Sean C. Morgan
Organization, public meetings law and recruitment topped the agenda at the first Sweet Home Youth Advisory Council meeting.
The meeting, held Thursday night, was the first for the new committee.
Four of the high school seniors who helped create the bylaws and charter for the council began their duties by electing officers.
Jessica Diercks is serving as chairman. Tiffany Hamn was elected vice chairman. John Corbin was named secretary treasurer, and Valerie Sutten was named activities coordinator.
Hamn was named the advisory council’s representative to the City Council. Corbin was named an alternate, to attend if Hamn is not able. Diercks said she planned to attend the meetings also.
City Manager Craig Martin provided an overview of public meetings law, explaining that the committee can make recommendations to the City Council and must follow the same open meetings law.
“Public meetings laws give the public the right to attend all the meetings,” Martin said. “There are a few specific exceptions that won’t apply to you for the most part.”
Recruitment of new members topped the conversation through most of the rest of meeting. The council has 11 seats, including two from sixth grade and one from each grade through high school senior, a representative from East Linn Christian Academy, a home-schooled representative and one at large.
The council discussed visiting local schools in pairs to tell other students about the council and what it does.
The councilors decided to have Martin and Diercks draft a letter requesting permission to talk to the students to School District 55.
Applications for the council will be reviewed by the four council members who will make a recommendation to the City Council.
Corbin was interested in budget committee proceedings and plans to meet with Finance Director Pat Gray about the advisory council’s budget and to learn more about the city’s overall budget.
The advisory council was created to provide a place for youth input into city issues. It also will get involved in projects, such as the proposed skate park.
Members of the council researched and presented testimony at the Planning Commission about the skate park prior to the formation of the council.
The council also wanted to get involved in a Beautification Committee project to paint the Sweet Home Masonic Lodge.
“This is a win-win for us, the community,” Councilman Jim Bean said of the new council. “You’re going to look back in the years to come and be proud that you had your start with us.”
Bean, who was the first councilman to be assigned to attend the youth council meeting, congratulated the new members of the committee.
The next meeting of the Youth Advisory Council is 6:30 p.m. on April 15 in the City Council Chamber.
For more information or to apply to serve on the committee, persons may call 367-8969.