Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout65A - YOUTH COMMISSION BYLAWS 2015City Of Santa Ana Youth Commission Bylaws I. Name and Authorization II. Purpose III. Duties IV. Membership and Voting V. Offices VI. Meetings and Procedures VII. Attendance Vill. Amendments Section I- Name and Authorization The name of this commission shall be the "Youth Commission of the City of Santa Ana". The Youth Commission has been established by the Santa Ana Municipal Code (SAMC 2-450 — 2-457), having the powers set forth therein. Section II- Purpose The purpose of the Youth Commission is to advise the Santa Ana City Council on legislative policies, needs, assessments, priorities, and programs concerning the Youth of the City of Santa Ana. Section III- Duties A. Identify the concerns and needs of the children and youth of the City of Santa Ana. Examine educational, social, economic, and recreational programs for the youth in the city of Santa Ana. Develop and propose plans that support or improve youth programs. B. Encourage and prepare the youth of Santa Ana to become civically responsible and be active citizens by educating them on their local government. C. Make recommendations and provide assistance to those community agencies engaged in fostering mutual understanding and respect for youth. D. Provide the youth of the city with both the opportunity to make recommendations relative to policies that affect their lives, as well as a forum in which to exchange ideas and information while interacting within the environment of the municipal government; 1 E. Submit recommendations to the Santa Ana City Council about educational improvements, recreational advantages for youth, becoming civically engaged, juvenile crime prevention, youth job opportunities, recreational activities and further opportunities for effective participation by youth in the governmental process. F. Be involved with the planning of Santa Ana youth focused events and/or planning an event. G. Conducting fundraising activities with proceeds to be used towards facilitation of Youth Commission activities and/or community service project(s) that have an emphasis on youth. The amount of funds generated by each successive Commission should meet or exceed the amount raised by the previous year's Commission. H. Empower youth to focus on their vision and goals for the future and implement strategies that will allow them to reach these goals. I. Recommend programs and plans intended to promote the full acceptance of youth in all aspects of community life without regard to race, religion, or national origin; provided, however, that all such programs and plans shall be subject to the approval of the city council. J. Recommend to the city council and various city departments and agencies changes in procedures, policies, and/or legislation for the purpose of improving the position of the youth in the City of Santa Ana. Section IV- Membership and Votina A. The youth commission shall consist of seven (7) regular members, seven (7) alternate members, and seven (7) associate members, who shall be subject to appointment and removal in accordance with section 901 of the Charter of the City of Santa Ana. The alternate members shall serve on the commission in the absence of any regular member. B. Regular members shall be ages sixteen (16) to twenty (20) (24' Pending Municipal Code Amendment). Alternate members shall be ages fourteen (14) to eighteen (18). Associate members shall be ages eleven (11) to fourteen (14). Should any member cease to reside within the City of Santa Ana, cease to be a student enrolled and attending a school, or exceed the age limit for their respective class of membership, his/her office shall automatically be vacated. All prospective members under the age of eighteen (18) shall provide written proof of parental or guardian permission to qualify for appointment. C. The term for each member shall be four (4) years and until their respective successors are appointed and qualified, but in no event shall any person be eligible for reappointment who has served three (3) consecutive terms of four (4) years each or until they turn 20( 24- Pending Municipal Cade Amendment); years of age. D. A member who wishes to resign from the Youth Commission is required to submit a resignation letter to his/her appointing council member or supervisor. Section V- Offices 1. No member shall hold more than one office at a time. 2. The commission shall elect from its members a chairperson and vice chairperson, each of whom shall serve in such position for the term of one (1) year. No member shall serve in the position of chairperson for more than one (1) term. 3. Only regular members may serve as Chairperson or Vice -chairperson. Alternate and Associate members are eligible to hold other offices on Ad Hoc Committees, 4. Regular members shall have priority when being nominated to hold office. A. Chairperson • Preside at all youth commission meetings • Call special meetings of the Commission when necessary • Bring Youth Commission Meetings to order • Keep the City Council informed of Youth Commission actions • Assist new Commission member orientation • Provide leadership in setting the Commission's goals and objectives • Be responsible for presenting an annual report to the City Council B. Vice -Chairperson • Perform the duties and exercise the power of the Chairperson during the absence of the Chairperson • Provide an update to members who missed a meeting • Keep track of meeting attendance and inform the commission when members fail to attend 3 or more meetings without justification 3 Section VI -Meetings and Procedures A. Meetings 1. Unless otherwise directed by a majority of the Youth Commission, the Commission shall meet on the third (3rd) Friday of every month unless this date falls on a holiday. In this case the Youth Commission meeting shall be held on the subsequent Friday. 2. The Chairperson or a majority of the Youth Commission has the power to call special meetings, but all members shall have at least a three day notice for a special meeting. 3. At least seven members of the Youth Commission must be present at the special meeting in order to conduct business. 4. All regular meetings of the Commission shall be held in the City Council Chambers, unless the city council provides for another place of meeting. The commission may hold additional meetings at places other than the city council chambers to the extent deemed necessary B. Quorum and Voting Procedures 1. Quorum will be met by the majority of Regular Commission members present. 2. In the event that less than a majority is present, Commissioners may hear and discuss issues but may not vote. 3. All meetings of the Commission shall be open to the public and be subject to the California Open Meeting laws, known as the 'Brown Act", Government Code section 54950 et. seq. 4. The affirmative vote of a majority of the members present shall be required for the approval on any matter, 5. Regular Commission members may vote. Each member of the Commission shall be entitled to one vote. 6. When any item is opened for consideration by the Commission a motion may be made by a member. Matter must receive a second before discussion occurs. C. Agenda and Comments 1. Staff shall set the agenda for the Commission 2. Any Youth Commission member can propose agenda items for the upcoming Youth Commission meeting by making a request during Commissioner Comments, 3. The Youth Commission shall hold meetings open to the public in full compliance with state and local laws. Public comments and participation are encouraged by the Youth Commission. 4. Each person wishing to speak on an item at the Youth Commission shall have to fill out a speaker request form in order to do so. Section VII-Attendance A. Automatic Resignation of Members 1. Members are reminded not to abuse the attendance policy. Unexcused absences or lateness may result in automatic resignation from the Youth Commission as described below: B. Attendance 1. Refer to SAMC 2-450 2. Any Youth Commission member who has 3 unexcused absences within a six-month period shall be deemed to have resigned from the Youth Commission. 3. The Youth Commission shall not authorize any absences in excess of three (3) regularly scheduled meetings during the fiscal year. 4. To authorize an absence prior to a scheduled Youth Commission meeting, the member seeking authorization must send an email to the Youth Commission staff at least twenty-four (24) hours in advance. The voting members of the Youth Commission will vote on the authorization of the absence. 5. An extended leave of absence must be approved by the voting members of the Youth Commission. Only two (2) extended leaves of absence are permitted per 5 Youth Commission term, except for in emergencies approved by the full Youth Commission. Such request must be submitted in writing or email. The extended leave may only be for 2 months. Section VIII-Amendments A. The Youth Commission can create, repeal, amend, or reword its bylaws with a majority vote of the voting Youth Commission members. Changes made to the bylaws must be placed on the agenda and noticed at least ten (10) days prior. B. A record of all changes of any kind of the bylaws must be documented. The exact change must be recorded and have the Chairperson and Vice -Chairperson's signatures, the date, and amendments reflected. The undersigned appointed regular and alternate members of the Santa Ana Youth Commission approve these Bylaws to be used by the Youth Commission and all future Youth Commissions from the City of Santa Ana. The Youth Commission approves these bylaws with their signatures. Adopted this 16th day of October 2015 by the undersigned City Of Santa Ana Youth Commission Members: Regular Members: Associate Members: Anais Benavides — Ward 4 Alternate Members: Ro Rodriguez — Mayoral `I%l Ag,gee���� _ Marlene Vasquez — Ward ennifer Barron - Ward 2 Marlon Buitron — Ward 3 Youth Commission Agreement of Expectations The Santa Ana Youth Commission agrees that as Commissioners they shall: 1. Be treated as any other City Board or Commission. 2. Take their responsibility seriously. 3. Be prepared to attend meetings. 4. Be thoughtful as to the type of contribution they will make to Santa Ana's youth community. 5. Be aware of their role as Youth Commissioners outside of Commission meetings or events. 6. Use their best judgment and common sense in all actions, both on an individual level and as a group. 7. Not promote discrimination against any individual or organization on the basis of age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, or physical disability through any of its statements, actions, or events. 8. Serve Santa Ana youth the best way possible be it physically, spiritually, mentally, socially, or economically. 9. Shall refrain from using the position of Youth Commissioner or representative of the City of Santa Ana to endorse any cause or activity without the expressed approval of a majority vote of the Youth Commission. By my signature, I acknowledge that I have read, understand, and agree to the Youth Commission Bylaws as defined in the packet that I received. Name Position Date