I can feel it in the air. There is rain dropping from the heavens here in Orange County. In NorCal, there are torrential downpours. California needs the rain, but “all things in moderation” is my preference.

Winter’s arrival signals the wrap-up of conference season. From August to November, I will have attended five conferences in person. It was sweet. The attendees were excited. The networking and after-conference socializing was abuzz. The cohort that was present was ready to mingle. Indeed, some of the association groups reported record or near-record attendance at their annual conferences. Many folks are clearly ready to see others in person and responsibly engage.

We need more human contact. Social media unfortunately gave us the chance to separate long before the pandemic hit. Then health protocols in response to COVID-19 delivered even more separation. Having a monitor between you and the person on the other side can generate “keyboard courage” and is bad for human relations. Put me in front of a person, let me see their body language, see their eyes in better-than-8k resolution, shake their hand with sincerity and remind us both that even in disagreement, there is humanity and a shared mission of trying to do the right thing.

As we think about our roles in our local governments, we should return to a subject we started to broach before the pandemic: helping our communities connect with each other. Cities can create spaces, initiate programs and showcase examples that encourage connected communities. Of course, our public must join us in these efforts, but creating safe forums for in-person conversation can build the social fabric our republic depends on. It is, perhaps, one of the most important ways we can serve our communities right now.

Keep building your communities,