Alternatives For Local Governments
Struggling With Limited Resources

Two big city mayors appeared on television on May 22, 1993. They claimed libraries would close, recreational and park services would be curtailed and public safety would suffer unless they collected more taxes. One mayor claimed that he had cut 1,000 jobs and "people cannot hope to receive the level of services they have become accustomed to." The other mayor made much of "sharing the pain" and suggested that a city like his, with a large population of poor and unemployed, could not expect to raise enough money from "producers" to support this kind of burden and that the obligations of his city should be undertaken by the entire state. This situation is duplicated across the nation.

Since local, state and federal budget cuts are eminent, why not have students help out by finding ways to continue the level of services desired by citizens without raising taxes?

In the spirit of Vice President Al Gore's Reinventing Government proposal, students were to explore ingenious ways to save money and stretch the resources of their local governments. Teachers (see 1995 and 1996 contests as well as the Workbook on our main page) assigned research jobs to individuals, or groups, depending on the size of the class. Some students conducted polls to find out what services their community really wanted. This taught participants something about prioritization. (Poll I) Other students polled elected officials, public administrators, members of the news media and academicians to discover what services they thought might be cut, and how deeply, if taxes were not raised.(Poll II) Polls were conducted via voice phone, and door to door.

With the results of these two polls, the class came up with ideas for making changes or substitutions for the programs that were most desired by the community and seemed most likely to be cut. (Alternatives) They considered whether a particular alleyway or parking lot might be paved by volunteers with donated or rented equipment wondered if the volunteer services of local senior citizens were being used to their potential. It was pointed out that Scouts, schools, civic clubs and businesses had successfully adopted highways and playgrounds so why not libraries, auditoriums and other public buildings? Why couldn't students and parents take over the maintenance and repair of public schools? Many private schools have made ends meet this way? Already parents and local businesses donate books and other resources. These were all questions for students to explore. They discovered obstacles and reasons.

Students read about a nine year-old and his father who built a public bridge in Arizona when community resources were depleted during the Great Depression. They read about real people, some thwarted and some successful, in their striving to supplement tax dollars. They encountered examples, as diverse as attempts to provide transportation to low-income areas, find jobs for AFDC recipients, fill potholes and plow snow. Students were asked to contribute examples from their own research.

A group of students documented resistance the class encountered in formulating its proposal.They learned the reason many volunteers must be certified and insured. They discussed the various reasons for licensing and regulation, which included an introduction to torts with background on strict liability and the demise of sovereign immunity explained simply by attorney-volunteers. Students discoused the possibility of volunteers displacing workers and tried to come up with solutions. They were exposed to statistics showing the relationship between private and public sector employment in general. And finally the considered subjects like tax inducements, internal and external personal awards, portable pensions and job retraining. The book that follows is a result of group research, class discussion and individual written evaluation of the proposal reached by class consensus.

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The Snow Removal Project

"Imagine a big blizzard in your town. On the day after it ends, do you want to be driving in two feet of snow on your way to work? For example, this past winter, I got stranded in town at a friend's house, and we couldn't get out on the street by his house until late in the afternoon…

My English III class wanted to find out what residents thought needed to be done to improve the town of Centerville. Four students conducted a poll by randomly calling two hundred people to ask for their opinion. The two responses mentioned most were a teen center for kids to hang out, and problems with snow and ice removal. My class discussed these two major concerns and decided to find out which would be best for our class to consider with the time and abilities we had available.

The residents of Centerville are willing to improve their city. Some successful projects include landscaping the Boulevard and building a Goofy Golf course. Residents donated time and money to furnish sod, trees, shrubs and flowers to beautify the main road in town. Whenever someone drives by, their compliments show how much they really appreciate the hard work and cooperation needed to complete this project. Likewise, the Goofy Golf course gives residents a place to go and is something fun for a group. Many hours of volunteer labor and donated materials made this project possible…

Three students: Jason, Eric and Brent, conducted a second poll to find out what people thought about taxes. Six citizens were chosen and asked, 'If taxes are frozen at current rates, what areas of service may be cut?' Congressman Tim Johnson, Mayor Ben Bjordal and city council member Bertha Walz were unavailable for comment. Stan Schmidt, an active Centerville resident, was concerned that continuing law enforcement standards would become too costly and small towns might have to share policemen. Joe Reedy, District 17 legislator, felt that nothing in particular would be cut too badly. Mr. Rick Pederson, Centerville School superintendent, said that possibly snow and ice removal, funding, and social services could be cut.

After class discussion, we divided to pursue solutions to improve the snow and ice removal for the town. We felt this project would benefit a majority of residents as it was a major concern in our poll. Also, the research needed to form a plan for improvement could be completed by the class groups.

Group number III contacted city employees who were knowledgeable about current snow and ice removal procedures. They contacted Duane Harmon, street superintendent; Nancy Kludt, finance officer; Bill DeBondt, fire department; and Royce Martz, police chief. Questions about zones and equipment, along with when to start removing snow and available employees were answered. Then our class discussed these questions and answers to try to understand and make a plan that might offer improvement over the current situation.

Our class felt that having snow routes with a plan to clear north-south streets first, followed by clearing east and west roads, would save time. Consequently, residents would know when to expect their street to be free of snow. We also felt that any cars parked on streets when there were two inches or more of snow should be ticketed. The owners could pay the $50 fine or perform five hours of community service. Also, snow should be piled away from drains to ease spring flooding of streets. It would be safer to be sure excess snow was not piled so high on corners that vehicles might be in a blind spot.

Another concern involved any legal matters that had to be resolved. After class discussion of the tort law, strict liability and sovereign immunity, it was decided that volunteers need to sign a release form stating they would not sue the city for injuries.

The members on Group V, Jeremy, James, Ben, Aaron and Greg were responsible [for finding] incentives and disincentives.… there are some potential drawbacks involved with this project. The main problems are the possible additional cost and time…Also, some [residents] are already happy [with] the city's job of snow and ice removal, therefore, some city workers and residents might be unhappy [about the proposed project] and resistant to change.

Incentives for improved snow and ice removal…included ease of travel on streets for emergency vehicles; the danger of falling on ice covered crosswalks would be less because cleared walkways reduce this risk; drainage problems in the spring caused by piling snow over street sewers would be reduced [and] this would make our town appear neater and also prevent lakes from forming on the main roads.

The junior class of Centerville High School found out that trying to initiate a community project involves many hours of planning and research, but one of the keys to success in life is to help by reaching out with genuine concern and caring for our town. The positive results achieved by taking the time to help is reward enough to continue another project. By encouraging participation in community projects, we help people realize their full potential as givers and not just takers. At the same time, this group of young people earned the respect of both their peers and those adults they had contact with [exploring] the project. And, with any luck, after the next blizzard, we'll be able to travel our city streets to work or school safely and in record time."
Jason Lounsbery, Centerville High, Centerville, South Dakota

Adding An Oral History Section To The Library

"My grandma told me a story about when she was little. She said that we had a beach in Centerville where there was a water slide and they could play all kinds of games. It was a place where all the people of the community got together to have fun during the summer. She also said that a lot of tourists came to Centerville because it had a water park. My grandma passed away about a year ago. I think this is the reason our library needs an oral history section. It will give the younger people of Centerville a chance to get to know about our hometown. An oral history section can preserve all of the good stories.

In recent years, the community of Centerville gave donations and much time to build a new library. Now that we have a new library, it is getting used extensively. We thought about enhancing it by putting in an oral history section. It would give us, the students, a chance to give something back to the community. The junior class of Centerville got together to think of some ideas for this essay. Even though there were some disagreements, we decided to create an oral history section in our library. Our class split up into five groups.

The first group thought that we should ask the community if they thought it was a good idea. One hundred and eighty-nine residents of the Centerville community were picked at random by using the phone book. Every class member called eleven people and asked, 'Do you think it would be a good idea if our community library had an oral history section?' Out of the 189 residents polled, 138 answered yes, 43 answered no, and 8 were undecided. Fourteen people were suggested as possible candidates to be interviewed.

We had a second group that called some of the community leaders and asked them if they thought it was a good idea to put an oral history section in the library. Four students divided the workload. Stephanie M. asked a city council member, Stephanie J. interviewed the high school principal, Tracy interviewed the mayor of Centerville, and Christiana interviewed the student council president and a Rotary member. Wayne Mork, a city council member, said that he thought it was a very good idea and a good thing to add to the community. Mark Hofer said, 'It is a good idea because some people don't like to read and it would be a good alternative if they should ever need to do a report.' Ben Bjordal said, 'It is a good idea because kids need to have a lot of opportunities learning about their hometown.' Stan Schmiedt, a Rotary member, said that it was a good idea and that it's a nice addition to the community; it lets older people contribute something. Leigh Gullickson said that kids can use it and it's something different.

After discussing the results of the polls, our class and our community thought it was a good idea, but that wasn't enough. We had to discuss how to actually do the project. So we had Mary, the librarian, give us some information on an oral history section. She said that it is an important part of our library because our library only has the newspapers 1892-1996 from Centerville in its archives, and we need to build up our archive section.

After we finished discussing the results of the polls, our class divided into two groups; one was the committee's group and the other was the students' group. We thought that some of the community members could be responsible for the oral history section. We thought that the committee would hold meetings, suggest interviewees, schedule interviews, supervise students, dub tapes, censor tapes, plan fund-raisers, and rate the tapes. We thought that the students would have an advantage because they could learn how to interview people and transcribe stories. Some of the teachers said that they would incorporate this into a class project. The students would take surveys, [compose] questions to ask and get them approved, type out the stories, catalogue tapes, set up dates and places of interviewing, and decide who to interview. After we listed what each group would do, we had a class discussion and finalized our plans.

We thought that we'd better check on legal issues. The resistance group talked to Gary Ward, a reliable source and attorney. He said that, as editors, we are allowed to [edit] the tapes. Since we had a class conflict about whether or not to censor the tapes, he said that we wouldn't have to worry about censoring them because the free speech laws will cover a lot of that. And he also said we wouldn't have to worry about tort law, sovereign immunity, and strict liability because our library already has insurance.

Our project doesn't displace any worker because we thought that people from the community could volunteer and that the students could help out. Later, our class thought we should call someone from a library that has an oral history section and see what it was like for them. Brendan called David Taylor, staff member of American Folk Life Center, which is a section in the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. He said that an oral history section would be a place to provide materials that can be preserved and available to the public. He also said that it would complement the library and the town, it interprets the community, gives complete understanding of the past, and gives notice to the activities and major events of the past. He also said that it gives mood and character to the stories that sometimes books can't explain.

The rest of that group called some active community members to [seek] their opinion on an oral history section. Justin asked Mayme Holmberg, active community member for many years, what she thought about an oral history section in the library. She said that it would be good for the elderly so they can look forward to something, and for the community so we don't forget how we got started here in South Dakota.

Even though my grandmother is gone, countless others aren't. If we get a chance to do something for our community we should do it. I'm sure that some of the elderly people in Centerville have an assortment of good stories to tell. A story is good to hear from a person who experienced it rather than a second-hand story that is told by a son or daughter of the person. The elderly people probably have experienced something we never will be able to. Now, with our project planned, we can implement our idea; and maybe other libraries in communities with equally important stories can do a similar project."
Tracy Stuessi, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota

Random excerpts from the essays submitted by Centerville, South Dakota students

The Library Project

Accounts of why students chose the library project:
"When you choose a small town like Centerville to live in and raise your children, you may ask yourself, 'Will this be a community that I want to live in the rest of my life?' How will you find out if this will be a good community? One way is to ask the older generation; but how? You will not hear some of these stories when the older citizens of the community pass away, unless you have recorded some of them on tape and they have been stored in a safe place such as the library. These tapes can then be checked out and listened to in years to come. This way, when someone new settles in this community, they can check [out] the tapes and listen to the stories these older citizens had to tell. Having an oral history section in our library is very important, not only to the people [now living in] Centerville, but also to future [residents]."
Tim Edman, Centerville High School, Centerville South Dakota

"Why should history be recorded? What would life be like if you had no way of knowing the past? People have been recording history ever since man learned how to [draw figures] and speak. Many things happen in a person's lifetime, and most memories aren't written down. Centerville [has] a great history behind it…The town has hit its centennial and then some. Many of Centerville's first settlers aren't with us any more and neither are their stories… There are still some citizens of Centerville that know this town better than anyone else…At least these citizens of Centerville could leave their stories and memories…An important part of the library is it's archives. We need to build up this area. It is the records and voices of the past which will be lost once the old ones are gone. Questions will come up which can be answered with these taped records.…If we…let this idea pass, we're also letting all the town's memories pass on as well. History is what gives peopleóthis townóthis nationóbackground and meaning. So lets give our future generations some way to remember their roots; their traditions; their past."
Brendan Rotter, Centerville High School, Centerville South Dakota

"So you like stories older people tell? Our town Centerville is full of stories about how we came to be Centerville. Older people tell about their lives and things that make us a great town. I love hearing stories about sports and people cutting school to go fishing for the day. Stories like these need to be preserved."
Nathan Hisel, Centerville High School, Centerville South Dakota

"Did the thought of not knowing what your town used to be like ever cross your mind? Do you even realize that all of the stories and the information of the past can be lost forever when elders of your community pass away? Your grandparents may have many stories and information about your hometown you didn't know. Wouldn't you love to have all of these stories carried on in your town forever? Our class thought of ways we could preserve the past for future generations. We plan to interview older people of our community and find out what Centerville used to be like."
Corey Ellis, Centerville High School, Centerville South Dakota

"Picture a small child sitting at a table. He curiously asks his father, 'What was our town like 100 years ago?' His father honestly can't answer him. This is why we want a oral history section in our library. It is a collection of events that happened in the past recorded orally. We don't want our children to wonder about the times when we were alive without being able to get answers.…Many people would benefit from an oral history section in our community library. Everyone we discussed this idea with thought it was a great idea."
Jody Hadley Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota

"Working in a nursing home often gives me the chance to hear wonderful stories about Centerville from [a time] before I was born. I try to remember these stories, even though I know some aren't completely true. The times I remember these stories the most is after these elderly people pass on, and I think about the things they've told me. But eventually, the stories start to blend together and you forget what happened in what order.…I've worked at the nursing home for almost two years and many of the residents are gone, along with their stories. Still having those stories in their own voices would be great. Every person who dies is a huge loss of information about our past. We shouldn't let their stories die with them."
Jeremiah Clayton, Centerville High, Centerville, South Dakota

"Have you ever had something you could look back on, like the way your community was before you were here or the stories that your grandpa and grandma had of the town before everything was changed? Well, Centerville citizens want to hear those stories, and that's why the junior class is putting in an oral history section in the library.…The majority of the community was supportive [of] this idea because it would be helpful to young and the old, readers and non-readers, and community members and non-community members. Pretty much everyone in the community is in favor of an oral history section; and as a class, we can now provide one."
Ron Meyer, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota

"We would like to have an oral history section in our library for children and adults in the future so they know what life was like when we were alive. Maybe there are kids who had great grandparents that died. They could [get to know them] if they have oral history [resources] in the library to listen to and learn about their lives."
Stephanie Mark, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota

"Now, after hearing all of those tapes I can imagine the old saloons. Everything is…clearer…now that I know exactly where everything was. The saloon was where the Post Office is and every time I go to mail a letter I can hear in my mind the shouts and laughter of the saloon, with the pretty dancing girls kicking [up] their heels and the men drinking their ale…"
Stephanie Jacobson, Centerville High Centerville, South Dakota

"Do you know what oral history is? It is the preserving of voices from the past. African tribes, Native American peoples, and many other cultures have used oral history for centuries to pass down their heritage. The junior class of Centerville High School would like to start an oral history section in their public library. This would be a great opportunity for the young people to learn about Centerville's past. The stories and thoughts of people who have lived in Centerville their whole lives are valuable to the community.

How is Centerville different from other towns? I don't know because I have only lived in Centerville for nine months. How would a newcomer get to know a town and its history? The oral history section would tell me how unique Centerville is…An oral history section would be a free new resource added to the library where students can do research and get a wealth of information. It would show the culture and style of living in Centerville…and give a sense of pride to people who love Centerville and want to keep its memories alive."
Christiana Sirek, Centerville High Centerville, South Dakota

"I thought it would be a good idea to add an oral history section to our library, because if no one ever talked about the past, you wouldn't know anything about how you got here or how the town got started. …An oral history section in the library…will get a lot of use. …I also think it would be a good idea for every town library to have an oral history section."
Anthony Adamson, Centerville High Centerville, South Dakota

"Do you know how to preserve your past? You should have an oral history section in your community library. This way you can listen to how the community was before you moved there or just find out about people you know. Every town should have an oral history section so that if you go to some other town you can listen how the town used to be. An oral history section consists of people that live in the town telling about how it was before all of the modernization."
Neil Odland, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota

"Our loyalties, values, and beliefs are born, fed, and raised with our experiences and our understandings. Do we not learn from our mistakes? Do we not coexist with our rivals for fear of another world war or a nuclear holocaust? Do children touch a sweltering stove after they have touched it once, or do they play with a vicious dog after it has bitten them once? Then why should an oral history section not be important to the Centerville community? If our lives are based on past experiences, then why should we not learn more about ourselves and not make the same mistakes we made before."
Travis Nelson, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota

"The junior class decided this project would enhance the library and stretch resources because it wouldn't cost the community anything. About four years ago the community gave the school a library. If the students could make it nicer by adding an oral history section, they could give something back to the community.
Christiana Sirek, Centerville High, Centerville, South Dakota

"Some of the many incentives are the preservation of our history for future generations, the ability of every community to begin a program like this and just the fun of being able to sit down and listen to stories from so many different eras."
Jeremiah Clayton, Centerville High, Centerville, South Dakota

Tackling the library project:
"We decided that to get people involved we had to have groups that would have both students and [community members] do the work. To decide what the groups would do our class split up into two big groups to decide what the responsibilities would be. To get [community members] we would put an ad in the paper for people who were willing to help.

The students [would] interview, take surveys, make up questions, type stories, find out who to interview, learn how to catalogue, and set up dates and places of interviewing. Also teachers were asked if they could incorporate this [project] into lesson plans. They agreed.

The committee would organize questions to ask, suggest interviewees, get materials, supervise, decide whether or not to censor, provide a recording area, hold meetings, dub tapes, rate the tapes, plan fund-raisers, and schedule interviews.

A past project Centerville was very successful in doing was creating a community library. The town knows that an oral history section would be one of the best resources to give to our library and people of the town.

Mary Ferwerda, librarian's comments on an oral history section are, 'It is the record and voices of the past which will be gone once the old ones are gone. Questions of the past will come up and can be answered with the tapes.'

Since our librarian expressed a need for an oral history section, we think our school and community should have one. Our survey has proved that the town of Centerville would be looking forward to an oral history section and…[it] would be good for people and students to know and talk with the older people before they pass away. When I get older I know I would tell a story here and there to people who are willing to listen. By doing this project, we can add a whole new reference section for simply the cost of a few tapes and some time."
Nathan Hisel, Centerville High School, Centerville South Dakota

"We had to decide how one would go about this, and we came up with a system. The junior class would do this every year and keep it up every year for a grade in classes, and a committee would also be set aside to help do this. The students' jobs would be: (1) make questions for surveys and get them approved (2) [decide] who to interview (3) set up dates and places for interviews (4) [conduct] surveys and interviews (5) type out stories (typing class) (6) learn the process of cataloging (7) catalogue tapes and the typed stories. …The committee jobs would include suggesting interviewees, scheduling interviews, getting materials ready (tape recorder, microphones, tapes), supervising students, censoring tapes, supplying a recording area, holding meetings, dubbing tapes and planning fund-raisers."
Derek Bryant, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota

"After Group two finished their survey, Group 5 consisting of Travis, Nathan, Neil, and Tim, uncovered a successful project in our area where the local community came together. The result was a library consisting of computers, an elevator for handicapped people, and a place for people to read with thousands of books to choose from. The library used to be a small room in the local city hall building; but now after community fundraising, resident cooperation, and persistence, the library is now part of the school and was a beautiful addition to the community. The librarian of the newly built library is Mary Ferwerda.…Mrs. Ferwerda also informed them that the library only has Centerville newspapers from 1892 to 1997 in its archives and that this area needs to be built up so that children can listen about life long ago, answer some of their questions, and use this information for reports and other assignments, for that is what an oral history section would be used for. It's also for the enjoyment of residents around the area."
Travis Nelson, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota

"How can you stretch your resources? Is it possible to stretch your resources without raising taxes? These are some questions we had to ask ourselves, and you as the reader might find them very interesting. Here's another question for you, 'How can a community add a whole resource of information to a library without a very large sum of money?' Well, the junior class of Centerville High School did; now, that is food for thought.
Justin Thompson, Centerville High Centerville, South Dakota

Community-based learning
"The students, on the other hand, will do the interviewing and take the surveys. They will also learn how to catalogue the tapes. We wouldn't need to hire anyone for this job…The typing teacher, English teacher, and speech teacher all agreed to incorporate this project into their yearly plans of study."
Stephanie Jacobson, Centerville High, Centerville, South Dakota

"Mrs. Buechler (English teacher) will be responsible for helping with the interviews, Mrs. Andersen (sociology teacher) will supervise her students during visitation to the area nursing home on their one to one visits with residents, and Mrs. Kraning (typing teacher) will have her class transcribe the stories."
Tim Edman, Centerville High School, Centerville South Dakota

Censoring
"While discussing the responsibilities of the committee,… censorship came up. The majority of the class wanted to remove profanity and objectionable phrases from the tapes, [yet] we wanted the interviews to be in the [storytellers'] own words and to truly reflect their feelings.…The ones who were for censoring were concerned about some of the younger people hearing grandparents using unsuitable words. This was settled by the resistance group calling Gary Ward, an attorney, to ask him about the legal aspects of this project. He said that the committee could edit anything that is objectionable, but was not required to because of the free speech laws. The only thing that would have to be removed are accusations of criminal offenses against other people."
Jeremiah Clayton, Centerville High, Centerville, South Dakota

"One of our major problems was censoring; a point was made by Justin as to what is considered a swear word? There are a few obvious but then there are some that are very offensive to some people and not to some others."
Justin Thompson, Centerville High, Centerville, South Dakota

Worthwhile!
"Some people thought it would be too time consuming and it would take effort, but any project that is worthwhile takes time and effort…Once our project is implemented, I want to get my grandmother's name signed up on the list of people to interview. I am sure that years from now my children and grandchildren will find it very interesting."
Corey Ellis, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota

"Ultimately, I would like to see this idea become a reality rather than just a dream.…I may not have been born in the state of South Dakota, but I really enjoy living here and listening to what the elders of Centerville have to say. So as I [put effort into] the project I wanted to do it even more."
Michael Billman, Centerville High, Centerville, South Dakota

The Snow Removal Project

Introductions
"Centerville, SD is a small, unified town filled with people that like to be involved in supporting each other and improving what we have. Together, we have successfully built a library, refurbished the Boulevard, and accomplished other projects. People throughout town spend much of their own time trying to find ways to improve the city. This time our junior class has a chance to try to solve some of the main concerns the city has."
Sarah Ostrem, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota

"It's another lengthy and brutal winter in Centerville, South Dakota. It is not uncommon to expect a blizzard every week that virtually shuts down the state. And with all the snow, comes the long process of removing it so everyone can again go back to their daily lives.

Cars are creeping down main street…and drivers are anxiously peering around snow piles at every intersection to see if another car is coming. What will we do with more snow? It comes as no surprise, when polling members of the community, to find their biggest concern right now is snow removal."
Erica Olsen, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota

"Blizzard 97' was the headline on all the major news stations. It started Thursday and ended Saturday. A family opened a shelter for whoever needed it; on Thursday a lady was reported missing and wasn't found until almost 48 hours after the storm ended. The lady survived because of her cellular phone and blankets in her vehicle. By the end of this blizzard there were more than six inches of snow on the ground. This storm hurt a lot of livestock and other animals. Among others, men form the army were volunteering their help to clear off the roads. The reason our junior class chose this topic [snow removal] is simple. When snow comes, the plows in town can't get out and clear the roads before they get snow packed."
Liz Knutson, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota

"'Blizzard of 97, Blizzard of 97 Part II', these were the headlines printed in newspapers throughout the past winter months. The snow created many delays…and stress for residents, city and state workers alike.…We…realized that if we wanted our street conditions and snow removal process to improve, we would have to put forth effort. We must not only voice our opinions, suggestions, and comments, but come up with alternatives and strategies for a better, more efficient and effective snow removal process."
Keith Carlson, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota

Get the picture?
"Slip-per-y is causing or liable to cause sliding or slipping, as wet or greasy surfaces. What do you think of when you hear this word? Many people think of oil, wet soap or a newly waxed floor, but I think of Centerville streets in the winter. This is a problem for many small towns. The streets get snow packed from cars driving on them before they're plowed. This winter was especially bad."
Eric Holmberg, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota

"Have you ever slid through a stop sign in the middle of winter or been able to stop, but have had a hard time getting started again? I'm sure you have. No matter how good a city's snow and ice removal system is, there will still be ice by the stop signs at some point in the winter and snow on the side streets for a day or two; but here in my home town, …we have faced these problems more often this year ."
Brent Andersen, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota

"Do you enjoy driving on icy roads? This is a question that doesn't take me or residents of Centerville, South Dakota very long to answer. Imagine you're in a residential area coming home from work. You're not speeding, just driving along, when all of the sudden a child runs into the path of your car. You mash on your brakes, but it's no use; your car will not stop on ice. Could you live with these results? Everyone complains about our snow packed streets, but the junior class is going to do something about it."
Aaron Carlson, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota

"After church on a Sunday morning, a girl, not more that 15, started walking from the church to her car, parked in the alley. To get there, Jayme walked on the road which was surfaced with snow and ice. As a car turned on to the alley, Jayme tried to hurry to get out of its way. Then with one wrong step, Jayme slipped and found herself on the ground with a broken collar bone."
Amanda Overgaard, Centerville High, Centerville, South Dakota

"It's three o'clock; I'm in chemistry when I hear the unmistakable rumble of the snow plow going by. I leave the school twenty minutes later and find that I cannot move my car because there is a one-foot-high ridge of snow and slush. Twenty other cars are having the same problem, so I wonder, 'What could we do as a community so something like this doesn't happen again?'"
Ben Smetana, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota

The Problem
"The rough roads, the poor visibility, and the lack of stopping ability are all part of a big problem that the town of Centerville and every other town in South Dakota has had to deal with this winter."
Jeremy Grage, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota

"There are thousands of accidents in South Dakota each year due to icy roads. The sub-zero temperatures are only one minor part of a South Dakota winter. It's the several feet of snow that piles on our roads. It's the blistering winds that keep you from seeing your trees in your front yard from inside your house. It's the drifts of snow that bury the roads, not to mention your house!
James Ramos, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota

"The problem that we came up with in this project was how to assure that all cars would be removed from the areas that were to be plowed. The first suggestion was to tow the vehicles, but then the problem came up of where to store them. What if a car was a junker and didn't run? What kind of punishment was taking the car off [someone's] hands? Then we decided to ticket [the car]. But what if [the owner] couldn't afford to pay a $50 fine?…So we came up with five hours community service if they could not afford the fine.…[we wondered] where people without driveways [would] put their cars? So to solve those problems we thought that the plows could [plow] streets that run east and west first, so people could park their cars on the north and south streets and vice versa."
Jana Hult, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota

"We also need to prevent the problem of considerable flooding on Broadway, due to melting snow. A city map should be with plowers at all time so they know where drains are. In the past, snow has been piled on top of drains and [that] causes them to clog. During the spring, drains are usually cleaned but we decided that it would be a good idea if they were also cleared in the fall months.

Shortage of workers has become a problem during times of heavy snow. With the ticket process in effect, the money could possibly go towards hiring an extra person to help out when help is short or when snow is abundant."
Sarah Ostrem, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota

"Centerville has two snowplows. The city should use them both. They've only been using one. To avoid busy traffic, it would work better to not plow the roads that go by the school during school hours. …Workers should have a map, found by the students in the library, indicating drains and hydrants so that they don't pile snow on them by accident."
Brad Holmberg, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota

"Because you can't solve a problem that you don't completely understand, another group compiled questions based on class discussions and called city officials to get answers."
Shirley Brown, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota

"We considered using prison inmates to help in times of heavy snow, but we couldn't safely transport them from the prison. We also thought about volunteer firemen."
Aaron Carlson, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota

Why students chose the snow removal project:
"Our class needed an interesting topic to do our essay on, and were having trouble coming up with one that everybody liked, so each person in our class was assigned 10 people to call in the community. We said the following: 'The junior class is doing a survey and we would like to know your major area of concern, or an area that you think needs improvement in Centerville.'"
Brent Andersen, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota

"The results of the survey were not exactly surprising considering the horrible winter that we have had."
Shirley Brown, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota

"All towns in areas of heavy snowfall may deal with the same issues. The ideas we brainstormed and researched may be able to solve the other towns' problems as well. The people in the community are really upset with [the snow problem] in the winter and wish it could be solved. And that is where our plan comes[in]."
Shelli Knutson, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota

"When you have large amounts of snowfall, it takes a toll on the people, vehicles, and roads. Ice is around continually throughout the winter. Our class thinks we may have found a workable solution that will decrease the hazards of winter."
Becky Johnson, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota

How To
"Group number three took on the responsibility of calling city officials and employees to understand current methods of street care and maintenance. Then as a class, we discussed and disputed the current methods of street management. We then focused on alternatives to improve the system; we targeted five main questions of concern. (1) What can be done about cars that block the path of the snowplow and contribute to the problem of snow-packed roads? Finding that other towns enforce ticketing on parked cars, we discovered that an ordinance such as this was already in effect. To solve this problem, enforcement is the key.

(2) Are there more effective methods of snow removal so the streets do not become packed with snow and difficult to drive on? Our class proposed that city employees, exactly one-half hour after the most recent snow storm, should be out cleaning, plowing, sanding and salting the streets. This does not require the city workers to stay up all night, just possibly on nights that there are storms. Perhaps shifts could be worked out between people or volunteers of the city who maybe work night shifts. We also found that…neighboring towns plow during storms and not just after, in order to prevent problems. We could do the same.

(3) Are there more effective time periods to run the plows in certain areas? Following along with what the city already does, one group came up with a loose outline of what could become a published schedule for the residents of the town. First, plow Broadway, following with Lincoln, third Vermilion Street, next Main Street, and finally by zone. For example, roads running north and south, then the roads running east to west should be plowed.

(4) How can we prevent the problem of considerable flooding on Broadway? We proposed that if the gutters could be cleaned more than once a year, which is standard procedure, it may prevent clogging and flooding.

(5) Could anyone else assist with snow removal during times of heavy snow? We resolved that the money we gain from our enforced ticketing law could go to pay an extra person; or five hours of community service will be used for removing snow instead of paying cash."
Amanda Overgaard, Centerville High, Centerville, South Dakota

Cooperation
"Wouldn't you want clear roads to drive on? Then you have to be willing to make sacrifices. The residents of Centerville can help by moving their cars when its time for the city to plow snow. Our town needs to be a safe and clean place. In order for this to happen our town needs to work together, like a basketball team has to do in order to win. Our city needs to implement sufficient time schedule to snow plow, so that we can continue to safely drive on our streets."
Liz Knutson, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota

"Our class found it takes a lot of cooperation and compromise to fix a problem…to find solutions we all agreed with."
Becky Johnson, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota

"In the issue of snow removal there has to be cooperation. If workers [encounter parked] cars how can they do their job? On the other side, if the plows come out during the busiest times of the day, do the citizens have to alter their plans for the benefit of the plows?"
Becky Johnson, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota

"Everyone complains about what the city does or doesn't do. During this winter, the city workers' jobs have been extremely difficult. They are doing the best that they can with the resources at hand.…I think our plan will help our city and could help other communities facing the same problem. I found while doing this project, as long as everyone participates and shares their ideas, things can and will get done. There may be small scuffles here and there, but it was always for the better because we saw both sides of the story and could work from there."
Brad Holmberg, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota

"Students working on this project enjoyed getting ideas from, and visiting with members of the community and officials from the town and state. Any project can be a success if people are willing to listen to ideas for improvement and work together as a community."
Erica Olsen, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota

"If we could actually implement our [plan] many people would be very willing to help the city workers if they knew exactly what they needed to do. The safety of a town lies in the hands of the people who run those plows. I don't think they realize how important their job really is. But I now realize how hard it really is."
Jana Hult, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota

Building on successes of the past:
"Every time someone was thinking that people wouldn't support the project, we remembered the library and the Boulevard which were very successful projects that the community helped with."
Jana Hult, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota

"After an extensive class discussion, many ideas had been given for how to go about our project. It was astounding to the class to find out how hard it actually was to plan this. However, every time we would get discouraged we would remember how supportive the community was of other town projects such as the building of the library and the beautifying of the Boulevard. These projects were great successes."
Shirley Brown, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota

Excerpts like Keith's below, make it all worthwhile for the Harry Singer Foundation:
"Throughout this project I have… learned a lot, [and] that many things, big or small can be accomplished if we … work together. We … can really make a difference and have fun at the same time."
Keith Carlson, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota                                      Back