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Council debates structure for youth council; options include parks program or formal commission
Summary
Councilmembers and staff discussed whether a planned Lynnwood youth council should launch as a parks program or be established as a formal advisory commission. Concerns included Open Public Meetings Act implications, parental consent for minors, staffing and long-term sustainability.
Lynnwood — City Council members spent substantial time May 21 discussing how to organize a planned youth council after a months-long task-group process produced a draft ordinance and a recommended framework.
The central question: should the youth body start as a parks-run program (informal, staff-led) or be formed as a formal board or commission under city code (advisory to council but subject to Open Public Meetings Act and public-record rules)? Council members and staff identified tradeoffs on transparency, youth safety and sustainability.
Why it matters: A formal commission gives youth a designated advisory role and a direct channel to council but triggers OPMA (public meetings) and public-records requirements that some council members said could discourage participation by vulnerable youth. A program housed in the…
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