PEACEopolis is more than a mythical municipality at Redmond Elementary School.

To learn how a real city operates, third- and fourth-grade students in Marti Burton’s classroom have elected a mayor, vice mayor, city council and other officials. They will act out the duties associated with those jobs as they create products to sell in a “city store” and donate the proceeds to the non-profit organization Pennies for Peace. (See the March 7, 2009 Redmond Reporter for more information about Pennies for Peace.)

On April 22, Redmond Mayor John Marchione and City Councilmember Kim Allen visited PEACEopolis to explain what city government is all about.

Allen, whose son was a former student of Burton’s, told how council candidates learn about citizens’ concerns by knocking on doors.

“When you ask people that, they have a lot to tell you,” she remarked.

Giving residents a voice in neighborhood issues and making sure they know the facts were two of the things that inspired her to run for the council.

Describing her part-time job as a council member, Allen noted, “Every week I get a packet of homework to read, on Friday … and have until Tuesday night to review it.”

She explained how council members study the issues, gather input from residents and vote on decisions such as how to spend city money, what services to offer and how much to charge for those services.

Concerns and comments from Redmond residents can be anything from “My streetlight is out” or “My street didn’t get shoveled,” to “Congratulations, you did a good job on that,” Allen said. “If we get a problem, the mayor’s assistant … routes them to the mayor and staff. Council members also work with regional people, have to cross borders, to cooperate with other cities, so we can all interact to find out what’s smart that we can do together or what we don’t want to do together.”

Marchione told citizens of PEACEopolis, “YOU make up the government ‚Äî whether you are a resident or a department head.”

He compared it to playing music in a symphony or a band. “Everyone has a role,” said Marchione. “If you’re a saxophone player, you can’t just play jazz while everyone else plays classical music or a march. Wherever you live when you grow up, you have a responsibility to play a role.”

The difference between the roles of the council and the mayor, he continued, “is that council members set up plans and the mayor’s job is how to make it happen. … Council members ask the mayor questions about why something does or doesn’t happen.”

Meanwhile, “Just because you’re mayor, you can’t say, ‘Do this!’ or ‘Do that!’,” Marchione noted. “Being a leader, you have to work with others to get things done.”

He outlined the jobs of the seven city departments ‚Äî Police, Fire, Finance, Human Resources, Planning, Public Works and Parks and Recreation ‚Äî and told the students, “If departments didn’t work together, we’d pave over sewers and trip over our own feet.”

The people of PEACEopolis had excellent questions for Marchione and Allen.

“What changes would you make to Redmond?” was one.

Marchione said he’d like to see downtown Redmond become more lively. Allen said she agreed but wants to make sure Redmond “stays green ‚Äî I don’t want us to look like Bellevue.”

Asked about their largest obstacles, Allen said that as a new council member, it’s “your learning curve because you walk into a city that’s already running.”

Marchione answered, “Balancing my role as a mayor and a father. Each takes a lot of time and I want to do both well.”

“What’s most enjoyable,?” a student wondered.

Both Marchione and Allen said it was the chances to meet people and hear what they like or don’t like about Redmond.

“Do you ever get stressed?” was another good question.

“Yes!,” Marchione replied. He said he’d like to see the city find a way to buy the old railroad tracks in downtown Redmond and repurpose them “for the greater good.”

Bureaucracy causes stress for Allen. “The cumbersome process of wading through layers,” she said.

And yet, serving as the mayor or a council member would be tedious without any challenges, the guest speakers agreed.

They also agreed that their goals for the city are having enough housing, having enough parks, spending money wisely and keeping Redmond a place where their own kids still want to — and can afford to — call home, as they become adults.

The elected officials of PEACEopolis are Mayor Alex Pravat, Vice Mayor Lilly Cao, Councilmembers Mya MacRae, Ryan Saathoff, Anuj Maniyar and Sydnee Wong. They and their classmates will soon tour Redmond City Hall to meet city staff and learn even more about city government in action.