Community development official outlines student municipal representative program to Planning & Zoning Commission

Sarah Herring, the city’s community development administrator, told the Green City Planning & Zoning Commission on Aug. 20 that the Student Municipal Representative (SMR) program aims to give high‑school students sustained exposure to local government by placing them on boards and commissions.

The program opens applications Jan. 1 each year for students entering grades 10–12. Applicants rank up to 10 boards, commissions and task forces; finalists interview with the mayor, Herring and the clerk of council, Nicole Messner. Herring said placements seek to match students’ interests and fields of study and to show young people the variety of roles in local government, from planning and design review to libraries and public health.

"When they take government class in high school, their assignment is to go to city council. That’s meaningful, but it’s only a very small part of the story of local government," Herring said. She told commissioners that observing commissions and interacting briefly with members after meetings helps students feel a sense of belonging and can open pathways to careers in fields such as architecture, engineering and teaching.

Herring said two student municipal representatives — Jack Pickett and Chris Tsao — will join the commission at its Sept. 17 meeting. She invited questions and thanked the commission for engaging with students during meetings and orientation.

The presentation was informational; no formal action was required. The commission noted the report and moved on to other agenda items.