[Adopted 8-12-2008]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Art. XIII, Commemoration
Commission, adopted 4-6-2004, was repealed 3-4-2008.
This article shall be known as "Article III,
Manchester Youth Commission."
The purpose and intent of this article is to
establish an independent Youth Commission to advise the Board of Directors,
to increase communication between adults and youth, to ensure that
the youth in the community are an integral part of government decisionmaking
in Manchester, and to foster and encourage civic and neighborhood
pride and a sense of identity through knowledge, understanding, and
increased involvement of Manchester's youth in present and future
municipal affairs.
A.
The Youth Commission shall consist of 24 members appointed
by the Board of Directors. Members shall be students who reside in
Manchester and attend school in Manchester, are enrolled in or entering
grades 9 through 12, except that not more than four members may be
students under the age of 19, enrolled in Manchester Community College.
B.
Prior to recruitment of the Commissioners, the General
Manager shall appoint five Town staff members or community leaders
with professional backgrounds in youth development, policy and advocacy
to conduct a candidate selection process to identify, recruit, interview,
select and recommend to the Board of Directors potential youth Commissioners
who have demonstrated a sincere interest and motivation for improving
the community. The membership of the Commission shall reflect a broad
range of diversity encompassing, but not limited to, relevant differences
such as ethnicity, location of residency, socio-economic background,
religion and gender.
C.
The General Manager shall appoint and yearly review
two Town staff members employed by the Youth Services Bureau and/or
Parks and Recreation Department as Commission Advisors who shall serve
in an adult administrative, supervisory and supportive capacity to
the Commission to provide oversight and facilitate interpersonal connection,
develop meeting procedures, and assist with planning and policy development
of the Commission. The Commission Advisors shall be nonvoting members
of the Youth Commission. At least one member shall attend meetings
of the Commission. The Commission Advisors shall receive any training
deemed necessary by the General Manager to prepare them for their
Commission responsibilities.
D.
The Commissioners' term of office shall be two years.
Members will serve until their successors are appointed and qualified.
If a Commissioner does not complete his or her term, the Board of
Directors shall appoint a successor for the remainder of the unexpired
terms.
E.
Eligible Commissioners may be appointed to subsequent
terms of one year for a total of not more than five years.
F.
Absence from more than three consecutive regular meetings
constitutes ground for removal.
G.
Members of the Commission are expected to demonstrate
leadership qualities in and out of Commission activities. Behavior
that is likely to discredit the Town of Manchester is ground for dismissal.
A.
At the first meeting in October each year, the Commission
shall elect a Chair and Vice Chair to serve one-year terms. The Chair
will assume the additional responsibility of serving as Youth Representative
to the Board of Directors. In the Chair's absence, the Vice Chair
may report to the Board of Directors.
B.
The Youth Commission shall hold regular meetings at
least monthly between October and September and may provide a method
for the calling of special meetings. The Commission shall establish
a regular time and location for its meetings and may adopt rules of
procedure. The first meeting may be a leadership training retreat.
C.
Twelve members of the Commission shall constitute
a quorum. All actions will require a majority vote of Commissioners
present.
D.
Minutes of meetings shall be kept and filed with the
Town Clerk.
A.
Commission members shall serve without compensation
for their services, but they shall be reimbursed for their actual
and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their official
duties.
B.
The Board of Directors may appropriate a budget for
the Youth Commission to provide for necessary training, expenses and
expenditures.
The duties of the Youth Commissioners shall
be relative to the issues important to the Board of Directors, the
Town and to the youth of Manchester. Each year the Youth Commission,
in consultation with the Board of Directors, staff, youth and other
community leaders will develop a working agenda that will best serve
Manchester youth and the community. Duties may include:
A.
Serve as a catalyst organization to identify and promote
youth issues.
B.
Foster greater involvement of youth in municipal government.
C.
Prepare for leadership through appropriate training,
schedule attendance of one or more of its members at training conferences,
sessions, and retreats at any time during the year as approved by
the General Manager and appropriated by the Board of Directors.
D.
Propose policy recommendations and priorities to the
Board of Directors to improve the lives of Manchester's youth.
E.
Review municipal matters referred to the Commission
by the Board of Directors or other Town boards, committees, or commissions
and make appropriate recommendations on those matters.
F.
Monitor and measure the effectiveness of municipal
youth programs, projects and policies of the Town of Manchester.
G.
Partner with other governmental agencies, neighborhood
and community organizations to hold forums on problems, activities
and concerns of youth, as the Commission deems desirable.
H.
Participate with other Town boards, commissions and
committees in the planning of youth-oriented projects and building
facilities upon request by the Board of Directors.
I.
Manage the use of grant and other funds appropriated
to the Commission by the Board of Directors for the support and encouragement
of youth-led initiatives.
The Youth Commission shall publish an annual
report of its activities, recommendations and accomplishments, to
be presented in June of each year to the Board of Directors and publicly
distributed.
