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Mesquite establishes youth advisory board, expands paid summer internships
Summary
The Mesquite City Council approved creation of a Youth Advisory Board and heard a staff briefing on a new Mesquite Youth Council and an expanded paid summer internship program funded largely by Community Development Block Grant money.
Mesquite approved reestablishing a youth advisory board and received a presentation Wednesday on a new youth council and an expanded summer internship program aimed at high school students.
Sheridan, the city's newly hired youth services manager, told the council the Mesquite Youth Council will provide teens a platform to offer ideas, address youth-related issues and engage in civic service. The council will be city-sponsored and open to rising ninth- through 12th-graders who are Mesquite residents or MISD students; members are expected to serve one year and attend monthly meetings.
The youth services presentation lays out why the city is rebuilding the program and how it will be run. "Our mission is to serve as a hub of resources for the youth of Mesquite to connect, lead, and learn," Sheridan said. She described two programs now driving the division's early work: the Mesquite Youth Council and a paid summer internship program that the city has run since 2017.
Sheridan said the internship is a six-week, paid placement at a local business, nonprofit or city department and is funded largely by Community Development Block Grant dollars. Eligibility requires students to be 16 to 18 years old as of June 1, have at least a 2.5 GPA, and be an MISD student or a resident of Mesquite. The city opened applications March 1 with an application deadline of March 31; interviews are planned in April, appointments in May, orientations and a June 9 start date for interns, and a mid-July wrap-up with a celebratory luncheon.
Council members pressed staff about logistics. "What are the attendance requirements?" Councilman Kenny Green asked. Sheridan said the city is asking for one meeting per month but has not adopted a formal attendance rule and intends to work with youth members to set bylaws. City Manager Cliff Kaheeli added that the council will establish bylaws that include attendance expectations when the advisory board is formally organized.
Sheridan also described how staff have engaged stakeholders. She said the city has worked with Mesquite ISD, faith-based partners and the Hispanic Forum of Mesquite, used social media and school announcements, and attended local events to market the programs. The youth advisory board will have nine voting members and four informational staff members, Sheridan said.
The item to add the youth advisory board appeared on the meeting's consent agenda (item No. 5) and was approved as part of a group motion. "Make a motion to approve 4 to 13 as presented," Councilman Green moved; the motion was seconded and passed unanimously, 7-0. The council did not make appointments at the meeting; Sheridan said recruitment and appointments will follow once bylaws and the council structure are finalized.
Why it matters: officials said the programs are intended to connect young residents to civic life, provide work experience, and gather student input on long-range planning. The internship program's use of federal CDBG funding means placements must demonstrate a public-good benefit, Sheridan said.
Future steps: staff will recruit members for the advisory board, continue stakeholder outreach with MISD and other partners, and return to council with appointments and formal bylaws. Applications and program details are posted at cityofmesquite.com/youthservices.
