On Thursday June 16, I attended a Broward League of Cities General Meeting. This was the third general meeting that I would be attending and by now, I knew what to expect. However, this time, I was surprised at how interesting and unbelievable the workshop and showcase were.

The workshop was presented by Herbert W. A. Thiele and it focused on “Honest Services and Misuse of Office.” First and foremost, I learned a quite disturbing, yet fascinating fact that Florida is the highest in honest services and misuse of office violations. The presentation discussed various individuals who were involved in misuse of office in Florida and what exactly they did. The workshop helped me understand the honest services laws and how a person could be arrested by disobeying them. Personally, I strongly believe that everyone who aspires to be a politician should be informed about these topics through this presentation in order to lessen the number of individuals misusing their elected positions. Due to this presentation, I am definitely aware of the crimes that elected politicians are involved in.

After the educational presentation I was able to view showcases from various cities about their environmental initiatives. I learned about many recycling programs that cities are becoming a part of in order to improve the quality of our environment. There were also many programs that were geared towards teenagers to better their surroundings. This showcase was intended to inform cities about what other areas are doing to protect the environment. I believe that this showcase does an exceptional job at this and it is one of the best methods by which to spread go green initiatives. I also received buttons and magnets that displayed go green phrases to spread the word to protect the environment.

During the scrumptious dinner, all the lights were turned off for a minute to allow everyone to experience what it would be like if we abused our environment and did not have electricity. This was a very effective and eye opening experience. It made me truly realize the importance of protecting the environment and conserving energy. A slideshow also displayed fun facts concerning the environment to increase awareness. I learned that you save a great deal of energy by using a laptop computer instead of a desktop. Additionally, I discovered that it is best to unplug electronics that you are not using. These facts were extremely motivating and impactful.

Overall, the general meeting introduced the prominence and significance of both honest services and environmental programs.

By: Feyaad Allie