By John Weiss, Scotts Valley Police Chief
On Wednesday, June 17, Mayor Dene Bustichi and I hosted our “Mayor for the Day,” 5th grader Zoe VanDerWalde, from Brook Knoll Elementary School. Zoe’s parents bid at the school auction fundraiser for their daughter to be declared “Mayor for the Day” and they won!
Mayor Bustichi and I picked her up in the police department’s 1967 Ford Interceptor Police Car then we gave Zoe a tour of the police department and city hall. Next we drove the vintage police car with Zoe and Mayor Bustichi and led several officers in a Special Olympics Torch Run, across town. The Torch Run raises money and awareness in support of Special Olympics, and it happened to be scheduled for the same day as Zoe’s “Mayor for the Day.” That evening Zoe sat with Mayor Bustichi, pounded the gavel to begin our official Scotts Valley City Council meeting. Zoe had a great time as our Scotts Valley “Mayor for the Day.”