While biweekly garbage pickup might be a contentious issue on the town's books, the students of Manachaban Middle School who participated in mock council exercise on Tuesday didn't wast any time making a decision. In an hour, students acting as interveners, councillors and administrators debated, discussed, deliberated and decided an issue that regular council has been bogged down on for years. To be fair to the adult-version of the municipal body, the students didn't have to worry about public backlash, polls or the tax implications of their decision. That, however, didn't stop them from making their cases in articulate and thoughtful ways that belied their youthful inexperience. Those on the no side tried to sway the fledgling councillors with arguments that the change would be an unfair tax burden on larger families who would have to buy an extra bin to accommodate their waste, attract more wildlife and encourage illegal dumping. On the yes side, the proponents of biweekly pickup urged the neophyte council to make the change to help encourage recycling and composting, relieve pressure on landfills and save money. Through both sessions of the day, which were designed to give the Grade 6 students a first hand look at democracy in action, including a media table where community journalists mentored young reporters, the students literally jumped into action of municipal governance. In the end, the advocates for bi-weekly pickup were earned a decisive victory with only one councillor through both sessions voting against the change to service.
