Mayor outlines youth advisory initiative to connect young people with city government

Mayor said a youth advisory initiative will give young people access to city staff and elected officials and teach them how municipal government works.

“Well, I believe in youth leadership. I learned in the church and in this community, how to how to lead and how to follow, how to listen, how to speak publicly,” Mayor said, describing the program’s origins and goals. The mayor said the initiative was developed over several years after attending a mayor’s summit in California and through local effort to refine the plan.

The mayor said the initiative is intended to let young people “tell us what they see and what they need and what they believe in” by meeting with city staff and officials. “But our young people will have access to, city staff, to learn how city government works,” the mayor said.

A board member asked the mayor to share details of the initiative with residents; the mayor responded with the overview quoted above. The transcript did not specify a start date, program budget, selection criteria, or whether the city council must approve a formal charter or ordinance before the program begins.

The mayor characterized the project as “a labor of love” that was refined over time; no formal vote or directive on the initiative appears in the transcript.

Details that were not specified during the remarks include program timeline, funding sources, staff assignment, and any formal oversight or reporting requirements. The mayor framed the effort as an opportunity to teach youth about civic processes and to solicit their input for city leaders to consider.

The discussion arose during a question from a board member and lasted about a minute in the recorded transcript.