Cape Coral Youth Council keeps school outreach, names backup communications director and sets fundraising push for conference

Cape Coral Youth Council members met Aug. 8 in Cape Coral City Council Chambers and approved several program and staffing items for the 2025–26 term while agreeing on event and fundraising plans ahead of the fall calendar.

The council voted to continue its School Reach Out program and named members to lead the effort, appointed a backup communications director after a candidate ballot and formal voice vote, and set or confirmed dates for Adopt-a-Road cleanups, a meet-and-greet fundraiser, and the council’s trunk-or-treat booth. Members also discussed logistics and fundraising for an anticipated trip to the National League of Cities conference.

Why it matters: the Youth Council’s decisions shape outreach to Cape Coral high schools and set the group’s calendar of public events for the coming months. The fundraising drive is intended to cover travel and lodging for members who wish to attend the National League of Cities conference next March, and the council is seeking donations and corporate sponsors to reduce any out-of-pocket cost for participants.

The council’s advisor, identified in the meeting as Advisor Hayden, summarized recent city-level budget choices and local grants that frame the council’s work. Hayden said the city’s “consensus was not to raise the tax rate, but there was consensus, to raise the fire service assessment by 11%, which basically means that for the average homeowner, that'll be about 70 an extra $74 a year.” Hayden also noted about $1 million in Lee County tourist-development grants for beach nourishment and restroom improvements and a council priority to demolish a burned boathouse for safety and liability reasons.

On personnel and internal operations, the…