A Lesson in City Government

Living in the Permian Basin, the oil industry has a HUGE presence. Our area is  like its own little micro-climate. We have, again this month, the lowest unemployment rate in the entire state of Texas. And have for years. It "ain't purty," but it is a place that just about anyone who wants to work can work. 


That being said, we are used to seeing pump jacks and drilling rigs. Everywhere. Just on our drive to church, I bet we could count 30 of them. 


But, we never thought we would be looking at one every time we walked out our front door! 


We live in an area where all the lots are at least an acre. A few weeks ago, the kids made a discovery. There was a flag sticking straight up in the middle of the 19 empty acres that we have lived across the street from for 18 years. It's a pin to mark a site an oil company hopes to drill. Right across the street from my house!


Since we were annexed into the city limits a few years ago, the city has to approve everything in our neighborhood now. And so when we learned there was to be a hearing on the proposed drilling sites in our neighborhood, I decided it was time for a trip downtown.


This is one of the great benefits of homeschooling: teaching life lessons through life events for our family. I loaded up the suburban with the four youngest and we headed out in time to park and be at City Hall in time for the beginning of the meeting at 10 o'clock this morning. We had already completed several of their assignments for the day. When we made it inside, our neighbors told us our portion of the agenda had been postponed until 1:30 this afternoon. So we drove back home, had read aloud time, lunch, and then loaded up to head back downtown. 


I had each of the kids sign themselves in on the visitor page. Upon entering the council chamber, we realized this was going to be a "standing room only" meeting. Eventually, a few people left and the girls and I found a seat. The boys sat on the floor along the wall.


It took quite a while for them to get to our items on the agenda. The kids did well and grew interested in the proceedings as they figured out what was going on. There were several "human interest" type items before us and it made me appreciate the fact that I wasn't having to make all of the decisions the City Council was having to make.


When it came time for our agenda items, there were several people, from both sides of the discussion, who took their turns at the microphone. I went fully intending to simply observe the proceedings and have a discussion with the kids afterward. But then, all of a sudden the mayor asked if anyone else wanted to speak and my hand went up. I made my way to the microphone, stated my name and address and said "my piece." It was pretty comical on the way out to the suburban afterward when Joshua said, "I didn't expect YOU to say anything, Mom!" I told him I didn't expect it either.


They will never look at a civics lesson quite the same again, will they?