Most of you probably don’t know that I serve on the City of Farmington’s Community Relations Commission, commonly known as the CRC. Sadly, many people don’t even know such a commission exists, despite the fact that it has been around since 2007.
According to the CRC’s mission statement, our role is “to promote ways in which the community provides and safeguards equal opportunities for all.” In practical terms, our work focuses on education and outreach through programs, events and community partnerships. We also facilitate mediation services for incidents involving alleged discrimination.
To be honest, we don’t receive a large number of complaints. I’d like to believe that’s because everyone in our city, without exception, practices civility and that people are always treated fairly, honestly and respectfully. Unfortunately, I’m tempted to place that belief in the same category as Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny.
While it’s true that some parts of our country struggle far more with incivility and discrimination than we do, I think most of us would agree there’s still room for improvement. To help move us in the right direction, the CRC promotes 10 traits of civility that, if practiced consistently, would make a noticeable difference in how we live and interact. I outlined those traits in my June 18, 2025, column, and they’re also available on the CRC section of the City of Farmington website.
Today, though, I want to highlight a newer effort aimed at making civility the norm rather than the exception.
Last year, the CRC launched the Community Recognition Program. The idea is simple: when a local business or nonprofit provides exceptional service – service that goes beyond what is merely expected – we want to know about it. Even more, we want to acknowledge it publicly.
Each quarter of the year, the CRC will spotlight specific traits of civility. Between January and March, we are especially interested in recognizing organizations that demonstrate sincerity and courtesy in noticeable ways.
We define sincerity as being earnest and genuine. In everyday terms, that means you can expect the same level of care, respect and quality every time you interact with them. Their service isn’t dependent on mood or convenience. Rather, it flows from a clear sense of who they are and how they do business.
Courtesy, on the other hand, is simply polite behavior. In a healthy society, courtesy shouldn’t stand out; it should be standard. Sadly, that’s often not the case. While we may not always notice courteous behavior when it’s present, we almost always notice when it’s missing.
As a side note, in my relationship-coaching work, I frequently see people withhold basic courtesies like “please” and “thank you” from those closest to them. That’s a costly mistake, but a topic for another column.
Nominating a business or nonprofit for recognition is easy. You can complete the online nomination form on the CRC page of the City of Farmington website, scan the QR code using your phone or tablet, or pick up a paper form at City Hall or the Farmington Public Library.
It makes sense to me that the more intentionally we look for civility in our daily lives, the more likely we are to notice it and to practice it ourselves. When we pause to acknowledge those who get it right, we quietly shape the kind of community we all want to live in.
So, as you go about your week, pay attention. When you encounter a local business or nonprofit that treats people with sincerity and courtesy, take a moment to acknowledge them. Your nomination may seem small, but it helps set a tone that our whole community can benefit from. If we do that consistently, our City of Farmington sandbox will continue to be a great place to live.
Ron Price, who has a master’s degree in counseling from the University of New Mexico, is author of the “Play Nice in Your Sandbox” book series and creator of the CPR Mastery video course. He is available for workshops and staff training. Contact Ron at ron@ronprice.com and (505) 324-6328. Learn more at ronprice.com.
