Mayor visits school classroom

A council meeting was held Monday, but it wasn’t your typical municipal affair. The meeting took place at École Desrochers and the council was made up of Grade 5 and 6 students.

The class of nine elected a mayor, Melissa Tsiatas, with the other students, including Danielle Bowler, Tyler Lausen, Emerson Ostrander, Clare Addison, Antoine Boucher-Blouin, Tannis Potter, Manuel Bolduc, Kiana Boisvert, making up council.

In typical council form, councillors and the mayor had name-plates made and even had one name-plate for the media. Monday’s meeting agenda centered around Jasper’s real mayor, Richard Ireland.

Ireland was invited to visit the class of Madame Roxane Thomas, by teaching assistant Hélène Caron as part of the social studies unit, which covers municipal, provincial and federal levels of government.

The mayor’s visit to the school was a follow-up to Madame Thomas’ class trip to the last council meeting on March 17. After Mayor Ireland called the Monday school-meeting to order as he does during formal council sessions, councillors (students) each got to ask Ireland about his job as mayor.

Students were keen to learn how many hours per week he works, how many meetings he attends each year, which Ireland jokingly answered, “too many,” in addition to what’s his biggest responsibility, why Jasper needs a mayor, and how he deals with impolite people. Coun. Ostrander pointedly asked what the municipality plans to do to address housing issues.

There were also some personal questions directed at the mayor, which he was happy to answer. Students asked if is he is married, if he has kids and if so, what his kids think about his job as mayor. They also asked what the mayor does in his spare time and he was eager to discuss his marathon running.

Mayor Ireland adjourned the council session and was presented with jug of maple syrup as a token of the class’s appreciation for his visit and unlike regular council meetings, snacks were served.