Times Observer photo by Josh Cotton City of Warren Mayor David Wortman was grilled by third graders at Warren Area Elementary Center on Thursday afternoon. The students have been learning about local government.

The next mayoral debate in the City of Warren should be moderated by the current third graders at Warren Area Elementary Center.

Mayor Dave Wortman was grilled by students, who are learning about how local government works, for 30 minutes on Thursday afternoon.

A third grade understanding of local government includes discussion of the branches of government and the difference between federal, state and local governments.

One class created their own government.

What was clear, though, is that the students knew what to ask.

Their questions ranged from how one becomes mayor and what the mayor does to Wortman’s views on gas prices and the roundabout at the intersection of Market St. and Pennsylvania Ave.

He told the students that it is both “fun” and “challenging” to be the mayor.

“You have to be involved with a lot of different things,” he said.

How hard is it to be mayor?

“The people that work at the city do such a great job,” he said. “It makes my job much easier.”

And why did he want to be mayor? “It’s a really good way to give back to the community and serve the community.”

Students also hit him with questions over gas prices and the roundabout.

On gas prices, he told the students that he thinks “they’re probably a little too high” and a “function of what oil costs. A lot of prices are too high and that’s one of them.”

And the roundabout?

He said he thinks it has been working well and people seem to like it.

“(I’m) so impressed with the questions,” he said.

Not all sought the mayor’s view on pertinent policy questions.

What’s his favorite color? His favorite ice cream?

Does he get put on billboards?

“Thankfully no,” he said.

And his favorite video games? Pac-Man and Asteroids.

And, believe it or not, they knew what Pac-Man was.