ANNISTON — All five members of the Anniston City Council successfully completed a four-hour civility and conflict de-escalation training session Monday afternoon, marking the third such training the body has undertaken since 2010 and reaffirming what Mayor Lyle Henley described as "this council's ongoing commitment to respectful and constructive dialogue."
The training, held in the Council Chambers at City Hall and conducted by an outside facilitator from a Birmingham-based public administration consultancy, covered topics including active listening, framing of disagreements, the use of recess as a regulating tool, and what the consultant's printed agenda described as "physical-space awareness during heated exchanges."
"We are extraordinarily proud of the work this council has put in today," Henley said in a statement issued at the conclusion of the session. "Anniston deserves leaders who model the kind of civic engagement we hope to see in every corner of this community. Today's training reflects that commitment, and we are grateful to our facilitator for her time and expertise."
The training facilitator, Dr. Lyla Chen of Civic Forward Solutions, described the council as "engaged throughout" and said members had completed all session activities, including a role-playing exercise in which two members were asked to negotiate a hypothetical dispute over a community pickleball court.
When asked whether she had encountered any unusual dynamics during the session, Chen said only that "every council I work with has its own personality" and that she had been "satisfied with the level of participation."
Monday's session was the third such training Anniston council members have completed in roughly the past fifteen years, following what city documents describe as "a series of governance challenges" during that period. The council has since adopted new policies regarding meeting decorum, including a written code of conduct, a commitment to professional development, and what the city's website describes as "an environment of mutual respect."
The most recent prior civility training was held in 2018. A 2014 training had also been scheduled but was canceled.
Council members declined to discuss specific exercises from Monday's session in detail. One councilor, who asked not to be quoted, said the session had been "useful" and "well-structured" and that they considered it "a positive step."
A request to attend the training as a member of the press was declined. The city's communications office cited a "need for participants to engage candidly without external observation."
The training was paid for through the city's professional development line item, at a cost of $4,200. Snacks and coffee were provided.
Mayor Henley closed Monday's session by thanking each council member individually and by reaffirming his commitment to "the kind of leadership Anniston deserves." He confirmed the council would convene Tuesday evening for its regular meeting, where the agenda included the approval of last month's minutes, a discussion of the FY2026 sanitation budget, and a public comment period.
The meeting concluded without incident.
The Calhoun Dispatch — apologies, The Green Tomato — will continue to monitor the City Council's ongoing professional development. The next regularly scheduled meeting is Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers, with public comment periods available, conditions permitting.
