chambers, the parliamentary procedures of Robert’s Rules of Order, the Council agenda and items written in language that seem designed to confuse. For many Spokane residents, especially those from communities that have historically been excluded from civic spaces, walking through those doors can feel like entering a world that was built without them in mind.
That feeling is not imaginary, and it is not acceptable.
The Spokane City Council’s Civics 101: How to Engage with Council workshop was created out of a simple thought that all this only works if people participate. For far too long, city government has felt like a domain of insiders of people who know which committee to contact, who understand the differences between resolutions and ordinances and who aren’t afraid to step up to the mic and share their grievances.
On June 3, Council Member Sarah Dixit moderated an event with more than 30 attendees gathered in Council Chambers to break down how their city works. The 90-minute session moved through a structured but conversational agenda with a welcome from Council President Betsy Wilkerson, a panel discussion from community members who have been engaged with Council, Council Member Zack Zappone explaining the different committees, as well as, a live demonstration from Council Office Director, Giacobbe Byrd on how to read an agenda, how to sign up to testify, and ways to watch the meetings remotely.
If you missed the presentation, here is a copy of the slide deck and a link to the video is listed below.
The event had more questions than our allotted 90 minutes could hold. However, we heard from you and here are the responses. We also encourage you to continue to be curious about council and submit your questions if you do not see them answered below.
This is just the beginning. The Council team left the workshop on June 3rd feeling energized and with a clear sense of next steps. Attendee feedback indicated a strong interest in future workshops on topics such as “How does the city/county work together?” “The fundamentals of the city budget”, and “Legislative processes: municipal vs. state.” There was also significant interest in reaching more communities, including night workers, families with children, and residents who require language assistance.
The Civics 101 series will expand. Future workshops will explore new formats, including neighborhood-based sessions, virtual access, and more, ensuring that participation is not limited by schedule, geography, or language. If you missed the first session, the next one is on the way. In the meantime, watch the recording of our first session.
In Spokane
We All Belong
