Mock Soup: Students Try Hand At Being Linn County Supervisors

CEDAR RAPIDS — High school students played the role Wednesday of local elected officials making policy decisions as part of a county-run workshop.About 50 students from Linn County high schools were invited to the second Future Leaders of Linn County event. They participated in a daylong session that included attending a Board of Supervisors meeting, participating in sessions with county staff and running a make-believe board meeting.During the mock meeting, the student supervisors debated how to address conservation, planning and development and criminal justice issues in the county.The only agenda item not unanimously passed by the mock student board — led by real-life Supervisor Stacey Walker — was a special-use permit allowing a faith-based treatment and recovery center to be built on a farm across the street from a neighborhood.The students asked questions about safety of residents and the number of employees working at the facility, and heard public comments from their peers and presentations from county staff.