I was
“Mayor for a Day”

On Monday, Nov. 27, I had the opportunity to be Flower Mound's “Mayor for a Day.” While I did not get any power along with my honorary position, I did get to see a glimpse of what it is like to be a mayor.

The real mayor of Flower Mound, Jody Smith, took me with her to all of her meetings and appointments. Smith is probably one of the friendliest people I have ever met and was genuinely happy to have me along, which was excellent because I was nervous.

When I first arrived at Town Hall, I didn't know what to expect. I'd never been there before and had only met Smith once before. I knew she was very friendly upon our first meeting, and that was good enough for me. She arrived and greeted me with such a friendly and warm hug that it was as if she were seeing an old friend for the first time in years. She showed me around the building and introduced me to everyone we came across.

The agenda she spelled out for me didn't seem that plentiful: three meetings in her nine-to-five day. I was never so wrong in thinking that I would be bored or have nothing to do.

In our first meeting, a developer wanted to build a new structure in Flower Mound. Many residents were opposed to the project, as some of it was planned in a flood plain. Absolutely nothing can be built in a flood plain, in case you didn't know. Included in the developer's presentation was the expected tax revenue amount, and that's what really got the mayor excited. She sees the new structure as a way to create more jobs but also as a way to increase the tax revenue for the city. That meeting took nearly an hour, and it was strictly informational.

Our second meeting was with a businessman wanting to purchase private land and build four $1 million homes. I wasn't quite certain why he had to speak with the mayor on this issue and not to the zoning board.

After lunch, which was provided by the mayor, we attended our last meeting of the day. This was the most interesting meeting. We met with Senator Chris Harris along with Grapevine, Lewisville and Flower Mound police officers and fire fighters. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss boating safety and security, especially on lakes Grapevine and Lewisville.

It seemed as if the day ended before it even began. I guess that when you're enjoying yourself, you lose track of time.

This memorable day would never have happened if it were not for Dr. Bach, my government professor, who coordinated this 'Mayor for a Day' with Paula Paschal, city secretary, and Jody Smith, mayor of Flower Mound.

— Christine Gregson is a student in Dr. Bach's Government class.