Mayor talks with students about politics

Doug Tabbert

There was restrained excitement in the performing arts room at Hawes

Elementary School Friday when students met Huntington Beach Mayor

Connie Boardman.

Boardman didn’t use prizes, treats, or multi-media presentations

to fight the post-lunch ebb of concentration. Rather she led and

engaged the fourth and fifth-graders in a casual discussion that

focused on Surf City politics.

“It’s true that they know more than they think they know, and I

like to pull it out of them,” said Boardman.

Hands shot up vigorously throughout the hour-long presentation as

students voiced opinions and posed questions. The proposed

desalinization plant was a hot topic.

“Could you take salt and use it on food?” asked Kimberly

Semmelroth, 10, a fourth-grader.

Fifth-grader Jordan Zumwlat, 11, wanted to know what the effects

on marine life would be.

Other hot topics included the 4,500 tons of refuse removed from

the Huntington Beach streets every year and the city’s $300-million

budget.

Students were also interested in the position of mayor itself.

Boardman, a full-time Biology professor, talked about how her

interest in Bolsa Chica motivated her entrance into city politics.

There were some questions, Boardman said that caught her off

guard.

“Have you ever walked down the red carpet?”

“Can you lower the prices on video games?”

“Have there ever been tidal waves in Huntington Beach?”

“How old are you?”

Students groaned disapprovingly when taxes were brought up.

Boardman explained that her bosses are the voters and that the public

is given an opportunity to express their opinions during public

comments at the City Council meetings.

“I didn’t know that people could just go up and say what ever they

wanted, I think that’s a good rule,” said Robby Barrington, 11.

Cheers broke out at the end when Boardman passed out stickers and

presented the school with the orange, white and blue flag of

Huntington Beach. Dozens of students, displayed their maturity,

respect and appreciation for the elected official, by shaking

Boardman’s hand at the end of the hour.