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Shorewood Council moves to form city-run Youth Advisory Council; staff to draft ordinance and budget items
Summary
Councilmembers supported creating an in‑house Youth Advisory Council to replace a prior joint board with the school district, asked staff to draft an ordinance and resolution to establish the committee and liaison assignments, and discussed membership, meeting cadence and modest budget items for conferences and staff support.
Shorewood City Council discussed establishing a city-run Youth Advisory Council during a work session and reached a consensus for staff to prepare the ordinance and supporting resolution to create the body and assign council liaisons.
City staff presented a draft mission statement: "The mission of the Sherwood Youth Advisory Council is to educate, engage, and empower youth from the community by providing them with opportunities to actively participate in local government, develop leadership skills, and make a positive impact." Staff recommended a minimum membership of seven and suggested meeting monthly during the academic year, with staggered terms to preserve continuity.
Council members and staff discussed likely responsibilities and activities for the council, including participating in community events (Movies in the Park, Music on the Green), assisting with the annual drug take‑back, partnering on teen driver‑safety events, touring city facilities, attending training such as Citizens University, and pursuing small grants or fundraising for youth projects. Staff said the city has budgeted for five attendees to a national conference this year and recommended including modest funds for training and travel in next year's budget.
On structure, staff recommended a minimum of seven members (some councils use up to 11 or more), meeting monthly from September through June, and staggered one- and two-year terms so incoming and outgoing members overlap. Staff estimated combined staff support for two staff liaisons at roughly 10–20 hours per month in typical months, higher for larger projects or events.
The council indicated a preference to keep the youth council focused on matters the city controls (local projects, civic education and program participation) rather than state or federal policy, and discussed pilot options such as a two-year pilot before permanent establishment. A young resident in the meeting voiced interest and said peers would likely participate; staff said they will recruit through schools and existing youth programs.
Council consensus at the end of the discussion directed staff to draft the ordinance and a resolution assigning liaisons, include budget considerations in next year's budget cycle and return with the proposed ordinance and recruitment plan.
