April is designated as National County Government Month, and area school districts took a field trip to learn about how daily decisions affect their lives as Mower County residents.

High school students from Grand Meadow, LeRoy-Ostrander, Southland and Pacelli Catholic Schools, spent their school day learning about the basic functions of county government. Starting their day off at the American Legion, the students learned more about how local government decisions affect them in their daily lives. For many, this would be the first time that they visited the county seat and meeting government officials in person.

“I didn’t really learn a whole lot about county government until today,” said Ashlynn Mandt, a Southland High School junior. “I liked interacting with people and actually getting to ask them questions about what happens here. I liked learning about human services and health and how they help everyone.”

While touring various sites such as the Mower County Government Center, students may have learned that

Mower County is one of 87 counties in the state and one of 3,007 counties nationwide that deliver services to 327 million people. Students listened to officials sharing the county government’s history that started with the official organization in October 1856, with the first county courthouse built in 1868 that cost $6,540. Now, Mower County is home to around 39,000 residents who live in 20 townships and 14 incorporated cities. Around 267 employees keep the county operating every day.

“Our students listened to speakers and learn about how officials run county government and see how daily decisions made by local officials affect them,” said Ethan Riggins, Southland social studies teacher. “While a lot of news is focused on state or federal government, county government is not as well known (to students) and what impacts their local government has on them.”

The day consisted of a visit to the Public Works Department and seeing the Waste Recycling Center, as well as sitting in on a presentation made by Mower County Sheriff Steve Sandvik. Some groups had a chance to visit the Mower County Board room and hear from County Administrator Trish Harren and Commissioners Jeff Baldus and Jerry Reinartz.

From how budgets are funded through taxes to who their representatives are at the county level, students also got a taste of what services Mower County provides such as public health and social work, as well as county law enforcement, which are funded by county taxes.

“We do our best to manage the costs so that we put the least amount of strain on taxpayers as we can,” Reinartz explained to students. “We do our best to make decisions that benefit everyone.”

For Carter Schmitz, a Southland junior, he was limited on prior knowledge about what county government actually does. Going on a trip to Austin to see Mower County government in action, Schmitz was stunned by what agencies fall underneath the umbrella.

“I’m surprised by how broad everything is,” he said. “I liked learning what you can do to be a part of (county government). I didn’t really learn a whole lot about it until today.”

Field trips such as County Government Day have been going on for more than a decade. Riggins said that field trips such as Tuesday’s have been going on before his 16 years as an educator at Southland Schools. For the length of time that these opportunities existed, Riggins felt they were beneficial.