Clinton Public School District

The following was written by Shiv Patel on his time shadowing the City of Clinton's Mayor Will Purdie during the 2025 Fall Semester.

Walking into my shadowing day felt like stepping into the world that I’ve been talking about for years.

I did not think I was gonna be nervous because I want to pursue a career in politics, always debate, and have public speaking skills. I’ve always wanted to pursue a career in politics, so I was surprised to find I was nervous.

When I walked into City Hall at around 8:45, I met the Chief of Staff, Breana Norton. I was surprised to be nervous when I met her. I really wanted to make a good impression.

After meeting the Chief of Staff and the Mayor, I was introduced to department heads and local government officials.

What really stuck out to me was how much work each department had considering how small of a city Clinton is. Each department had a lot of responsibilities they were in charge of. My interaction with the City Attorney really stood out to me. I’ve always wanted to be a lawyer before I pursue my career in politics, so meeting the civil attorney really stood out to me.

After meeting with some department heads, the Chief of Staff and I headed to Daddy Shark for a ribbon cutting. Daddy Shark is a new restaurant that recently opened in Clinton.

What surprised me when we reached the restaurant was that I saw Clinton's CTE Director Mr. John Wallace. Seeing a familiar figure made the anxiety of failing to make a good first impression go away. Seeing local officials so ingrained into our community really gave me appreciation for the government of Clinton.

After the ribbon cutting ceremony for Daddy Shark, the Chief of Staff took me around Clinton, highlighting things they want to do around twon and issues they want to solve. I was surprised to see how active the government of Clinton is.

The Chief of Staff highlighted the drainage issues around areas of the city and how an ongoing project would help solve the issue. She explained to me that if this problem wasn’t solved, Clinton eventually wouldn’t be able to hold any more businesses. It surprised me how hands-on local government actually is.

After that, we went to the Southside Water Treatment Facility. The workers currently on shift toured me and the Chief of Staff around. They explained that the Southside Water Treatment Facility made up the majority of Clinton’s water. I was fascinated to learn that water gets sent back into streams around the treatment facility. I was also surprised to learn how expensive the plant is.

All in all, the experience made me really appreciate the work that goes behind the scenes to keep Clinton’s infrastructure running.

A couple hours later, I attended the Board of Aldermen meeting. The meeting is held in the Court Room at the Clinton Police Department.

These meeting take place the first and third Tuesday of every month. What really fascinated me was that the meeting really reminded me of the Senate. The environment was really professional and serious once it started.

Another thing that captivated me was how fast the Alderman council had to make decisions. It really made me realize how much work goes into local government.

In conclusion, I learned a lot more about government than I anticipated. I did not realize how many problems the local government deals with everyday. Seeing all of it in person made me realize how hands-on the job really is.

It surprised me how much work goes into things people don’t even think about, like drainage or water treatment. It made me even more sure I want to pursue a career in politics and government.

In the end, it made me appreciate local government a lot more.