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 Activities
- Class decides who will be mayor, vice-mayor,
secretary, treasurer, and members of the mock city council.
- Mayor reads a sample resolution. Council determines
the needs of the community and formulates a resolution (e.g., request
money from the state for a road to the dump).
- Mayor explains ordinances; types of activities
ordinances regulate (e.g., appropriation of money, taxes, rules of
conduct). Mayor reads a sample ordinance. Council determines the needs
of the community and writes an ordinance (e.g., anti-litter law, alcoholic
beverage control, 1% property tax, gun control law).
- Read a sample initiative petition. The citizens'
committee draws up an initiative petition which includes questionable
terminology to generate discussion (e.g., "limit" instead of "prohibit"
importation of alcohol; "alcohol" versus "alcoholic beverages"). The
committee has interested people sign the petition. One citizen's committee
member presents petition to the council. Council considers the petition
for the purpose of enacting a resolution or ordinance on it. Council
either:
approves petition, and enacts an ordinance
or resolution, or
tables action until later date, or
refuses to consider it. It goes directly to
the voters after 30 days. Voter approval will mandate council
action.
- Visit the city offices to review the city code
of ordinances. After reviewing the city code and determining its needs,
students and teacher will formulate an actual ordinance for presentation
to the city council during its next regular meeting. In the presentation,
they will suggest that the ordinance be included in the city code.
- At the end of the unit, students will write a
problems/needs assessment, a short resolution, initiative petition,
and an ordinance.
Resources
- local government offices and members of the city
council
- Alaska statutes
- Alaska Blue Book
- Alaska Native Human Resource Development Program
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Variations
- This simulation could be done with
local school board, village corporation board, or any
other local or regional committee or council.
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