AGENDA #4j
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TO: |
Roger L. Stancil, Town Manager |
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FROM: |
Bill Webster, Interim Director of Parks and Recreation |
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SUBJECT: |
Proposal to Expand the Chapel Hill Youth Council Steering Committee |
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DATE: |
May 7, 2007 |
This report presents recommendations to the Town Council related to starting a Youth Council, which would be developed and sustained by the Town. The attached resolution would authorize the Manager to advertise for membership on a Youth Council Steering Committee; use existing staff for initial support of the Steering Committee, and include funding for the establishment of a Youth Council program in the Manager’s budget proposal for FY 2007-08.
At its October 23, 2006 meeting, the Council received a petition from the Chapel Hill–Carrboro chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) requesting that the Town Council start a Youth Council. The local NAACP chapter proposed that the Youth Council be affiliated with the government of the Town of Chapel Hill.
On January 22, 2007, the Council authorized the creation of a Youth Council Steering Committee. Five members were appointed, and have been meeting since April 10, 2007.
State Youth Council Program Coordinator Cynthia Giles, spoke at the Committee’s April 24, 2007 meeting of the Youth Council Steering Committee, and recommended that the Committee should have youth representation at the earliest stages in the development of a Youth Council.
The Committee agreed that the Committee would be better served with youth representation, and voted to recommend that the Council expand the size of the Committee to include three youth members who would be in the 9th through 12th grades.
The Committee noted that any such change be considered at the earliest possible date in order to enhance recruitment efforts before the end of the school year.
Youth Council Steering Committee Recommendation: The Committee voted unanimously (4-0) to recommend that the Council expand the size of the Committee to include three youth members. Please see the attached recommendation from the Committee.
Staff Recommendation: We recommend that the Council adopt the attached resolution that would authorize expansion of the size of the Youth Council Steering Committee, and authorize the Manager to advertise for three youth members.