City Council Meeting Date: May 21, 2024
To: City Council
City Administrator
From: Mayor Rhonda Pownell
Title
Consider Approval of Mayoral Board/Commission Youth Appointments.
Body
Action Requested:
The Northfield City Council approves the Mayoral board/commission youth appointments as indicated below:
Arts and Culture Commission
Kaia Markofski - non-voting youth representative
Khyla Theiling - non-voting youth representative
Victoria Hemmah - non-voting youth representative
Emerson Carlson - voting youth representative
Economic Development Authority
Makena Malecha - non-voting youth representative
Cecila Elliot - non-voting youth representative
Environmental Quality Commission
Jael Conde (c) - voting youth representative
Ava Podracky - non-voting youth representative
Heritage Preservation Commission
Anna Forbord (c) - non-voting youth representative
Cameron McMillan (c) - voting youth representative
Housing & Redevelopment Authority
Maria Hegland (c) - non-voting youth representative
Sylvester Huyck - non-voting youth representative
Human Rights Commission
Rihanna Gonzalez (c) - voting youth representative
Alec Vatter (c) - non-voting youth representative
Ben Parish - non-voting youth representative
Hannah Pape - non-voting youth representative
Library Board
Tara Alaniz (c) - non-voting youth representative
Cedric Cusack - non-voting youth representative
Will Flannery (c) - voting youth representative
Mayor’s Youth Council (all voting members)
Evie Bauer (c)
Aki Gupta (c)
Nicholas Livingston (c)
Noa Marohl (c)
Charles Murphy (c)
Rebecca Perez (c)
Alex Salinas (c)
Danica Sorem (c)
Ana Zamora Rosas (c)
Sonya Pick
Estella Freeman
Elizabeth McCormick
Osiris Perez Dorantes
Stephanie Hernandez
Sherelyn Corona Olivares
Salma Simon
McCoy Weitz
Northfield Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention
Cameron Melychuk - voting member
Valeria De La Torre (c) - voting member
Henry Keane - voting member
Mya Haak - voting member
Park and Recreation Advisory Board
Isaac Rich - voting youth representative
Hollis Holden - non-voting youth representative
Planning Commission
Xiomara Conde Arenas - non-voting youth representative
Claire Casson (c) - non-voting youth representative
(c) = returning member
Summary Report:
The City Council is being asked to approve the youth appointments as noted above. The MYC and youth appointees to boards and commissions act in an advisory capacity to the boards, commissions and City Council for the purposes of advising these groups on perspectives and issues important to Northfield youth in order to assure a youth voice in civic affairs, and working with community partners and other youth initiatives to help design and recommend solutions and options to address opportunities and areas of concern in the Northfield community. Youth members are appointed/reappointed annually. Applications to serve on the MYC, boards and commissions are completed and submitted to the Adult Advisor, Martha Lundin. The applications are assembled and reviewed by the Adult Advisor and current members of the Youth on Boards program (as they are able). Recommendations for appointments to fill vacant or expired positions are made to the Mayor based on the review and the desire to create a MYC, and appointees to boards and commissions, that are gender, ethnic and age diverse. Members shall thereafter be appointed by the Mayor, with the approval of the City Council.
In addition to the youth that will serve on City Boards and Commissions during the 2024-25 school year, there are currently 34 additional youth serving on further Boards or Councils within the community that are part of the Youth on Boards program. These include the District Youth Council and the Community Education Advisory Board, both part of the Northfield Public Schools system, and 15 local non-profit Boards (Beyond the Yellow Ribbon, League of Women Voters, Clean River Partners, Northfield Area Family YMCA, Northfield Arts Guild, Healthy Community Initiative, Northfield Historical Society, Northfield Shares, Northfield Youth Choirs, Rice County Area United Way, Friends of Downtown Northfield, Friends and Foundation of the Northfield Public Library, Northfield Chamber of Commerce, Northfield Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, and Women in Northfield Giving Support (WINGS)).
The Youth on Boards program is funded collaboratively between the City of Northfield, Youthprise and Healthy Community Initiative, with strong support from the Northfield School District
Alternative Options:
N/A
Financial Impacts:
N/A
Tentative Timelines:
To allow for time for orientation, new youth members will not start their terms until September 2024.