All in Favor? Suburban Mayor Helps Teen With Promposal During City Council Meeting

Geneva’s City Council had an unusual proposal before them last week… a promposal.

What Divya Patel thought was simply an extra credit appearance for school, turned out to be a surprise gesture from her boyfriend – with the help of Mayor Kevin Burns.

On April 2, Dan O’Connell, a senior at Geneva High School, walked up to the podium alongside Patel for what she thought would be a school-related event.

Burns asked the two to introduce themselves before questioning them in typical City Council fashion.

In video posted to YouTube by the city the duo can be seen telling council members they are both attending St. Louis University in Missouri.

“You want to become a psychiatrist, correct?” Burns asks O’Connell.

Yes,” O’Connell said.

“You are in the right room my friend,” Burns replied.

The questions soon turned prom-related before Burns stood up saying he was hot and needed to take his sweater off.

“I’ve never ever worn anything but a tie and a coat,” he said. “Personally, I’m a little warm right now. Do you mind if I just take this off?”

He then reveals the shirt underneath his sweater, which reads, “Divya, Will you be Dan’s municiPAL @ Prom?”

O’Connell then asks Patel if she will go to prom with him.

“Yes, of course I will,” she says as the audience applauds.

Their favorite song begins playing in the room and the two are then asked to sign agreements to make the matter official.

“I, Dan O’Connell, having deep respect and strong feelings for Divya Patel, hereby request the honor of Divya Patel’s company and to be my date for the 2018 Geneva High School prom,” O’Connell said as he prepared to sign the agreement.

“I, Divya Patel, having mutual sentiments towards Dan O’Connell, do hereby accept Dan’s invitation to accompany him and be his date to the 2018 Geneva High School prom,” Patel said, adding, “Together, we proudly affix our signatures to this agreement and promise our parents, our school and our community that we will have fun, be safe and create an evening that will long be remembered.”

The two signed the agreement, which Burns acknowledged was “legally binding,” before he signed as a witness.

“Thank you very much for letting all of us be a part of this special day,” he said.