Politics & Government

Why is Hopkins' Mayor Wearing Sunglasses in a City Council Meeting?

There's a reason for the unconventional accessory.

Anyone walking into Tuesday’s council meeting partway through would have been surprised to see Mayor Gene Maxwell and various council members wearing sunglasses.

These weren’t just any shades, though. Youth board members from The Depot Coffee House gave the council members sunglasses left over from the facility’s January beach party. Alex Aronovich, Emily Debol, Tj Gowen and Reid Madden told the council members they need the plastic sunglasses because The Depot’s future is so bright.

A few short months ago, that wasn’t the case. The economic downturn caused a sharp drop in the number of private grants, which have historically made up more than a third of the facility’s revenue.

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But in October, Hopkins council members voted to set aside $10,000 in city money for The Depot—a sharp change in policy for an organization that had not relied on city tax money in the past.

The organization saw further changes this month when youth took over coffee operations that were previously under private management.

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Aronovich, chairman of The Depot’s board, spelled out four goals moving forward:

  • Continue with strong programming,
  • Recruit new board members and Depot Event Corps members to replace those who are graduating and leaving for college,
  • Emphasize rental opportunities for outside groups and
  • Continue with The Depot’s eclectic mix of projects.

The Depot’s board is a group of ninth- through 12th-grade students and up to five adult board members with final approval and oversight of various programs and positions. It functions much like a nonprofit board. Click here to apply for a position on the board. Interviews for board membership occur only in October and May.

The Depot Event Corps focuses on implementing Depot programming and does not require a minimum number of volunteer hours or attendance of regular meetings like board positions. Click here to apply for a position on the Depot Event Corps.


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