Title
Introduction of Ordinance Amending the Alameda Municipal Code by Adding Section 2-14 (Youth Council) to Article II (Boards and Commissions) of Chapter II (Administration), Establishing a Youth Council and Prescribing Membership and Duties of Said Commission. (City Manager 2110) WITHDRAWN - Will Not be Heard
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In October 2020, the City Council provided direction to staff to establish the Alameda Youth Council to promote the City of Alameda’s (City) objectives and offer Alameda’s youth a role in shaping our community. Staff met with a small founding group of students who support this direction and helped draft foundational by-laws for a Youth Council. This staff report discusses these by-laws that appear as Section 2-14 in the amended Alameda Municipal Code being considered by the City Council.
BACKGROUND
In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Alameda’s youth helped organize the community around critical issues including racial justice and police reform by leading peaceful protests, volunteering their time serving on community-led committees, creating speaker series and other educational events, and meeting with the Mayor and City Councilmembers about City affairs.
At the same time, a group of talented and dedicated young people began advocating for the City to establish a Youth Council that focuses on making Alameda more equitable and inclusive, with a focus on topics such as racial injustice, gun violence, and gender equality. A Youth Council would provide the City Council, Boards and Commissions, and staff with the unique perspective of the community’s youth on municipal issues and matters of concern to young people.
On October 20, 2020, the City Council unanimously approved the creation of a Youth Council and directed staff to return to the City Council with an Ordinance amending the Alameda Municipal Code (AMC) by adding a Youth Council to the Boards and Commissions chapter.
This is not the first time the City has established a Youth Council. In 2008, the Alameda Youth Advisory Commission (AYAC) was established with a similar purpose. Two challenges led to the dissolution of the AYAC. First, in 2011, after having issues with quorum, the AYAC was reduced to seven regular members. Second, at that time there was another group, the Alameda Youth Committee, which worked in parallel to the AYAC, but met more regularly and had significantly more participation by a broader, more diverse group of young people.
DISCUSSION
In November 2020, staff met virtually with a small group of young people who have been engaged with this process to discuss the by-laws, terms, and rules for a possible new Youth Council. At that meeting, the following foundational recommendations were identified:
• The Youth Council shall be an official Commission of the City, and all meetings of the Youth Council shall be open to the public and properly noticed in compliance with the Brown Act.
• The Youth Council shall consist of 13 members and include at least one representative from each of the following: Alameda High School, Encinal High School, a High School that is not Alameda or Encinal, a middle school, and the College of Alameda. The Youth Council will strive for geographic representation, and outreach for the remaining members will be conducted to help achieve that goal, including targeted outreach to people who live at the Alameda Point Collaborative and people who live on Bay Farm Island.
• All members of the Youth Council shall, at the time of their appointment and continuously during their incumbency, be residents of Alameda, or attend a school within the city, be at least the age of 12 at the time they take office and no older than 21 at the time they complete their one year term of office or any reappointment for additional service, and study in grades 7-12 or attend the College of Alameda.
• The current plan is that the Youth Council will meet one time per month, with a break in May, October, and December, which are typically the most challenging months of the school year for young people.
• Members of the Youth Council will serve a term of one year, from June 1-May 31, but are encouraged to apply again for a second term.
Following adoption of the Ordinance amending the AMC by adding Section 2.14, establishing a Youth Council, staff would open applications and conduct outreach, coordinate candidate interviews with the Mayor, and nominations would be brought to the City Council for approval.
At its first meeting, a Youth Council’s newly appointed Commissioners would adopt rules for the proper conduct of its affairs, schedule Youth Council meetings, select a Chairperson and Vice Chairperson, and work with staff to begin developing a draft annual work plan. The Alameda Youth Council is currently designated to be staffed by the Public Information Officer and report directly to the City Council if the City Council approves the Commission.
Staff would also like to recognize the leadership of one member of the planning group, Ms. Raquel Williams. Ms. Williams is graduating from Alameda High School in 2021 and is not eligible to be a member of a new Youth Council. However, Ms. Williams’ involvement in Alameda issues generally, and in this process specifically, has been invaluable. Should the City Council authorize the creation of a Youth Council, staff recommends recognizing Ms. Williams at the beginning of the formation and invites her continued participation in this process, including helping with outreach about the newly formed Youth Council and potentially helping to interview interested candidates.
ALTERNATIVES
• Introduce an ordinance amending the AMC to establish a Youth Council, including duties of the new Commission and membership requirements.
• Provide amendments to the recommended rules and framework outlined in this report and included in the ordinance presented to establish a Youth Council.
• Do not introduce an ordinance amending the AMC to establish a Youth Council at this time.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Existing resources (staff and budget) will be shifted from existing priorities to meet the needs of a new Commission. While there is no immediate financial impact to establishing the Alameda Youth Council, existing budget and staff time will have to be reallocated. Future budget allocations will be subject to City Council appropriations approval.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
This action proposes to amend the AMC, by creating a Youth Council (adding section 2-14) to Article II (Boards and Commissions) of Chapter II (Administration).
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This action is not a project and is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(5).
CLIMATE IMPACTS
There are no identifiable climate impacts or climate action opportunities associated with the subject of this report.
RECOMMENDATION
Introduce an ordinance to amend the Alameda Municipal Code by adding Section 2-14 (Youth Council) to Article II (Boards and Commissions) of Chapter II (Administration), establishing a Youth Council and prescribing membership and duties of said Commission.
CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDATION
If the City Council approves this action, the City Manager recommends we begin with the Public Information Officer as staff and evaluate the time commitment.
Respectfully submitted,
Sarah Henry, Public Information Officer
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Annie To, Finance Director
cc: Eric Levitt, City Manager