California second graders learn about city government first hand

Mayor Norris Gerhart welcomes California Elementary second grade students and teachers to city hall, Friday, Sept. 19. To his right is Haylee Kiesling, AKA Brian Scrivner, City Clerk.
Mayor Norris Gerhart welcomes California Elementary second grade students and teachers to city hall, Friday, Sept. 19. To his right is Haylee Kiesling, AKA Brian Scrivner, City Clerk.

The California Elementary second grade classes of Nancy Abernathy, Jennifer Cain, Jennifer Dampf, Sarah Hays and Rhiannon Kendrick walked to California's City Hall at 10 a.m., Friday, Sept. 19. The weather cooperated as it was a gorgeous day for the outing. California City Police also assisted the students as they made their way by blocking streets as they passed.

Upon arriving at City Hall students made their way up the beautiful stairway to find Mayor Norris Gerhart eager to greet them. The young students filed into the meeting room and took seats normally filled by city officials and guests.

Gerhart began the meeting by explaining the activities of the city officials. He held up the black city code book which contains as he said, "the rules" that must be followed.

Gerhart proceeded to tell the roles of each person who sits in the seats, explaining how important each one is to the operation of the city. He informed the students that each council member gets paid $2,400 a year and the mayor is paid $3,000. He talked about being elected and how you become mayor or a council person.

He informed the students of projects the council had completed and new ones like the water tower project just getting under way. He shared what it meant to be a good steward of money. He also let them know how important it was to purchase things in California so that sales tax monies were kept in town to provide our police cars, firetrucks and all the things that make California a wonderful place to live.

During question and answer time Mayor Gerhart invited the students to the podium and he answered an array of questions. Students asked, "How do you spend the money?", "Who was the previous mayor?", "Why don't we have a zoo?", "Why do you want to be mayor?" "Did you go to school to be mayor?", "Do you ride in a limo?", "Who was the founder of California?" and "How do you decide where to put things in California?"

The Mayor answered the questions very honestly and explained things to the students' understanding. He told them one of the most important things is to learn as much as you can so you will be able to become anything you want to be when you grow up.

Gerhart, who has hosted this event for 14 years, thanked the students and teachers for coming to learn about city government and encouraged them to study hard.