Booth students form council for a day

Ten eighth-graders at Booth Middle School got a taste of what it is like to be an elected official as they officiated a mock session of the Peachtree City Council.

Each year for the last six years, the Peachtree City government has opened its doors to eighth-grade government students at Booth so that they can become familiar with how laws are made for their community. Councilwoman Annie McMenamin has been instrumental in helping to conduct the mock council meetings, a school official said.

"It is important for the students to know the role that government plays in their lives. This event gives them the opportunity to experience first hand how decisions are made that effect the community in which they live," said McMenamin.

Approximately 130 students took part in the mock city council meeting, which was divided into two different sessions. Prior to going on the field trip to Peachtree City Hall, Beth Loftin, history teacher at Booth, coached her students on the proper procedures.

The mock meetings were set up to run like an exact duplicate of the real thing, even down to the agenda items. The main item on the agenda for both mock sessions was the upcoming consideration of the council to conduct a bond referendum in November to refinance several Development Authority and Airport Authority projects and to finance several recreation projects, including a community center. It was the responsibility of the mock councils to conduct a community hearing to discuss the proposed community center.

Students who were not acting as elected officials attended as concerned citizens and were asked to give their honest input regarding the development of a community center. Students were asked to comment on the location they thought would be best for the development and the various elements which should be included in the project.

While the students learned first hand how a city government operates, Peachtree City officials collected important input from those who would most likely be among the main users of the center.

"Their input is definitely going to be taken into consideration when we start to make decisions concerning the center," said McMenamin.

Many students said they believe a community center is needed in Peachtree City. Also, the majority of students thought that Braelinn Baptist Church, one of the proposed sites for the center, would be a good location because the facility is already constructed and could be adapted to suite the purposes of the center with minimal modifications.

"We are always amazed at what the students have to say. Our hope is that this experience will show them why involvement in their community is important whether they are involved as citizens or elected officials," said McMenamin.

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