Tuckahoe Village Departments

TUCKAHOE TALK
With Mayor John Fitzpatrick

Mayor For The Day

November 2, 2008

For a second straight year, Mrs. Dapolito from the Cottle School has organized a second grade field trip to visit Tuckahoe’s Village Hall. The event is a multi-faceted occurrence. While one class tours the firehouse located out back on Underhill Street, another receives a demonstration from the Eastchester Volunteer Ambulance Corp in our parking lot, still another tours the inner workings of the Police Department and finally, one tours the government offices with the Mayor.

It is apparent that children view firefighters and police officers as almost possessing supernatural powers. One can understand their fascination, since in addition to protecting people, they possess vehicles with lights and sirens, guns, axes, hoses and handcuffs. Even EVAC has enough equipment to mesmerize the youth. Without taking away from the importance of any branch of service to our Village, I swear the showstopper of this day is the jail. Yes, the tour of the police station culminates with the jail cells. Only one occurrence eliminates this portion of the tour and that is, sadly, if Tuckahoe’s Finest has a guest.

You must understand Tuckahoe’s jail cells are the real deal. I have included a photo but it may not do justice to seeing it firsthand. Let me put it this way: if you are in there you are not mistaking the fact that you are incarcerated. I have seen the effect this room has on children, even my own. Some towns and villages have modernized these areas; Tuckahoe’s jail cells remain somewhat older. Since there is a toilet included in each cell, female prisoners require a private cell. Due to this fact our female cell is reminiscent of the solitary confinement home of Papillon.

It is nearly impossible to command the attention of any child when your competition is a jail cell. Even my explaining the exciting Village seal or showing them pictures of the former Mayors just doesn’t cut it. The highlight of my tour comes in the Village meeting room where they sit in the chairs and even take a bang with my gavel. (Which, by the way, I never use). But not even this garners much enthusiasm.

Each year I try to impart to the second graders that government is not just for their parents, but that it has the responsibility to listen to them as well. However, no matter how much I enjoy the day with them, I realize they are too young for the message to take hold. Government isn’t high on their priority list. Since I believe our youth may at some point be called upon to save our planet, I want to fill them with the reality that they can change anything they put their mind to. Good government should be empowering those it means to serve. Good leaders allow those around them to excel and blossom. Consequently, I have decided to enact a “Mayor for the Day” program. For this, however, I will tap our sixth graders.

The selection of the sixth grade makes sense due to their introductory studies of government and slightly longer attention spans. The grade selection, however, has come as a great disappointment to Laura, my seventh grader. Due to Laura’s eternal optimism, she is convinced she could have won this distinction. I’ll have you know, that she was one of those citizens in our country not saddened by Senator Hillary Clinton’s failure to receive the Democratic Presidential nomination. This stems from a belief that not Hilary, but rather she will be the first woman president of the United States. I have decided to hold off any “nature of politics” talk so as not to be a dream destroyer. Nevertheless, as a way of easing her regret, I have informed Laura that she may assist in the selection process. Deputy Mayor Steve Ecklond, who is liaison to both our school districts, the principals from Immaculate Conception School, Eastchester and Tuckahoe Middle Schools, as well as the Social Studies teachers have all agreed to lend their assistance in the undertaking of choosing Tuckahoe’s “Mayor For The Day”.

This title is by no means purely ceremonial. Here is the plan: in Social Studies classes students will write what they would do if so honored. We will read the work and choose one that has an idea that can be implemented. Obviously, their teachers will have the unfortunate distinction of teaching the first reality of government; which is that not all great ideas are funded and thankfully, a few require no funding at all. If we find an idea that can indeed be implemented, we will embark on making it a reality. Since choosing only one student seems difficult, we will select a Deputy Mayor and three trustees as well. All will be brought in for the day as we work on the one idea and that evening we will go on TV. I look forward to reviewing what our sixth graders feel would improve our Village and I hope many of you will be intrigued by this program as well.