[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township of Maplewood 6-19-2018 by Ord. No. 2914-18. Amendments noted where applicable.]
The Youth Advisory Committee shall be and the same is hereby established in the Township of Maplewood.
The objective of the Youth Advisory Committee shall be to allow youth of the Township of Maplewood to have a voice in the decisionmaking of the Maplewood Township Committee and provide a mechanism for their advising or recommending actions, programs, new ideas, policies, resolutions or ordinances and for their feedback on current Township services, policies, actions, ordinances or resolutions.
A. 
The Youth Advisory Committee shall be comprised of up to seven voting members and two nonvoting members.
B. 
Voting members shall be young residents of Maplewood Township enrolled in grades 7 through 12 at the time of application in a public or private school and at least 12 years of age, one from each grade, no more than two.
[Amended 6-18-2024 by Ord. No. 3125-24]
C. 
The Committee should reflect Maplewood Township's rich diversity (race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation and gender identity, and geographic).
D. 
Nonvoting members shall be two members of the Maplewood Township Committee: one assigned liaison, one alternate.
[Amended 6-18-2024 by Ord. No. 3125-24]
The term for the Youth Advisory Committee shall be for two years commencing in July and terminating in June; no more than two consecutive terms, one-year break required between two consecutive terms.
A. 
Appointment to the Youth Advisory Committee shall be by the Maplewood Township Committee. A youth seeking appointment shall submit a completed application to the Township Committee for consideration.
B. 
The Township Committee shall solicit names of potential candidates (who are residents of Maplewood) for appointment to the Youth Advisory Committee from public and private schools and youth-serving groups — including, but not limited to, after-school groups, scouts, sports teams, YouthNet, the Municipal Alliance, Maplewood Memorial Library, Maplewood Board of Health, and Maplewood Recreation — neighborhood associations, houses of worship, community social justice organizations and nonprofits.
Once established, the Youth Advisory Committee shall select from its membership one Chair and one Vice Chair (alternate) to attend at least one of the two monthly meetings of the Maplewood Township Committee each month. The Chair and Vice Chair can alternate their Maplewood Township Committee meeting attendance. Youth Advisory Committee members will have access to all Maplewood Township Committee meeting minutes. The Youth Advisory Committee should meet monthly, meetings to be held after school/evenings or other nonschool hours.
Committee members are requested to give at least 60 days' notice of their decision to resign to the Township Committee Youth Advisory Committee Liaison. The Township Committee shall promptly act to fill the impending open seat upon receiving notice of a resignation.
Upon majority vote of the Youth Advisory Committee, the Township Committee will consider removing a voting Youth Advisory Committee member on any of the following grounds: nonresidency, or other good cause as determined by the Township Committee.
If any section, paragraph, subparagraph, clause or provision of this chapter shall be adjudged invalid, such adjudication shall apply only to the specific section, paragraph, subparagraph, clause or provision so adjudged, and the remainder of the chapter shall be deemed valid and effective.