ONTARIO — Daisy Loper will soon become the youngest mayor in Ontario history.
A junior at Ontario High School, Loper will be sworn in as the city’s first Mayor for a Day on May 12.
Ontario lawmakers approved a resolution last year authorizing the Mayor for a Day program in partnership with Ontario Local Schools. Loper was nominated by her government teacher, Tyler Coley.
“Daisy came to mind because she has been so passionate about our content all year long,” Coley said.
“Her enthusiasm for the content made her a logical choice, but she’s also just a great kid with a wonderful sense of humor and would enjoy the ‘people’ aspect of the experience.”
Loper spent Monday shadowing Ontario Mayor Kris Knapp in preparation for her brief term.
She toured the city’s water plant and spoke with supervisors in each department, including water, sewer, service safety, police, income tax, clerk of council, sewer, streets and parks.
“I’ve always wanted to know how the general cogs of a city like ours actually function,” Loper said. “I know how the (federal) government works and even down to the state level.
“But I have lived here my entire life and I have no clue how everything works (at the city.)”
Each supervisor gave Loper an update she could take back to city council on May 12. In her pocket, she carried a notecard with each supervisor’s name scribbled in black ink — a cheat sheet she’d prepared the night before.
Coley said the city’s next mayor intends to come prepared.
“In September, we spent a lot of time working with The Constitution, and she started bringing her own copy,” Coley said.
“This spring, when we worked on some in-depth assignments about the Bill of Rights, she brought in a book about landmark Supreme Court cases for extra material.”
Loper will preside over the May 12 city council meeting, which will take place at 8:30 a.m. at the Ontario Middle School auditorium.
Knapp and Loper also reviewed Robert’s Rules of Order, the rules that generally guide how council meetings are run.
“If you would have told me two months ago that this was going to happen, I wouldn’t have believed you,” Loper said. “I’ve learned so much, and I’m very lucky to have this.”
“It takes so many people (to run a city),” she said. “It’s opened my eyes to endless possibilities.”
Knapp and Loper also met with Supt. Keith Strickler of Ontario Local Schools to discuss a project to repaint fire hydrants near the school campus. Loper will oversee the work, which will be done by student volunteers. Knapp said she’ll also be in charge of contacting Sherwin Williams to order the paint.
Strickler said the school system is always looking for opportunities for students to get real-world exposure to various careers, but the public service sector is often overlooked.
He hopes Loper and future student mayors can help raise awareness of the career field.
“What I’m also hoping is that (Daisy) can be able to go back and talk to other students,” he said. “They’re going to be able to see her at the city council meeting being able to do this.”
Knapp, who retired from Ontario Local Schools as a health and sports medicine teacher, said he enjoyed getting the chance to work with Loper. Knapp said he hopes to have a new student as Mayor for a Day each year.
“I’m excited that I get the opportunity to work with students at Ontario,” he said
“Our relationship that (the city) has with the schools is tremendous — from the fire hydrant painting to the use of the facility, to the communication that we have.”
Loper is a member of the Warrior Leadership Council and recently helped paint sets for the production of the school musical, Big Fish. Her favorite classes are government, history and art.
After high school, she plans to attend the Ohio State University’s Mansfield campus and pursue a teaching career.
“So many teachers have given me the confidence to be who I am,” she said. “I want to pass that along.”
