Administrative
Report
P.4., File # 24-1434 Meeting Date: 9/3/2024
To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: ELIZABETH HAUSE, INTERIM COMMUNITY SERVICES DIRECTOR TITLE
DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING YOUTH APPOINTMENTS TO THE 2024-25
YOUTH COMMISSION
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Typically, the Youth Commission holds monthly meetings to advance youth causes and examine policies that promote and serve the needs of youth in the community. The Youth Commission has not been active since December 2021 due to COVID-19 and a lack of subsequent membership. The Commission is generally comprised of 15 total members (12 youth and 3 adults).
Over the past several months, members of the City Council and staff have worked with the School District to reactivate the Commission and encourage youth commissioner applications for the 2024- 25 school year. These efforts have been successful, and staff is happy to recommend the appointment of twelve youth members, who were selected following interviews with Community Services Department representatives and Councilmember Kaluderovic. Of the three adult member spots; one is filled by a representative from the Redondo Beach Unified School District (Raymur Flinn is proposed by RBUSD for this upcoming term); one is filled by Dayna Alyson Bubenicek, with a term ending September 30, 2025; and one is vacant, and will be filled by the Mayor and Council through the upcoming commission appointment process.
BACKGROUND
Title 2, Chapter 9, Article 6 of the Redondo Beach Municipal Code outlines the City’s Youth Commission, whose purpose is to promote the youth of Redondo Beach by providing comprehensive programs and events that meet the interest and needs of the City’s youth. The Commission’s membership includes three adult members that serve a four-year term. Adult members comprise of one appointed by the Redondo Beach Unified School District Board of Education and affirmed by the City Council, and two directly appointed by the City Council. Youth members include a total of 12 teens, ages 13 to 19 years old, that reside with a parent or guardian within the City or attend school at a Redondo Beach Unified School District campus. Term limits are for one year, or until a successor is appointed. However, youth members may serve as many terms as they remain eligible.
Additionally, the Commission has an ad hoc subcommittee (Subcommittee) that includes members appointed by the Commission. Subcommittee members must be older than 12 and under the age of 19 and meet all other qualifications for service on the Commission. Due to a lack of quorum, the Commission has not met since December 2021. Therefore, this recommendation includes appointments for all available seats to be filled by youth members, including the Ad Hoc
P.4., File # 24-1434 Meeting Date: 9/3/2024
appointments for all available seats to be filled by youth members, including the Ad Hoc Subcommittee.
Applicants for the youth members of the Commission are typically interviewed and recommended by staff, with occasional assistance from the Mayor or a designee. The Mayor affirms the recommendations and the selected applicants are then submitted for review and approval by the City Council. A total of 15 applicants were interviewed by staff and Councilmember Kaluderovic in August of 2024. As a result of these interviews, the following individuals are recommended for appointment to the Commission (in alphabetical order):
Youth Commission
Luke Campisi
Ziva Chabot
Kylie Cho
Charlotte Cunningham
Charlotte Edwards
Rena Felde
Olivia Reeds
Grant Sorgen
Arielle Steinburg
Baran Taghvaei
Marlena Van Pelt
Kaia Weiss
Ad Hoc Subcommittee
Vincent Huynh
Sophia Robles
Marshall Trone
The Commission meets the first Thursday of each month at 6:30pm, excluding the months of July and August.
COORDINATION
The Community Services Department serves as liaison to the Commission and coordinated with the City Manager’s Office to complete this report.
FISCAL IMPACT
There are no fiscal impacts associated with this item. Funding for Commission support, including the assigned staff liaison and monthly meeting minutes secretary, is available in the Community Services Department’s annual operating budget.
APPROVED BY:
Mike Witzansky, City Manager