City Council continues study
on Youth Leadership Council
June 03, 2015
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
The issue on creating a Youth Leadership Council continues to be studied after the City Council discussed the issue at the May 18 meeting.
Mayor John Procter and City Councilwoman Jenny Crosswhite are on a subcommittee established at a March meeting to explore the formation of such a council.
Two Santa Paula High School seniors, Matthew Ramirez and Alandra Navarro, who first approached the council about establishing such a group, are also serving on the subcommittee; the two are cofounders of the SPHS Junior State of America Club.
Club members the council was told are most concerned with the city’s crumbling roads, the high school’s drop out rate and gang activity. They also want to establish a Farmers Market.
Elisabeth Paniagua, the assistant to the city manager, told the council there is an “abundance of intelligent, civic-minded” and eager youths in Santa Paula that should be called upon for deeper community involvement.
She noted those three or four youths that would be named to the Youth Leadership Council would appoint one or two of its own members to be liaisons to the city and the standing committee.
The youths would have powers and duties including increasing young adult community involvement, educating others about the responsibilities and importance of local government, identify issues and concerns that would be brought to the City Council and make recommendations to the city regarding programs and activities for youth. There were several other goals noted in Paniagua’s report.
Councilwoman Ginger Gherardi noting that the students attended the high school, asked if the SPUSD board had been notified.
“If we work through the (Junior America) club it’s an organized part of high school,” that should be worked with she noted.
Ramirez noted that the student council would also be interested in community-wide issues.
When asked about the election process by Vice Mayor Martin Hernandez, Ramirez said a selection process that started with the vote of Junior America would do initial appointments to the youth council.
The club is politically active and open to all said Ramirez, and those wishing to serve “would be nominated by their peers,” to start the process of selecting their own mayor and vice mayor, positions that would be confirmed by the City Council.
In case of vacancies the City Council would also make the decision on replacements.
The council asked other questions regarding how often meeting would be held, Brown Act requirements and how area students not attending Santa Paula High School could be involved.
Procter also asked that the age guidelines be dropped noting that many can be very young in high school or not graduate until they are older than 18.
After more comments the council asked for an updated report for future discussion.
