915 I Street – Fifth Floor, New City Hall
Sacramento, California 95814-2604
Office: (916) 808-7008 | Email: [email protected]
MEMORANDUM
DATE: March 6, 2023
TO: Mayor Steinberg and Members of the City Council
FROM: Mayor Pro Tem Mai Vang, District 8 Councilmember
SUBJECT: RESPONSE TO REPORT-BACK ON THE YOUTH LIAISON TO CITY COUNCIL
This memo is written to provide Mayor Pro Tem Mai Vang’s feedback and recommendations to staff’s report back on the Youth Liaison to City Council approved by Council on December 6, 2022.
Age Range:
We support the final age-range of the Youth Advisory Liaison (YAL) be adjusted to 16-24 years old to expand the opportunities for youth under the age of 18 years old to actively participate in decision-making processes that would have otherwise only been available upon turning 18 years old. The amendment to lower the age to 16 was included in the official vote taken by City Council on December 6, 2022.
Implementation:
As stated in Resolution 2022-0387 (Section 1), we support the commitment to ensure the YAL is established and supported within the Office of Youth Development. Like the Office of Youth Development, the YAL’s focus is on policy, and due to the specialized nature of the position, will require not only content-specific support but also a high-quality youth development experience. Furthermore, the Office of Youth Development must have sufficient capacity to provide the required support for this individual to successfully fulfill their duties for the City Council. Finally, the Youth Development Policy Manager should be consulted and included in the overall implementation.
915 I Street – Fifth Floor, New City Hall
Sacramento, California 95814-2604
Office: (916) 808-7008 | Email: [email protected] With this work being unchartered territory, we believe that P&PE should play a leadership role in the development and presentation to Council for approval of the full implementation plan.
We would also like to recommend that, in the recruitment process and selection of the YAL, the role of Sacramento Youth Commission (SYC), go beyond simply providing input to the City Manager and City Clerk but rather includes meaningful engagement for the SYC in the implementation activities including but not limited to:
• Providing input on the YAL job description;
• Assisting with the design and conducting of community outreach to youth in the City of Sacramento for applicants;
• Reviewing and selecting applicants to be forward to the Personnel and Public Employees Committee (P&PE) for recommendation and approval by the City Council; and • Recommending frequency of report-backs to SYC by the YAL.
We also suggest that staff should explore the efficiencies that might arise from having the Office of Youth Development support both the YAL and the three young people who serve on adult-led City Commissions. The type of support that is required for both is very similar if not almost identical.
Lastly, we recommend that the executive committee of the City Council (Mayor, Vice Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem) be the direct liaisons to the YAL for additional mentorship and policy support to ensure City’s overall strategic vision.
Participation:
As stated in Resolution 2022-0387 (Section 2), the YAL will attend regularly scheduled City Council meetings, except closed sessions or quasi-judicial proceedings, to be available to City Council to provide advice on any matters relating to youth.
915 I Street – Fifth Floor, New City Hall
Sacramento, California 95814-2604
Office: (916) 808-7008 | Email: [email protected] Timeline:
We support the following timeline in the staff report. We recommend that the City Clerk convene a working group of SYC commissioners after the SYC meeting in April 2023, to gather further input on the YAL implementation proposal for P&PE review. As stated above we hope to see P&PE and SYC working closely together.
January 2024 Term Begins
December 12, 2023 Onboarding
November 2023 Council Confirmation
October 17, 2023 P&PE to review applicants
August-September 2023 Outreach and recruitment for YAL
June 2023 P&PE and SYC to present implementation plan to Council for final approval
April 2023 P&PE to review draft proposal
April 2023 SYC Provides Input to the City Manager’s Office on Recruitment and Selection Processes
March 2023 Finalization of Age Range Determination
March 2023 Update to Council (City Manager/Vang)
Budget Considerations:
We support the funding allocation for the Youth Advisory Liaison as a stipend to allow flexibility and align with the practice of compensation of individuals serving on other City Commissions but at an increased amount due to the frequency of meetings (see prospective chart below).
Stipend should include the technology and travel allowances to/from City Council Meetings.
PROSPECTIVE ANNUAL BUDGETED COST
Youth Council Liaison
Annual Stipend $25,000
Professional Development &
Conferences 8,000
Car/Tech Allowances 2,400
Base Services & Supplies 5,000
TOTAL: $40,400
915 I Street – Fifth Floor, New City Hall
Sacramento, California 95814-2604
Office: (916) 808-7008 | Email: [email protected] Thank you for taking the time to review our considerations. For questions, please contact my Policy Director, Asialyn Lee: [email protected] or (916) 808-7337