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

Members of the newly formed Satellite Beach Youth Council were sworn into office and chose officers at the group's first meeting on Oct. 28, 2019.

McKenzie Parson formally nominated Alex LaFortune for chair and another member seconded the motion. After members voiced support, Alex LaFortune assumed the chair and led the next item: a nomination for vice chair. “I make a motion to nominate Charlotte,” Sarah Zicki said; the motion was seconded and Charlotte Barnes was elected vice chair. The meeting record shows multiple members saying “yes” during the roll-call-style confirmations and both motions were announced as passing.

The oath of office was administered at the start of the meeting; new members repeated a pledge to support the U.S. Constitution, Florida law and the city code and to ‘‘well and faithfully discharge the duties of youth council member.’’ Webb Pierce, who identified himself as the city clerk, gave a short tutorial on parliamentary procedure and warned that the Sunshine Law restricts private communications about board business. “No communication between board members on items under the board’s purview are allowed,” Pierce said, explaining that emails, texts and social messages about council business may be public records.

During citizen comments, Serena Videla introduced herself as an alternate member and offered to serve as secretary, noting past experience recording meetings: “I have previous experience in that regard… I was a secretary for a year of my beta club,” she said. City staff encouraged the council to contact staff with questions and offered administrative support.

The members spent the remainder of the meeting brainstorming a mission and near-term priorities. Ideas receiving sustained support included increasing youth involvement across local high schools, environmental work focused on the Indian River Lagoon (cleanups, mangrove plantings and planting oyster mats), outreach events such as the Ocean Reef Festival and Founders Day, and a social-media campaign to raise awareness. Members agreed a 9 p.m. meeting end time should be standard and discussed designing a council t‑shirt.

City staff advised the council to do any preparatory work individually or with staff rather than deliberating by group chat, because of Sunshine Law limits, and to bring proposals back to a public meeting for consideration. The council asked members to draft vision/mission ideas, shirt designs and a few project proposals to discuss at its next meeting in November. The meeting was adjourned by Chair Alex LaFortune.

Next steps: members will return in November with mission statements and project proposals; staff said it could provide contacts, a small startup budget for projects and procedural help.