GREENFIELD — Greenfield’s mayor Guy Titus may have thought he was on the hot seat during mayoral debates last year, but the real test came when he faced a room full of fourth graders at Greenfield Intermediate School this week.
Dozens of students peppered Titus with questions, with hard-hitting inquiries like what it feels like to be mayor, and what Greenfield’s next big thing is after Olive Garden comes to town.
“I think I was more nervous about this than I was the debates,” the mayor quipped following the fast-paced Q&A session on Thursday.
Principal Bronson Curtis said the kids had been “so excited” all week in anticipation of the mayor’s visit, which coincides with a nine-week-long learning unit on government.
“They’ve been discussing some things they think need to be added to the community and will be writing some letters that we’ll send to the mayor,” said fourth-grade teacher Jessica Torres.
The students are learning the difference between the need for resources like hospitals and fire stations versus the desire for fun amenities like movie theaters and restaurants.
“A lot of them have expressed an interest in fun things to do, like an indoor pool or trampoline park,” said Torres.
Titus told the students he would read all of their letters and give their ideas serious consideration.
“I’m excited to see what kinds of ideas you have for the city. We’re always looking for new ideas,” he said.
Titus encouraged the students to learn as much as they can about their community and how local government works.
“You guys are the future,” the mayor told them, adding that every Greenfield resident is technically his boss.
Titus officially took over as Greenfield’s mayor on January 1.
When a student asked how his new job was going, Titus answered that it’s been “fun and exciting. So far I love my job. It’s totally different from anything I’ve ever done.”
The mayor shared that he moved to Greenfield from Marion when he was in the fifth grade and has loved living here ever since.
When a student named Eddie asked Titus if he had played any sports as a kid, he answered that he played baseball, basketball and football in high school. While he said he wasn’t a standout athlete, he did share that he won a scholarship to play baseball in college but decided to go to work for the local Power & Light utility instead.
“You see the street lights throughout the city. That’s what I worked on,” he said.
A young man named Easton asked Titus why he wanted to become mayor.
“Because I wanted to serve the citizens of Greenfield,” he answered. “I could have retired and sat at home waiting for the mailman to come, but I enjoy working with the community, so I wanted to do that.”
Titus talked a bit about the election process, and the fact he won the Republican primary last spring by just 14 votes.
“That’s pretty close, especially when you consider that over 2,000 people voted,” he said.
One student asked if Titus was nervous when he started his new job.
“I was a little nervous because it’s a big position to be mayor of Greenfield, and I wanted to do a good job,” said Titus, adding that his first day made him feel “overwhelmed and scared.”
“I was very nervous at first because it was all new to me, but if you guys are ever afraid, don’t let nerves get in your way. Have courage to stand up and ask questions,” he said.
“I remember being your age and the teacher would ask questions and I knew the answer, but I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to look stupid,” he continued. “But I wish I would have had the courage to answer, so don’t be afraid to stand up and speak your mind about things and don’t be afraid to ask questions. That’s how you learn.”
Titus told the students he recently went to “mayor school” where all the mayors in the state learn how to do their jobs. He also shared that his favorite subject in school was math, which comes in handy now that he’s in charge of helping oversee how the whole city spends its money.
“Education is important. You need all the knowledge you can get,” he said, adding that attending college is a great goal to have.
He added that some people like himself, however, will take a different path.
“We’re going to need electricians, we’re going to need plumbers, we’re going to need nurses and other kinds of workers in our city, so pay attention to your teachers and learn all you can,” he encouraged them.
“Whether or not you go away to college, we want to make Greenfield the kind of community where you’ll want to work and raise a family,” he said.
