I would like to take this opportunity to share the positive experiences I had while participating in the Mayor’s Internship Program during the summer of 2004. I had the privilege of being able to work under Mayor Steve Brown. I can honestly say that it was one of the most memorable and beneficial endeavors that I have ever pursued.

I can recall the first day that I showed up at City Hall thinking that in about an hour I would be shoved away in some closet sorting paperwork, or getting coffee for the mayor and his staff.
Mayor Steve Brown made me feel as if I were no different than anyone else working at City Hall. Most student interns never even have the chance to interact with the government official they are working for (which is what I completely expected).

The mayor always had time for me whenever I had questions about the projects that I was working on, about politics, or just about the job in general. He never made me feel like I was getting in his way, which I probably was on a few occasions.

He gave me the opportunity to work on meaningful assignments which included the smoking ban, the senior homestead exemption, and the creation of the Senior Adult Council.

He allowed me to attend the smoking ban workshop meetings and actively participate in them. I assisted in drafting the smoking ban and was in constant communication with the Centers for Disease Control. I drafted press releases and communicated with various news media.

As a member of the youth council, I witnessed Mayor Brown’s amazing ability to interact with the city’s youth. He always made it a point to attend the youth council meetings and do whatever he possibly could to help the city’s younger generation.

I do not know of any other elected municipal official who devotes so much time and effort towards a demographic that for the most part can not even vote, which in my opinion really says a lot about the type of person he is. He has successfully instituted many initiatives that have and are improving the quality of life for Peachtree City’s youth.

Through this internship I gained invaluable experience that will help me achieve many of my goals. This internship instilled in me a true passion for a career in government. I attended City Council meetings and truly got a sense of what a career in government entails.

During that summer I also learned one of the most important things in my lifetime just by observing and interacting with the mayor on a daily basis. I learned that when you do a job, you do it the right way or you don’t do it at all.

The mayor truly puts a 110 percent into his job. I do not believe it would be possible to find someone in local politics who devotes so much time to their elected positions, and who are as honorable, as hard-working, and as passionate about their community as the current mayor. I truly feel privileged that I was able to be mentored by such a dedicated, kind, and moral person.

The Mayor’s Internship gave me experience and knowledge that I consider truly invaluable. The internship also gave me something more important: a lifelong friend.

Max Elias
Peachtree City, Ga.