North Miami Youth Council seeks $25,000 annual budget as members outline activities and travel

Four members of the North Miami Youth Council presented their year of community outreach, leadership development and regional networking to the City Council on Tuesday and requested an increase in annual funding from $5,000 to $25,000.

Library Director Paul Bizzo, who serves as the youth council liaison, introduced the presentation and four youth representatives described conference attendance, a panel on Haitian American mental health, community events and plans to expand membership and services. Youth Council member Claire Sena Moore described the council’s current operating budget of $5,000 and said it would be insufficient to support a full eight-member council next year; the group requested a $25,000 annual budget to cover travel, programming, uniforms, marketing and other expenses. The youth members also asked for support for a final development trip to New York for the outgoing cohort.

Council members thanked the youth group for their work and said the request was not budgeted for the current fiscal year but could be considered during the next budget cycle. Mayor Alex Sosome and Council members encouraged the youth council to “shadow us” and work with staff on a budget and operational plan; the interim city manager and staff were directed to assist the youth liaison with next steps.

No formal council action or budget appropriation was taken at the meeting; council members asked staff to work with the youth council on a plan that could be presented during the city’s budget process, which starts Oct. 1.