Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Civic Engagement topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council extends Youth Council pilot two years; program to recruit high-school representatives and at-large officers
Summary
The council approved a two-year extension of the Youth Council pilot on June 17, endorsing a model with two student representatives per high school, two at-large chair/vice-chair seats, alternating two-year terms and support roles for clerks and communications.
The Salinas City Council approved a two-year extension of a pilot Youth Council program on June 17, directing staff to recruit student representatives from Salinas high schools and to launch an at-large chair and vice-chair model with supportive staff training and a summer retreat.
Staff said the pilot grew from a 2024 city youth internship and that student researchers recommended a youth council rather than a narrower youth commission; the council-approved structure includes: a chair and vice-chair (at-large seats open to any Salinas high-school student), two student representatives per high school on alternating two-year terms so that half the council would be seated each year, and three at-large support officers (clerk, communications officer and DEI officer). Council authorized staff to begin recruitment immediately and to hold a youth-council retreat in July to onboard members, with youth presentations to council beginning in August.
Councilmembers praised the program as a pathway to civic engagement. Several members sought measurable outcomes and asked staff to develop a curriculum and evaluation measures to track youth participation, leadership skills and program reach. Staff said the program would be designed to be low-cost and to leverage existing city and school-district relationships; staff also agreed to produce metrics and to report back on progress.
The motion to extend the pilot passed unanimously.
