Jeopardy Politics

Hopkins City Council gave a State of City address at the Hopkins Center for the Arts on March 18 like none other. City Manager Rick Getschow addressed Hopkins residents acting as Jeopardy host Alex Trebek, allowing community members to provide questions to council members answers about city issues.

Community, quality of life, redevelopment, and future opportunities were some of the categories involved with the game. Some 150-community members participated, the winners taking home pens, bumper stickers and other swag promoting the suburb.

"We wanted to do something fun and interactive, but also have people walk out of the auditorium having learned a few things about the city," says Getschow.

The event was so successful, city officials hope to use the game show format again. They already play "Are You Smarter than a Council Member?" during the city's citizenship classes.

Other towns should follow suite and find creative ways to disseminate information, says Getschow.

"People are going to be more adapt to learn through story and involvement, rather than a Power Point," he says.

Imagine if President Bush took such an innovative approach political speeches.

We’ll take basic competency for 200, please.