Sean C. Morgan
The Sweet Home City Council approved the creation of a Youth Advisory Council at its regular meeting on March 9.
The City Council appointed high school seniors John Corbin, Jessica Diercks, Tiffany Hamn and Valerie Sutten to serve the initial terms of service on the advisory council. Brett Hegge had to withdraw for personal reasons.
They four will serve from March 9 to Aug. 31 when a full advisory council will be selected. The full council will include a representative from each grade from seventh through 12th. It will include two from the sixth grade, one from East Linn Christian Academy, one from among home-schooled children and one at large.
Each City Council member will attend at least two Youth Advisory Council meetings each year. They will be assigned by the mayor on a rotating monthly basis.
The Youth Advisory Council will meet twice a month, on the first and third Thursdays from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. The meetings are open to the public.
Forming a Youth Advisory Council was a goal of the city council, City Manager Craig Martin said. The initial members of the council and Hegge formed a steering committee with Martin, the mayor and three city councilman to develop a structure, bylaws and an application process to allow for broad representation and participation of area youths.
The four initial members of the council will focus on recruiting members for next year’s council as well as continuing work on the skate park issue.
All five youth members of the steering committee are part of Sweet Home High School teacher Nancy Ellis’ civics class. The class has focused on developing the youth council in conjunction with research and advocacy of developing a skate park, reducing teen smoking and providing clothing to the needy.
Martin suggested the formation of the council during a classroom visit where he gave an overview of city government and related issues, such as the skate park.
In creating the youth council, the City Council recognizes that participation in local government will have educational benefit to the young people of the community and that participation in governmental proceedings and community issues and activities will help develop responsible future citizens.
The members of the youth council will serve as liaisons between city government and the young people of the community.
The City Council may assign tasks and questions to the youth council, seeking youth input on specific issues. The youth council may offer recommendations to the City Council.
Present and voting to form the youth council were councilors Bob McIntire, Jim Gourley, Craig Fentiman, Jessica Coward, Jim Bean, Dick Hill and Mayor Tim McQueary.