The Cape Coral Youth Council voted to continue its Adopt-a-Road cleanup program and set the schedule to every other month for the 2025–26 term.

The vote followed discussion about member attendance and program effectiveness. Member Johnson, a returning senior, urged the council to ensure enough members can commit to scheduled Saturdays so the program is completed effectively. City staff and advisors reminded members that the Adopt-a-Road requirement is set in the council’s rules of procedure and operations and currently requires seniors to attend at least 70 percent of scheduled cleanups.

Why it matters: Adopt-a-Road is one of the council’s recurring community-service commitments and is used both to provide volunteer hours for members and to maintain a visible civic presence in neighborhoods. Members said consistency was critical to avoid letting the program falter on days with poor turnout.

Key facts: The council reviewed last year’s attendance patterns (one organizer said turnout ranged from nearly full membership to as few as four volunteers on some dates). After conversation, members took a voice/hand vote; eight members favored the every-other-month schedule and two preferred monthly meetings. Member Salazar moved to set the every-other-month frequency; Member Saint Germain seconded. The motion carried.

The council also discussed logistics: members will meet at the Youth Center at 7:30 a.m. on cleanup days and split into crews for left, median and right sides of the route along Santa Barbara North and Northeast Pine Island to Tropicana. Administrative staff confirmed the calendar for potential dates is available online. Staff further clarified that changing the program’s mandatory status or the 70 percent attendance threshold would require amending the council’s rules of procedure and operations, which would need a different (higher) vote threshold.

Next steps: The program will continue on the adopted every-other-month schedule; members said they will use group messaging and sign-ups to try to improve turnout and will revisit details if necessary at future meetings.