Government

Mission Statement: The mission of the Octavia Valley City Government is to ensure the city’s optimal operation, and to support, protect, and serve all citizens. 

The City Government meets twice a month to discuss city development. They discuss the budget, city issues, and propose new ideas to improve Octavia Valley. Each member discusses recent events within their position and work tirelessly to keep the city functioning.

Darren Light, Mayor

Mayor Light took office in November 2019 and is well-liked by the community. He is up for reelection in 2027, but the position has no term limit. As of 2024, he is thirty-five years old. Prior to serving as the Mayor of Octavia, he served as the Tax Minister for two years, where he quickly built rapport with local families. He is a graduate of Simon-Lawrence University and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics.

Elaine Cortez, City Planner

Mrs. Cortez began serving as Octavia Valley’s City Planner since 2020. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture and quickly climbed the ladder with her innovative ideas and strong leadership qualities. As of 2024, she is thirty-seven years old. Prior to her position as City Planner, Mrs. Cortez served as a Master Architect for a major company.

Rhonda Rhodes, Supreme Judge

Supreme Judge Rhodes oversees the judges in Octavia Valley. She typically presides over particularly tough cases and is known for her no-nonsense attitude. She has served as Supreme Judge for over ten years, and is forty-six years old as of 2024. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. Prior to her position as Supreme Judge, she served as a Judge for six years.

Kaitlin Curtis, Chief of Staff

Miss Curtis is the Chief of Staff over all medical facilities in Octavia. Her role in the City Council involves relaying the needs of the medical department to the Mayor, and proposing bills that promote citizen health. Miss Curtis was promoted to Chief of Staff after serving as Director of Nurses for four years. She is secretive about her age.

Sasha East, Education Minister

Mrs. East is the Education Minister of Octavia. She advocates for the educational system and communicates the educational needs of Octavia to the Mayor. She is thirty-nine years old as of 2024 and worked as a high school English teacher for fifteen years before applying for a government position. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Literature.

Dennis Fairfield, Tax Minister

Mr. Fairfield is the Tax Minister of Octavia. He is Mayor Light’s immediate successor and took the position in 2019. As of 2024, he is thirty-eight years old. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, and was the head of an accounting firm prior to his promotion to Tax Minister. Mr. Fairfield is responsible for collecting taxes and oversees city bookkeeping.

Anthony Scott, Chief of Police

Chief Scott has worked for the Octavia Valley Police Department for twelve years, but has only served as Chief of Police for two years. As of 2024, he is forty-three years old. He does not hold a formal degree and has worked his way up to his position through perseverance and hard work.

Brad Johnston, Fire Chief

Brad Johnston is the Fire Chief of Octavia Valley. He served as the Assistant Fire Chief for six years, and accepted the Fire Chief position after the former Fire Chief retired. Chief Johnston is forty-four years old and has worked for the Fire Department for nineteen years. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry.

Jamie Churchill, Senator

Senator Churchill is one of two Senators for Octavia. She has served as a Senator since 2023 and will be up for reelection in 2027. Like the mayor, a senator position has no term limit. She is thirty-eight years old and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Simon-Lawrence University.

Milton Black, Senator

Senator Black has served as a Senator since 2015, and is very experienced in his position. He is up for reelection in 2027, and his position has no term limit. Like his fellow senator, Jamie Churchill, he holds a degree in Political Science from Simon-Lawrence University. He is fifty-seven years old.

April Lee, Intelligence Representative

Miss Lee serves as the Intelligence Representative of Octavia. She works closely with the military and SCIA to ensure the safety of the community. She is new to the position and took office in 2022. She graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Simon-Lawrence University. She is twenty-six years old and eventually aspires to become the Head of the SCIA.

Emily Roberts, Parks and Recreation Chair

Mrs. Roberts is in charge of the Parks and Recreation department of Octavia Valley. She is thirty years old and previously served as a campaign manager. She does not hold a formal degree and has worked for the city for three years. As of 2024, she is thirty-three years old.

Bobby McDonald, Employment Office Chair

Mr. McDonald is in charge of employment and unemployment in Octavia Valley. He is primarily responsible for assisting unemployed residents find jobs, and also keeps records of current jobs. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communications from Simon-Lawrence University and is thirty years old.

Notes
I imagine in my head that theoretically there’d be other options for Sims in the Politics level 5 spot, but I have no need to formally create a bunch of local government departments. I might think of some and add them, however. I imagine that the Parks and Rec chair is in charge of city events and the upkeep of local parks, while the Employment chair aids citizens in finding jobs, filing for unemployment, and advertising new positions.

I’ve tweaked the Politics career slightly and replaced Congressperson with Senator, and replaced Senator with Tax Minister. It didn’t make sense to me to have Congresspersons AND Senators, especially since this is just at the local government level. I wanted the Tax Minister to be a prestigious position with decent pay, so that’s why I made it level 9.

I also imagine that just because a Sim is Intelligence level 5 or Military level 6 does not necessarily mean he or she is the Intelligence Representative. I imagine that as a separate position that a Sim can transfer into if desired.

Currently, the Mayor and Senators are the only elected officials.