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Riverton council expands youth council membership, appoints 10 students to launch advisory board
Summary
The council adopted Resolution 15‑30 removing the previous upper membership limit on the Riverton Youth Council and appointed all 10 applicants to the inaugural advisory body, with the council asking the youth members to help shape bylaws, terms and future membership rules.
The Riverton City Council on July 15 amended the rules for the recently created Riverton Youth Council and appointed the initial membership.
City Administrator Kyle Butterfield presented Resolution 15‑30, which repealed and replaced the earlier resolution by removing the previously set upper limit on membership and leaving the council with discretion to set numbers by appointment. After discussion, the council voted to adopt the resolution.
Council members debated two approaches: keeping a small, fixed membership to preserve the honor and manageability of the body, or appointing all interested applicants to be inclusive. Councilwoman Rebecca Pearson Lewis argued for broad participation: “If you're applying for this position, hands down, they will do the job, period.” Councilwoman Karen Johnson urged the use of alternates if the council wanted to preserve a smaller official membership while still engaging more students.
Council ultimately adopted Resolution 15‑30 and then appointed the ten students who applied to serve on the youth council. City staff noted most applicants are younger high‑school students (the oldest applicant noted in the discussion was 16) and recommended the inaugural membership help draft bylaws, term lengths and operating details for future cycles. The council encouraged the new members to consider term length, officer selection and whether to include alternates as part of their organizing work.
The youth council is an advisory body intended to promote civic engagement, provide a conduit between youth and the mayor/council, and recommend youth‑focused priorities. Councilmembers said they expect the students to develop bylaws and return recommendations to the governing body.
