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Olympia appoints 11 new members to Youth Council, expanding membership to 20
Summary
The City Council approved appointments to fill vacancies on the Olympia Youth Council, bringing membership to 20 for Sept. 2025–Sept. 2026. Staff Liaison Susan Grisham summarized the Youth Council’s first-year work and onboarding plans.
The Olympia City Council on Sept. 9 approved appointments to fill vacancies on the Olympia Youth Council, bringing the body to a full complement of 20 members for the Sept. 2025–Sept. 2026 term. Susan Grisham, assistant to the city manager and liaison to the Youth Council, presented the appointments and described the council’s first-year accomplishments.
Grisham said the Youth Council, nine months into its first year, had reviewed chapters of the Olympia 2045 Comprehensive Plan (public participation and partners, transportation, land use, urban design, climate and housing), developed a social media plan, met with the Lacey Youth Council for regional collaboration, hosted a recruitment event and produced a public service announcement on overdose awareness and prevention. Six founding members graduated and moved on to college; Grisham read names of those members and said each received a letter and certificate from Mayor Dante Payne.
She presented 11 new members recommended for appointment following interviews by a panel that included the mayor Pro Tem, youth council chair Nolan O’Connell and youth council member Shruti Lingam Natamayi. The recommended appointees are Addie Pittman, Elena Wetstein, Amelia Eslinger, Amelia Layman, Anika Parabecar, Donovan (last name not specified in transcript), Elizabeth Mendoza, Gian Palma, Gretchen Hillier, Pamela Palmer and Zion Zao. Grisham said the appointees range from 15 to 18 and attend Olympia High School, Capitol High School, homeschool programs, Running Start and SPSCC.
Onboarding is scheduled for Sept. 17; the new Youth Council will begin planning its 2026 work plan, which may include a follow-up public service announcement, joint events with Lacey Youth Council, sister city youth engagement and expanded connections with city departments. Council members praised the Youth Council and discussed opportunities for more direct “face time” between the youth members and the council.
The council approved the appointments as part of the consent calendar. No individual council member roll-call votes were recorded in the minutes for the appointments.
