2018-12-19 Youth Commission MinutesYouth Commission Meeting Minutes 12/19/18
Commission Members Present
Caitlin Chung
Caroline Wills
Kaleb Nichols
Nathanael Perdomo
Noah Erickson
Owen Lee
Stephany Janssen
Sydney Pearson
Introductions:
Staff Present
Carrie Hite
Shannon Burley
Casey Colley
Carrie Hite is director that has worked with teens throughout the summer (2018) to create the Edmonds
Youth Commission. Shannon Burley is overseeing commission as deputy director and she will be hiring
staff to interact at each meeting to guide, direct, and navigate the governmental roles of the youth
commission. Casey Colley is the city's interpretive specialist that was hired to assist in starting the youth
commission, creating application documents, canvasing and working as the communication liaison until
permanent staff is hired.
Owen Lee is an Edmonds Woodway freshman who wants to raise awareness for the Edmonds Marsh
and his passion is singing in choir. Sydney Pearson is a freshmen at Edmonds Woodway and would like
to improve communication between schools, students, and parents in regards to safety with increased
gun violence. One of Sydney's passions is playing in the jazz band. Stephany Janssen is a junior at
Edmonds Woodway and would like to create awareness and resources for mental illness and her passion
is international politics such as what is occurring in Yemen. Kaleb Nichols is a junior at Edmonds
Woodway and is interested in teen depression/mental illness in high schools and associated stress of IB
courses with a passion for theatre and international politics. Caroline is a junior at Meadowdale and is
interested in homelessness with a passion for interacting with youth such as volunteering at summer
camps. Caitlin Chung is a freshmen at Edmonds Woodway and would like to raise awareness of mental
health, signs of distress with more resources for help. Caitlin has a passion for volunteering with people
in need and working with kids. Noah Erickson is a junior at Mountlake Terrace and is also interested in
education on mental illness and his passion is being transit oriented. Nathanael Perdomo is a
sophomore at Edmonds Woodway and is interested in creating more sport opportunities and getting the
youth involved with the community with events that are teen centered. Nathanaels passions are playing
sports.
Youth Commission Members will be operating the chairs themselves and the staff member will help
guide them. They will have to appoint chair, co-chair, secretary and treasurer once commission seats are
all filled.
Team building:
Everyone participated in icebreaker "Meet my neighbor."
Circle everyone with a cone in front of them representing their spot with one person in middle. Like
Musical Chairs, the goal of the person in the middle is to get into a spot marked with a cone. The person
in the middle then says in a loud voice so all can hear, "I want to meet all my neighbors who... (Insert
anything here —for example... WEARS GLASSES)." At that point anyone who wears glasses (or whatever
the mentioned THING is) has to get up immediately and move to a different spot. The person in the
middle then has to scurry to a vacated spot. Of course, as in Musical Chairs, someone is going to be left
without a spot. It's now that person's turn in the middle to repeat the process... "I want to meet all my
neighbors who... (Must insert something different here — for example have pets, like to hike, enjoy
playing music, etc.)"
The objective is that your members get to learn about each other (who has pets, likes to go fishing, are
biology majors, is the oldest child in the family, has eleven toes, plays sports, had traveled overseas, the
possibilities are endless!) in a fun and competitive way.
Commission Rules 101, OPMA, & Expectations:
The Edmonds Youth Commission is an official body of government, as a member, you represent the City
of Edmonds. It is important you represent it thoughtfully. Be sure to read the rules and regulations at
home.
The Washington State Public Records Act applies to "any office, department, division, bureau, board,
commission, or agency of every county, city, town, Municipal Corporation, Quasi -municipal Corporation,
or special purpose district, or other local public agency." Anything that is created, written, emailed,
pertaining to the Youth Commission is an open public record. Anyone can request records. Use the city
email for all youth commission and city business conversations. The rule of thumb is if you don't want to
see it on the front headlines, don't write it. We are officers of the public and everything is to be
transparent. Any text messages regarding the youth commission must be saved and archived. Any social
media used as a city platform must be saved and archived. Kaleb proposed a group chat so it would be
backed up to multiple phones.
Owen asked what social media use needs to be saved. If posted "Come to this event, etc." it does not
need to be archived since it's posted as an individual not representing the city. If posted "Come to this
City of Edmonds Youth Commission meeting with the Youth Commission, etc." it does need to be saved
since you are representing the city.
Open Public Meetings Act, Ch. 42.30RCW declares that all meetings of the governing body of a public
agency shall be open and public. Most boards and commissions created by statute are subject to the
Open Meetings Act. Any board, commission, etc. has to be open to the public. Anyone can come and
listen. If the meeting is cancelled or changes, such as not meeting over the summer, there has to be a
notice of change posted and sent in a press release. If a lot of public attends the meeting, there needs to
be an assigned time for public comment on the agenda since the attending public cannot interrupt the
meeting. Keep all notes as they can be asked for under the WA state public records act. Ex: Carrie was at
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a meeting about crumb rubber being placed at Edmonds sports field and took notes. The next day there
was a public records request for the notes she wrote.
Application of Appearance of Fairness is a rule of law that requires government decision -makers to
conduct noncourt hearing and proceedings in a way that is fair and unbiased in both appearance and
fact. As a city, we the city, use tax money to provide services for the citizens. As a public steward,
representing the city —you can't give business to a family or friend. Ex: if you get a grant program for
running youth services approved for $20,000 in Edmonds. Then your cousin comes along and wants it to
start his/her own youth basketball program. It is not fair to give it to him/her and it is not fair to be in
the voting process since there is a conflict of interest. If this were to occur, you would recuse yourself
and an alternate on the commission would vote instead. Another real life example is when the city
wanted to redevelop old mill town, the city bought an overgrown areas around the building and the
structure itself. City decided to roll out the project, and on the council was a business owner who was
part of the development process. The member then decided to move his/her business into the new
plaza. That was fine, there was no financial benefit, and he/her paid for the space. Then the city placed
seats, tables, umbrellas for the public to enjoy in the area. The public would then go into his/her shop,
order and eat outside, servers would even come and give table service outside. This was a problem since
it looked like the business owned the seating area when it was in fact for all public to enjoy. The city
then placed plaques on the seating areas stating it was for all public to enjoy.
Youth Commission Ordinance:
This ordinance was adopted in June 2018 based on work sessions between Carrie and teen students. In
September 2018 Carrie, Stephany, Kaleb and other students reviewed the ordinance and changed some
items. It was taken back to city council and was approved and amended.
Meetings are the first and third Wednesday of each month from 6:OOpm-7:30pm. As a member you are
expected to attend meetings. After 3 missed meetings without prior explanation of the situation (out of
town, school commitment, etc.) you will be contacted to see if you are still interested in your
commission chair. If you are no longer interested, we will fill your seat with someone else.
These are 1 year seats since it was recommended from the youth that there be a consistency by having
seasoned members still serving as new members come on board. City council and the mayor select and
appoint the chairs. Below is the current chair positions and what city staff appointed them.
Seat 1: Mayor appoints Owen Lee
Seat 2: Johnson: Sydney Pearson
Seat 3: Nelson: Stephany Janssen
Seat 4: Fraley Monillas: Noah Erickson
Seat 5: vacant
Seat 6: Teitzel: Nathanael Perdomo
Seat 7: Mesaros: Caitlin Chung
Seat 8: Tibbott: Caroline Wills
Seat 9: Mayor Earling: Kaleb Nichols
Seat 10: Mayor: vacant alternate
Seat 11: Mayor: vacant alternate
Drafted minutes from the prior meeting will be brought in for members to review and sign off on. Then
minutes will be posted online corresponding with the meeting they were taken at. Meetings will be
conducted by Roberts Rule of Order such as below:
• Obtain the floor (the right to speak) by being the first to stand when the person speaking has
finished; state Mr./Madam Chairman. Raising your hand means nothing, and standing while
another has the floor is out of order! Must be recognized by the Chair before speaking!
• Debate cannot begin until the Chair has stated the motion or resolution and asked "are you
ready for the question?" If no one rises, the chair calls for the vote!
• Before the motion is stated by the Chair (the question) members may suggest modification of
the motion; the mover can modify as he pleases, or even withdraw the motion without consent
of the seconder; if mover modifies, the seconder can withdraw the second.
• The "immediately pending question" is the last question stated by the Chair! Motion/Resolution
- Amendment - Motion to Postpone
• The member moving the "immediately pending question" is entitled to preference to the floor!
• No member can speak twice to the same issue until everyone else wishing to speak has spoken
to it once!
• All remarks must be directed to the Chair. Remarks must be courteous in language and
deportment - avoid all personalities, never allude to others by name or to motives!
• The agenda and all committee reports are merely recommendations! When presented to the
assembly and the question is stated, debate begins and changes occur!
The chair and co-chair will share the duty of running the meetings, it will be up to them to figure out if
they want to run every other meeting and so forth. The treasurer will capture votes, actions taken,
agenda, motions, seconds, who voted for what. Members are welcome to take notes on their laptops.
Powers and Duties:
1. Serve as an advocate for youth needs and improvement in youth policies, directly engaging the
community in the process.
Commission is the representatives for many teens in schools, youth summit,
representing the community and have the ability as the city to get all thoughts from
teen students.
2. Drafting policy proposals on topics of its choosing and presenting these proposals to the Mayor
and City Council.
Do the members of the commission want to get more opportunities for teens? Then
draft a proposal as if they are a business in the community and sell it to city council.
Example: We talked to 500 students through an online survey about a teen center and
we need $1,500 to accomplish it.
3. Organizing forums of Edmonds youth to better educate the City about the opinions of youth on
civic issues affecting both their communities and the city at large.
Caroline's example of homelessness. Impacting homelessness, it's a huge issue in
Edmonds, youth can have many ideas about it.
4. Recognize accomplishments of children and youth and promote the value of youth in our
community.
Placed in order so youth commission knows they are a valued resource, how can we
acknowledge more accomplishments by youth?
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Providing an annual report to the City Council about the Commissions activities.
Due each December —report written and given in January. Will have to start planning
this in November in order to capture and organize the years' work. Might be a good idea
to do this throughout the year as to alleviate pressure close to December.
Commission members were encouraged to look at City Council agendas to see what the issues being
addressed are and what is being talked about in the City of Edmonds. One hot item currently is the
housing situation. Currently Edmonds has 40,000 residents and that number is projected to grow to
48,000 in the next 5 years. How will the city build the housing required into the city? What will that
housing look like? Will it be low income housing, apartments, mixed use planning? Youth are the future
of Edmonds and their opinions will be heard.
Questions:
Annual report: Should be done throughout the year? Keep a log, have minutes, create work plan, target
3-5 items, dive into them, went to council meeting and want to way in about it.
Anytime you need budget money you have to go in front of council and propose plan for its use.
Hot topic right now is the marsh —council was going through budget and wanted to assign 1 million for
daylighting the marsh.
The youth commission will be complete at the 3rd meeting, January 161" 2019. Then chairs, co-chairs,
treasurer, secretary will be appointed. Chair or co-chair will work with a staff member to create agenda
and get it posted online.
Work Plan Introduction and Planning:
January 2019 through June 2019 Ideas
Kaleb: Get the word out so citizens know there is a youth commission and we will be heard and
supported.
Stephany: Tackle big and controversial issue and then people will take the commission seriously working
towards change while getting attention. Statement piece to define the commissions place in the
community.
Lots of interest in mental health awareness, education and resources. Marsh and homelessness are hot
topics in Edmonds currently.
Stephany: establish discussion around gun violence in city and schools within the district and
community. Immigration in our county with the current political climate it's not just a national issue but
a local issue affecting families in our community who are immigrants or children of immigrants.
Owen: Immigration issues such as once families are released from holding facilities they need help
acclimating to a new life. Needs for food, housing, and houseware drives.
Kaleb: Important for kids to feel safe in the community instead of a lack of support from the community.
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Caroline: Homelessness, immigration, gun violence all gets associated. Her church is a cold weather
shelter which some citizens dislike. Education opportunities are needed for community to fully
understand problems.
City example: Homeless guy would come into Frances Anderson Center and take a shower. The library
wanted to buy a punch card to give homeless a hot shower and asked Carrie if this would be okay. Carrie
having to make the call on it decided we cannot allow it since we are not a hygiene center yet a
recreation center. Carrie made it clear to staff that anyone who wants to come in and take a shower but
doesn't have the $3 to pay may use the facility. There was a lot of opinions about not wanting homeless
in the building and this ties into the need for education.
Kaleb: We have to unify and connect with everyone in the community.
There are a lot of heavy topics. Commission must be able to figure out what can be accomplished from
January 2019-June 2019. Nathanael mentioned creating activities for teens.
Nathanael: Interested in the poor street lighting and how to update the city lights for more visibility.
Noah: Public transit, sound transit. Going to school it Mountlake Terrace the transit system is lacking
how often and many buses are coming and the routes they cover. Carrie mentioned that the Mayor sits
on the board for Sound Transit, and to ask the mayor to get the transit issue on the agenda to talk about
with City Council. Edmonds Woodway has better bus access with 3 buses running every half hour —
mount lake terrace has 1 bus running every half hour. Student accessibility to orca cards, Seattle is
starting student orca cards and there's been a lot of overcrowding on busses in response to. Accessibility
to make it easier for students to get orca cards aided by schools. At Edmonds Woodway the running
start students are provided with orca cards. In the current sound transit system its $1.75 with a 2 hour
transfer window.
Homework assignment:
Commission members create a paragraph biography and using their new city email send it to Casey
Colley to be posted on the Youth Commission website.
Questions:
Should we cancel January 2nd 2019 meeting? Voted no, still meeting on January 2 nd. Sydney Pearson will
not make the meeting due to being out of town.
Actions:
Shannon Burley: Will send in work order for Wifi in room 123
Casey Colley: Will send in work order for a lock placed on a cabinet in room 123 for youth commission
supply storage. Will correct Caroline's email address.
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