Reading committee advances two applicants to Youth Commission after interviews

The Reading Nominations and Appointments Committee interviewed two candidates for the Youth Commission on March 17 and unanimously agreed to forward both names to the City Council for formal appointment next week.

Chair Chris Miller, counselor for District 6, opened the meeting and said the committee would begin interviews with Annabel Salom Milander, who appeared virtually. "I feel like the Youth Commission is going to be a resource and a voice for the youth in the City of Reading," Milander said, adding that, as a 17-year-old who has lived in the city her entire life, she would bring a youth perspective to "fix a lot of things that need fixing." She told counselors she hopes to run outreach in schools to teach children about their rights if stopped by police and to encourage civic engagement.

The committee asked about logistics and accomplishments. Milander said her project is new but described plans for outreach to schools and working with school board members to teach children "to know they have a voice and they are protected." When Milander said "over 300 people have dropped out" from her class, counselors pressed for context and compared that figure to class-size estimates discussed in the meeting.

The panel then interviewed a second applicant, Rianna, who said she learned of the opening in her school's National Social Justice club and identified phone addiction and youth disengagement as priorities. "We could do more outreach and allow the youth in our community to connect together and communicate with one another rather than being on their phones all the time," she said.

Shelley Smith, deputy clerk and the Youth Commission staff liaison, told both applicants that if the committee moves them forward the full City Council will consider formal approval at its meeting next Monday. Smith said Youth Commission meetings are typically held the first Wednesday of the month at 5 p.m. and currently meet virtually.

Committee members praised both applicants’ engagement and recommended forwarding their applications. "She sounds like a quality candidate for the Youth Commission with some interesting ideas," Chair Miller said of Milander. After discussion, counselors said they were "in favor" of moving both candidates forward. No formal roll-call vote on the appointments is recorded in the transcript; the committee documented consensus to forward the applications.

The committee then moved to adjourn. A motion to adjourn was seconded and the meeting was closed.