Satellite Beach Youth Council sworn in, elects Alex LaFortune chair and Charlotte Barnes vice chair

The newly formed Satellite Beach Youth Council held its first official meeting on Oct. 28, 2019. Members were sworn in, received instruction on meeting procedure and open-records rules, elected Alex LaFortune as chair and Charlotte Barnes as vice chair, and began brainstorming projects including lagoon cleanups, social-media outreach and event participation.

Webb Pierce, the city clerk, opened instructional remarks for the new advisory body, describing how Robert’s Rules of Order provides a structure for motions, discussion and votes and why orderly processes matter. "Robert's Rules of Order is generally the standard, book that everybody follows," Pierce said, adding that motions can be amended, withdrawn or tabled and that public comment and staff presentations typically occur before votes.

Pierce also gave an overview of the Florida Sunshine Law and public-records obligations. He told members they must avoid serial communications about council business outside of public meetings and that emails and other records related to council business may be subject to public-record requests.

During agenda item five, members discussed leadership nominations. McKenzie Parson moved, "I make a motion to nominate Alex LaFortune for chair," and a council member seconded. After the prescribed process of discussion and assent, the nomination carried. LaFortune then led the nomination and vote for vice chair; Charlotte Barnes was nominated, seconded and confirmed.

At the start of the citizen-comment portion, Serena Videla identified herself as an alternate member of the youth council and offered to serve as the meeting secretary, citing prior experience as a secretary for a school organization. Council members indicated they would consider the offer.

Britney Jumper, the city's support services director and comptroller, presented a high-level orientation to the city's fiscal structure, describing the comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR), the city’s fund structure (including the general fund and CRA fund), and the audit schedule. Jumper encouraged the council to consult the city's budget book online for detailed figures and noted staff would return for deeper presentations if the council requested them.

Courtney Barker, the city manager, said city staff could provide technical support, small startup funding for projects and guidance on preparing agendas and cost estimates. She invited council members to draw on staff resources for social-media setup, outreach and event planning.

Members spent the remainder of the meeting brainstorming possible priorities and short-term projects. Ideas included beach and lagoon cleanups, mangrove plantings, an "adopt-a-drain" stormwater art initiative, refillable water-bottle stations at schools, anti-vaping or impaired-driving awareness presentations in partnership with PAL and local schools, and organizing a presence at community events such as the Ocean Reef Festival. Several members volunteered to draft mission and vision statements, social-media content and a shirt design to present at the next meeting.

The council and staff agreed to continue work on projects and to bring concrete proposals back at the following regular meeting, which staff indicated would typically fall on the fourth Monday of each month (excluding December and May). The meeting adjourned by gavel.

Notes: All quotes and attributions in this article are taken directly from the meeting transcript. When transcript figures were unclear (for example, numeric budget figures stated in passing that appear garbled in the record), the article defers to the city's published budget materials and Jumper's offer that the budget book online is the authoritative source.