The Town Council hosted a Municipal Day for Merrillville Intermediate School fifth and sixth graders at the regular Town Council meeting on May 10, 2022. Students participated in an essay contest to choose which students would participate, and in which town official position.
I was paired with M.I.S. Student Trinity Thomas, who’s essay was selected as the top essay winner allowing her to serve as Town Council President. Trinity did a great job running the meeting including calling on department heads for their reports, reading ordinances and resolutions and finally a strong gavel at the end to close the meeting to a cheering crowd of parents and other meeting guests.
Students were chosen to pair with each of the Town Council members, the Clerk-Treasurer, Town Judge, Fire Department Chief, Police Chief, and all other departments of the town. Twenty-six students participated and each student had a speaking role and even got to vote on a couple motions. Naturally the Town Council (adult) members needed to also vote for our official record, but the students had fun and hopefully learned how local government works.
It was our pleasure working with M.I.S. Principal Ms. Kara Bonin organizing this wonderful event with town leadership after a couple year lapse due to COVID. It was great to have students and their families back together again building community. That has been the focus of this Town Council… building community, embracing our diversity, and making sure we have inclusion for all residents of our great town.
I hope to see you at our upcoming summer events… Juneteenth, July 3rd Fireworks, the July 4th Independence Day Parade, and National Nights Out in August. Learn more about these events in past blog posts. Just click on either the BLOG tab or the Midterm Newsletter tab on my website: RickBella.com You may use the button link below. -Rick Bella
