Q & A session with junior Council Member Rowan Shaw

Rowan Shaw, a junior at Centennial High School, serves as a junior member of the Centerville City Council. Press Publications caught up with him as he shares a few personal tidbits and thoughts so that the community can get to know him better.

Q: What have your classmates said to you, when they found out you help run the city?

A: They're usually surprised at first that I chose to take on that responsibility and they ask what made me choose to. I told them because I thought it would be an interesting thing to do. They're very curious about what I do and ask me what changes I plan to make, to which I explain that I am non-voting, so cannot directly make changes. But I add my input to matters brought to the council, and they take my perspective into account when making decisions.

Q: What attracted you to being interested in local government?

A: The U. S. federal government is something I have always found interesting and kept up with, newswise. But I realized that I haven't really kept up with any smaller state or local government, or paid much attention to it in the past. I saw this position as a great opportunity to educate myself on the inner workings of small local government and fill this gap in my governmental knowledge that I realized I had.

Q: What are your duties as a junior council member?

A: My duty as a junior council member is to attend City Council meetings twice a month and give my input and perspective on the various matters the council discusses, so as to diversify the points of view immediately available to them. I read the same agenda packet that is sent out to all of the council members prior to each meeting, and familiarize myself with what we will be discussing so that I can come to each meeting prepared and ready to give my opinion.

Q: What do you like best about being a junior council member?

A: I like that I get to sit at the dais with everyone else and really be a part of the council. Even though I don't have the power to vote on anything, I still feel like the council acknowledges me and gives me a voice.

Q: Tell us what types of discussion you like best (for example: budget, new developments around town, water and sewer issues, road construction . . .) when you are at a City Council meeting?

A: I enjoy things that have to do with budget/taxes because I find our city's economics interesting. I like hearing about how taxes have changed over the years and learning why these changes may have occurred.

Q: Do you think the city population should grow a lot more, or would you like to see Centerville remain a more quiet, less-dense community?

A: I personally enjoy the city as a small, less-dense and more quiet community. That is one of the things I've appreciated about Centerville over the years: that it's a quiet, comfortable place. It's peaceful, and overall just a nice place to be. However, growth could be a good thing for our city as well, and bring it more attention.

Q: What does the city need to do to be a better city?

A: We could always use more public input, as the council acts as an extension of the public and makes decisions on their behalf. I think that engaging our citizens in our local government and encouraging them to participate in city events, such as attending City Council meetings, is something that there is always room to improve on.

Q: How do you think being a junior council member will help you in your future?

A: I think that being a junior council member will help my future by giving me a better understanding of government, especially on a local level, so that I may have a better understanding of how my government works and what I can do to become involved in it.

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1. Centennial Preschool/Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) received a $6,000 grant from PrairieCare Fund to support a fall 2023 staff development conference. The conference will focus on early childhood mental health and include speakers and experts in the field. The purpose of PraireCare Fund’s Mental Wellbeing in Schools grant is to support mental health innovations in education, services and research. Today’s preschool-age children born during the COVID years missed out on social emotional learning. The conference opportunity will help staff and community partners learn how to support our youngest learners. Centennial Preschool and ECFE also received a $1,000 grant from the Centennial Area Education Foundation to support the conference. Pictured are Sara Ison, Centennial Preschool coordinator, Nancy Burton, executive director of PrairieCare Fund and Sarah Holmboe, Early Childhood Family Education coordinator, along with preschool students. — Contributed

2. Rice Lake Elementary recently held its annual truck day event. — Contributed

3. Colleen McMorran Salay, a 1985 Centennial graduate, has been a teacher in the district for 30 years and was named Centennial Teacher of the Year in 2018. Her father, Robert McMorran, is also a member of the Centennial Hall of Fame. — Paul Dols, Press Publications

4. Erik Aus has been a physical education teacher and coach at Centennial High School for 32 years. Aus is currently an assistant coach of adapted sports, bringing home the state championship title in floor hockey in 2015 and 2016 and softball in 2015. Aus himself is a champion, named the 2004 Section 3AA Coach of the Year and Minnesota Coach of the Year, and in 2009, was the recipient of the 3M Excellence in Coaching Award. — Paul Dols, Press Publications

5. What else says it’s spring than spotting a robin in a blooming crab apple tree? — LeAnn Michael, contributed

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