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At the May 8, 2019 meeting, the Youth Commission recommended that consideration <br /> be made by City Council to amend the Municipal Code to allow youth members of the <br /> Human Services, Parks and Recreation, Library and Civic Arts Commissions the ability <br /> to vote, and that no changes to the quorum requirements be considered until the <br /> municipal code changes have been implemented for a year and the affected <br /> Commissions review the impacts of youth voting on quorum. <br /> DISCUSSION <br /> Following the May 8, 2019 recommendation, the Youth Commission Public Policy <br /> subcommittee was asked to provide a verbal report and recommendation to the Human <br /> Services, Parks and Recreation, Library and Civic Arts Commissions. The Public Policy <br /> Subcommittee researched neighboring jurisdictions, surveyed commissioners and staff <br /> from all the affected commissions, and provided a verbal report and recommendations <br /> to the Human Services Commission at its October 2, 2019 meeting, the Library and <br /> Civic Arts Commissions at their October 7, 2019 joint meeting, and the Parks and <br /> Recreation Commission at their October 10, 2019 meeting. <br /> The Parks and Recreation, Library and Civic Arts Commissions supported the <br /> recommendation made by the Youth Commission to allow the youth member the ability <br /> to vote. The Human Services Commission motion to support the recommendation from <br /> the Youth Commission did not pass with a vote of 2-5. The Human Services <br /> Commission provided the following reasons: <br /> • The youth representative is on the commission for a one to two-year period, and <br /> this amount of time is not enough to fully understand the work of the many <br /> agencies associated with the annual grants program. <br /> • The complexity of the Housing and Human Services Grants Program (HHSG) is <br /> much greater than the Youth and Civic Arts Community Grants Program. <br /> • The amount of funds annually recommended through the HHSG is greater than <br /> the $40,000 provided to the Youth and Civic Arts Commissions. The HHSG <br /> Program, through Community Development Block Grants and General Funds, <br /> generally allocates over $425,000 annually. <br /> At the October 21, 2019 Public Policy Subcommittee meeting, the Subcommittee <br /> agreed that the recommendation approved by the Youth Commission at its May 8, 2019 <br /> meeting should be forwarded to City Council despite the lack of support from the <br /> Human Services Commission. <br /> At the November 13, 2019 meeting the Youth Commission voted unanimously to <br /> recommend the City Council allow voting by the youth member of the Human Services, <br /> Parks and Recreation, Library and Civic Arts Commissions by amending Municipal <br /> Code 2.32.030, 2.34.030 and 2.39. If adopted, the ordinance will take effect January 2, <br /> 2020. <br /> Page 3 of 4 <br />