STAFF REPORT
DATE: October 25, 2022
TO: Justin Hess, City Manager
FROM: Marisa Garcia , Parks , Recreation , and Community Services Director VIA: Diego Cevallos, Deputy Director – Parks, Recreation and Community Services
BY: Bria Wade, Recreation Coordinator
SUBJECT: Appointment of Members to the Youth Board for the 2022-23 School Year
RECOMMENDATION
Appoint students to serve a one-year term on the Youth Board based on school recommendations and submitted applications.
BACKGROUND
The major objectives of the Youth Board are to increase communication between youth and City government; provide a means by which young people can actively participate in government; organize community fundraisers ; and provide input and planning for programs that will benefit youth in the community. To provide additional background, the following is an excerpt from the Burbank Municipal Code (BMC) Section 2-1-416 related to the Youth Board:
The Youth Board shall have the following powers and duties:
1. To represent the interests of local youth in community affairs.
2. To represent the City in matters of interest to youth in the community.
3. To assist in helping other youth in the community to understand and appreciate local government.
4. To obtain interpretations for local youth on City ordinances, rules and regulations which affect them.
5. To encourage local youth to actively participate in community affairs and matters of concern to the City.
2 6. To conduct studies and investigations in the general field of youth and community interest and to communicate its findings and recommendations to the Council.
7. To encourage coordination of effort among community institutions and organizations that focus on youth problems and needs.
8. To advise and assist the Parks and Recreation Board on issues affecting the youth in the community.
According to the BMC Section 2-1-416, the Youth Board is to be comprised of 17 members. A representative is selected by each high school and middle school within Burbank. The school representatives include both the public and parochial schools in the City. The remaining six positions are designated as At-Large members. All appointments are for a one -year term, with all me mbers beginning and ending their annual terms simultaneously.
DISCUSSION
For the high school and middle school positions, schools were provided the parameters for appointment and asked to select a student representative to serve a one -year term.
This year, each school responded and submitted a nominee except for John Paul II STEM Academy (JPSTEMA) at Bellarmine-Jefferson, which ceased its operations in June 2020.
All other applications for school vacancies are attached for Council review (Attachment 1).
For the At -Large positions, there were 11 applications submitted for six vacancies (Attachment 2). In-person interviews were conducted, and six applicants are recommended by staff for appointment to the Youth Board based on experience ; leadership skills; interest in school and local government ; and ideas for engaging youth in the community.
Under BMC Section 2-1-416, there are no procedures for filling vacant school representative seats if a school fails to submit a nominee, which is a common occurrence.
Due to the closure of the J PSTEMA and lack of a nominee from the school, staff recommends appointing an additional At -Large member for a total of seven positions to fill the 17-member Youth Board. Staff will return to Council to amend BMC Section 2 -1- 416 to address the closure of the school.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact related to this report.
CONCLUSION
Staff recommends that Council appoint ten school representatives and seven At -Large applicants to comprise the designated 17 members. Recommended At-Large applicants are noted with an asterisk (*).
3 Middle School and High School Appointments
Dolores Huerta Middle School Casey Cavanaugh
John Muir Middle School AvVo Ilangesyan
Luther Burbank Middle School Calibrooke Myers
St. Finbar Middle School Vincent Millunzi
St. Francis Xavier Middle School Catalina Jaramillo St. Robert Bellarmine Middle School Giovanna Garcia-Ribeiro John Paul II STEM Academy at Bellarmine-Jefferson Nominee Not Submitted Burbank High School Brenton Lewis
John Burroughs High School Ever Huerta
Monterey High School Rystal “Shaina” San Diego
Providence High School Emily Avila
At-Large Applicants
Audrey Arutyunyan
Matthew “Liam” Baker*
Alexis Bell*
Arno Dionysian
Stephanie Hernandez
Marko Nasev
Neha Ramesh*
Yogini Vazirani*
Jessica Ward*
Amy Yoo*
Sungjoo Yoon*
*Recommended Applicants
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1 – School Representative Nominations
Attachment 2 – At-Large Nominations