KAYSVILLE — Students from elementary schools around Kaysville learned about what it takes to make a city run recently. In a monthly luncheon held throughout the school year, one student from each grade at each Kaysville school are invited to lunch with the mayor and city staff.

While there, they learn more about the police, fire and parks departments and what it takes to run a city. They learned the police have many tools (besides guns and handcuffs that they already knew about) to keep residents safe, including K-9 units and radios.

They learned that the fire department gets 1,300 calls a year, up significantly from the 100 calls a year 44 years ago when Jim Dotson Sr., deputy fire marshal for the city, began his career with the department.

“We’re kind of busy,” he said, emphasizing the constant training, studying and inspections they undertake.

Josh Godfrey of the city’s recreation department, spoke of the city’s parks and recreation activities and encouraged kids to spend their summers outside having fun, staying in shape and enjoying the outdoors.

Mayor Steve Hiatt told the kids that being a mayor means going to meetings and making difficult decisions. “It’s a bit like being a principal,” he said.

lshaw@davisclipper.com