Area students get taste of local government

Dozens of area high-schoolers got a taste of what it’s like to serve in local government Friday as part of Cape Girardeau County’s Youth in Government Day.

Students followed city of Jackson, city of Cape Girardeau or Cape Girardeau County officials on tours and participated in mock proceedings.

Andy Hoff, who served as mock city administrator, said she became interested in how local government works after watching it satirized on the television series “Parks and Recreation.”

“Since I’m 18 and I can vote now, you know, I should probably try to become more knowledgeable about the way government works,” she said.

During a mock board of aldermen meeting, alderman Dave Hitt gave the students a taste of the types of questions the board is sometimes forced to field, role-playing a disgruntled property owner whose neighbor’s lawn is neglected.

Some of the discussion was somewhat funny; the board at one point discussed how best to keep people from entering into a hypothetical car show just for the free parking. At other times, the board generated ideas that had real-world potential.

But during a discussion of the upcoming roundabout project in uptown Jackson, the board covered several of the same topics tackled during the past couple of years.

Amid fears young drivers may be unfamiliar with how to navigate a roundabout, the youth council suggested having the resource officers in area high schools visit classrooms to educate the students.

Elected officials and a resource officer in attendance expressed support for the idea.

The board’s most nuanced discussion revolved around what might be done if a group of teenagers caused noise complaints in a city park.

“It always ends up being a problem,” said city attorney Tom Ludwig, recalling one time a group tried to cut down a tree in a public park. “They’re probably good people; they’re just looking for a place to hang out. It’s just a constant thing that [the board of aldermen] have to deal with.”

“As elected officials, you’re always having to balance the rights of your constituents against each other,” city administrator Jim Roach said, adding resident input and transparency are crucial. “Elected officials are the boss of me and the city’s staff, but the public are the boss of the elected officials. They’re the ones who tell them what needs to be done.”

Thomas Overmann, a senior at Jackson High School, said the most eye-opening part of the day’s activities was following the mayor and city staff.

“I’ve seen a bunch of people today who are really passionate about their jobs and who make a real difference,” he said.

Overmann served as the mayor during the mock board meeting.

“I never thought that county government could be this cool. I’m really surprised at how complex the connections are within the government,” he said.

Alderwoman Katy Liley said she was impressed with the students’ performance.

“I think it’s an incredible program,” she said. “Not everyone gets this type of opportunity. It’s interesting to see their opinions on what we do and how the city is run.”

tgraef@semissourian.com

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