M-Term: Interning for Council Member Abbie Kamin- Wednesday- Council and PTOs

 Wednesday- Council and PTOs 

    Starting off the day strong, I went straight to the “chambers” and watched Council. The Council Members voted on different items in the agenda, and there were a few presentations as well. The thing that surprised me the most about council is how much of the stuff they work on is purely financial. Most of the things they voted on and the presentations that happened talked about getting funding for their project. I would have thought it would be more policy. During Council I was accidentally on TV, a group of people came into Council about half way through, and sat a few rows in front of me. As soon as they sat down, all the cameras turned towards them. A little later they went up to talk to the Mayor and all the Council Members, so I am pretty sure they were important. Every time they panned to them sitting in the audience, I would be in the background. 

Screenshot of HTV Live News, with me in the background


    After Council I ended up at a Council Member’s birthday party, because Kate told me to follow her, and we ended up at his birthday party. It was definitely a festive way to meet more people! After that I had lunch, and then came back to learn more about CM Kamin’s Lock it Up Safe initiative. CM Kamin and her staff will go to different schools’ events to teach them about gun safety, especially in the home, and they give out free gun locks and gun safes. I was trained on how to call schools asking about PTOs and if CM Kamin’s office could come talk to them. After calling them five times, I learned that Lamar high school is terrible at answering their phones. I stopped calling schools after an hour so I could join the Super Neighborhood Leaders Meeting. This meeting is where all the leaders of the super neighborhoods in District C meet with CM Kamin. They talk about things they have noticed, and give updates on the projects they have been working on. It is also just an opportunity for the super neighborhood leaders to ask any questions they have that CM Kamin could answer about the district. The day felt pretty pact even though I only did a few things, because each thing was important and I learned a lot about the responsibilities of working in local government. 




Comments

  1. Dr. Q March 28, 2024 at 6:42 AM

    Fascinating blog, Isa! I just wondering if you could explain what a PTO is?

    ReplyDelete

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