Encinitas Youth Commission unanimously approves FY2025–26 work plan, sends goals to City Council

The Encinitas Youth Commission voted unanimously Oct. 1 to approve its fiscal year 2025–26 work plan, adopting six high-level goals and sending the plan to the Encinitas City Council for consideration on Oct. 15.

The commission approved goals that list civic and community engagement; intergenerational programs; habitat and environmental stewardship; youth health and safety initiatives; STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) engagement; and financial literacy. Chair Kelly moved to approve the plan; Vice Chair Hubbell seconded the motion, and each commissioner recorded “aye” on the roll call.

The approved document sets the left‑hand column of goals as fixed for the council submittal while allowing commissioners to form flexible subcommittees and refine projected outcomes after the vote. “So the goal … just the goals is what cannot be changed. So once we vote today, the goals are what cannot be changed,” Supervisor Camarena said during the discussion, adding that subcommittees and specific outcomes can be revised afterward.

Commissioners discussed how subcommittees will be organized: staff proposed fewer, broader goals (six, down from nine in prior drafts) and recommended multiple small subcommittees inside each goal so commissioners can participate in projects that match their schedules and interests. Supervisor Anderson provided historical context, saying the practice in prior years was to fill in numeric measures month to month as projects moved forward and that the bolded goals on the plan are the portion that will remain consistent when presented to council.

The commission also took two formal votes related to meeting business. At the start of the meeting, commissioners approved the Sept. 3, 2025, regular meeting minutes (motion by Vice Chair Hubbell; second by Commissioner Uy) by voice vote. Later, the motion to adopt the FY2025–26 work plan (moved by Chair Kelly; seconded by Vice Chair Hubbell) passed on a unanimous voice vote.

Several commissioners volunteered general interests for subcommittees during the meeting so staff could prepare a list for the Oct. 15 City Council presentation. Staff asked commissioners to commit only to projects they can reasonably support given school and other obligations.

Staff and commissioners also highlighted several near-term events and items tied to the work plan: a volunteer day with the San Diego Botanical Garden on Saturday, Nov. 15 (typical morning hours, 8 a.m.–noon), the City Council presentation of the work plan at the Oct. 15 council meeting (the meeting begins at 6 p.m.; the agenda timing will be posted in the week before the meeting), the holiday parade on Saturday, Dec. 6 (approx. 4:30–8:30 p.m.), and several October programs including Art Night (Oct. 4), a movie in the park on Oct. 25, and a safe trick-or-treat event at Pacific View Arts Center on Oct. 31. Supervisor Anderson urged commissioners to review the volunteer and facilitator opportunities tied to the Age Friendly Encinitas program and to sign up for training if they plan to participate in the Oct. 14 Age Friendly listen-and-learn session at the Encinitas Library.

The vote record and the work plan will be forwarded to the City Council on Oct. 15 as part of the commission’s regular transmittal process.