Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, June 16, 1994 TAG: 9407120059
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: By PAUL DELLINGER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: DUBLIN LENGTH: Medium
They put their opinions in writing for Bill Meyer's AP government classes, after attending at least three meetings.
Meyer first tried this assignment last year, and found it a good way to expose students to the structures of government outside the classroom.
``I've really been impressed by the kids this year,'' he said. Some of them even went to an extra gathering - a town meeting held by Rep. Rick Boucher, D-Abingdon - after turning in their papers. They also had a visit from Supervisor Bruce Fariss, who came to class to answer their questions after learning of the project.
Cheryl Cox summed up a visit to Dublin Town Council:
``The Town Council discussed adding an educational channel to Adelphia Cable TV, but nothing was ever finalized. After this, our leaders went into executive session. To us, they were in there eating Milk Duds and drinking root beer! So, we gossiped for a moment and agreed to wait til they came back. That idea was shot when one of the members of the press began clipping his fingernails! I felt our eyesight was in danger so we left.''
She said people went silent at the School Board when it ``began discussing what should be done about missed school days to ensure all of us a fair and thorough education! The board member I really like, Carolyn Brown, made it perfectly clear to others that Saturdays would be a waste of milk due to low attendance,'' she said.
Amanda Reese's favorite was Pulaski council, because of the number of citizens who spoke.
Jessica Lindsey noted that the School Board, Pulaski Town Council and county Board of Supervisors all opened with prayer. She wondered what this said about the separation of church and state.
Amy Friant said the students were the majority of the audience at the three meetings she attended.
``With such a low number in attendance, people cannot be informed on the workings of a meeting,'' Lindsey agreed. She said she thought some council and board members were not totally involved and seemed like ``they wanted to be somewhere else.''
Suzanne Kirby did not think that way about her School Board meeting. ``The officials all seemed extremely interested in the subjects discussed. I was pleased to note that they all seemed genuinely concerned about the students in the county.''
Amy Chan gave details of issues raised at Pulaski council, from a citizen seeking help in diverting water flooding his sister's basement to the speed of town responses to citizen complaints. She said a School Board meeting seemed ``more relaxed'' than the council session.
Rhonda Quesenberry liked the supervisors best. ``There were more people there expressing their opinions. It was more heated than either the School Board meeting or the Town Council meeting.'' Angela Goad found her Pulaski council meeting ``more informal and fun.''
Goad thought Pulaski council had the best meeting facilities, and the School Board had the worst. She said School Board and Pulaski council members seemed to get along well but she sensed some discord among the supervisors.
Jill Underwood liked the supervisors' detailed agenda. ``This helped me to know what was occurring in the course of the meeting, something I sometimes did not know in the others.''
``The chance to observe the workings of local government was one I would have taken long ago, had I known it was there,'' said Thomas Warburton. ``It is my opinion that all voting citizens should try to attend them when possible, not only to keep track of government but to make themselves heard.''
by CNB