Youth Advisory Council

Contents

Meeting Materials

Advises the City Council in all matters pertaining to youth and youth-related issues. Members shall be high school students between fourteen and nineteen years-of-age appointed by the City Council.  The length of terms is three years, with openings occurring in May.  Non-voting liaisons consisting of a combination of a city council member and a Youth Community Coalition staff member shall also be appointed on an annual basis by each respective organization/body.  

Members & Terms: 

  • Shubha Gautam – Term To Expire June 1, 2024
  • Spencer Hermann – Term To Expire June 1, 2024
  • Hazel Keithahn – Term To Expire June 1, 2026
  • Helen Hinnant-Root – Term To Expire June 1, 2024
  • Emily Crumbliss – Term To Expire June 1, 2026
  • Alex Hiles – Term To Expire June 1, 2025
  • Langston Schatz-Mitchell – Term To Expire June 1, 2025
  • Isabella Shah – Term To Expire June 1, 2025
  • Graham Hoffman – Term To Expire June 1, 2024
  • Dalton Mayfield – Term To Expire June 1, 2025
  • Jiya Shetty – Term To Expire June 1, 2025
  • Kristen Yu – Term To Expire June 1, 2024
  • Paola Diaz-Torres – Term to Expire June 1, 2026
  • Grace Harris – Term to Expire June 1, 2026
  • John Yu – Term to Expire June 1, 2026
  • Roy Lovelady (Non-Voting City Council Representative) – Term to Expire June 1, 2024
  • Vacant (Non-Voting Youth Community Coalition Representative) – Term to Expire June 1, 2024

Establishing Legislation

Sec. 2-361.  Established.

The youth advisory council is hereby established to advise the city council on issues relating to youth issues and concerns.
(Ord. No. 22326, § 1, 1-5-15)

Sec. 2-362.  Membership; appointment; terms; meetings.

The youth advisory council shall consist of a minimum of fifteen (15) but no more than twenty-one (21) members.  The council shall be composed of high school students between fourteen (14) and nineteen (19) years-of-age at the time of appointment. The city council shall appoint a diverse group of members to include the various city wards, public and private high schools, and other elements of diversity whenever possible. Of the members first appointed, one-third (1/3) shall serve a term of one (1) year, one-third shall serve a term of two (2) years, and one-third (1/3) shall serve a term of three (3) years. Thereafter, members shall be appointed for up to a maximum of three (3) years. Members shall serve without compensation. Terms will expire on June 1 and reappointments shall be made upon any of the following:

  1. Resignation of a youth advisory council member;
  2. Term expiration;
  3. Graduation from high school;
  4. Completion of General Educational Development (GED); or
  5. A member reaching the age of twenty (20).

On an annual basis, the following non-voting liaison members shall be appointed to assist the youth advisory council in its work:

  1. The city council shall appoint a city council member; and
  2. The Youth Community Coalition (YC2) shall appoint a YC2 staff member.

The youth advisory council shall elect three (3) of its members to serve as chair, vice chair, and secretary, respectively.  Each officer shall hold office for a term of one (1) year.  When any officer’s appointment to the youth advisory council expires or becomes vacant, the youth advisory council shall elect a new officer.
(Ord. No. 22326, § 1, 1-5-15; Ord. No. 22739, § 1, 2-15-16; Ord. No. 23248, § 1, 7-17-17; Ord. No. 23872, § 1, 5-20-19)

Sec. 2-363.  Meetings; quorum; attendance.

  1. The youth advisory council shall hold meetings a minimum of once each month throughout the school year, at a time and place to be determined by the youth advisory council, and any such special meetings as called for by the chair. A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. 
  2. The chair of the youth advisory council is authorized to excuse any member from attendance at a meeting; provided, that the member requested to be excused before the meeting. Any member who is absent, without being excused, from three (3) regular meetings held in a calendar year shall automatically forfeit the office. Any member who is absent from six (6) regular meetings in a school year shall automatically forfeit the office. It shall be the duty of the chair to promptly notify the city council of the vacancy.
  3. The youth advisory council may, from time to time, form sub-committees to study issues and make recommendations to the overall youth advisory council for the youth advisory council’s consideration and recommendation to the city council
  4. The youth advisory council shall prepare and maintain permanent minutes of the meetings including actions taken.
  5. All meetings, records and activities of the youth advisory council shall comply with the requirements of the Missouri Sunshine Law, state records retention laws, and the City Code of the Columbia, Missouri.
    (Ord. No. 22326, § 1, 1-5-15; Ord. No. 23872, § 1, 5-20-19)

Sec. 2-364. Duties and responsibilities.

The youth advisory council:

  1. Shall act in an advisory capacity to the city council in all matters pertaining to youth and youth-related issues.
  2. May request that the city council allow up to two (2) members to serve as liaisons and non-voting members to another city board or commission studying an issue affecting youth.
  3. May hold an annual city-wide youth summit, as needed.
  4. May request funding from the City Council for events or training.
    (Ord. No. 22326, § 1, 1-5-15; Ord. No. 23872, § 1, 5-20-19)