Official Website of St. George Youth City Council

CHARTER OF THE ST. GEORGE YOUTH CITY COUNCIL

Revised December 2004

Mission
1. The youth are our future. We build youth leaders by providing an environment which promotes those skills necessary to become an effective leader.
Membership
1. Application for membership is open to all youth in the 8th through 12th grades who are in the school boundaries of Pine View, Dixie, or Snow Canyon Middle and High Schools. To participate, all youth must complete an application form including a liability waiver, submit it to the Youth City Council advisor(s) and participate in an interview process.
2. Membership is limited to 11 members.
3. Membership in Youth City Council is offered free of registration fees. While membership is free, some activities or materials may have fees or other costs associated with them.
Organization
1. The youth shall be organized into a council mirroring the adult City Council with a Mayor, City Manager, and five (5) Council Members.
2. Youth shall be selected to fill the roles of City Attorney, Recorder, Treasurer, and Communications Director.
3. The above mentioned positions shall comprise the offices of the Youth City Council.
Selection and Term of Office
1. The term of office is for one year starting in January and ending of the next year unless the member is removed from their position for failing to perform their duties as outlined or for violation of the code of conduct.
2. Each January a selection board will be formed to choose the members for the next year.
3. Additional selections may be made as needed throughout the year to fill vacancies.
4. To be considered for a membership position, the applicant must:
  1. Complete the application to be a member of the Youth City Council.
  2. Complete an interview with the Youth City Council advisor.
5. The Mayor must enter the 11th grade during the year of service. Prior membership on the council will be considered preferrable in the selection for this position.
6. The City Manager must be chosen from an applicant who will enter the ninth grade.
Duties
1. All members are required to fulfill the following:
  1. Attend all meetings and activities.
  2. Maintain an e-mail address and regularly check, read and respond to e-mails related to Youth City Council.
    1. Regularly is to be defined as at least once a week.
    2. If internet access is not readily available, other arrangements may be made to fulfill this requirement.
  3. Read this charter and sign a letter stating that they have read such charter and agree to abide by its rules.
2. The Mayor’s duties are
  1. To sit as chair at all meetings.
  2. Meet regularly with the advisor(s) to plan and coordinate with them all meetings and activities.
  3. Represent the Youth City Council, its interests and views, to adult leaders in the community.
3. The City Manager’s duties are
  1. Prepare the agenda for each meeting.
  2. Setting the schedule for discussion of projects and issues.
  3. Schedule appropriate training in coordination with the advisors to include at least one training session per month.
4. The City Attorney’s duties are
  1. To research the legal aspects of the councils actions
  2. Communicate with the adult City Attorney as needed in the performance of his/her duties.
  3. Prepare meeting notifications required for all public meetings.
5. The Council Members’ duties are
  1. To consider and vote on all activities and issues before the Youth City Council.
  2. Take charge of planning an activity or addressing an issue during the year.
  3. In the absence of the mayor from a meeting, the most senior council member (by age) will act as chairperson for that meeting.
6. The Recorder’s duties are
  1. To keep a record of all meetings, recording the minutes.
  2. Present a typed copy of the minutes to the council for approval at the next formal meeting.
  3. Present the approved minutes to the advisor to be filed for later reference.
7. The Treasurer’s duties are
  1. To keep a record of all expenditures and revenues of the Youth City Council
  2. Make a report to the council on its financial position each month.
  3. Recommend and organize fund raising activities, write grants, and perform other duties related to gaining funds required to achieve the goals of the Youth City Council.
8. The Communication Director’s duties are
  1. Direct recruiting and publicity efforts of the Youth City Council.
  2. Prepare news releases, school announcement scripts, radio scripts, flyers and other communication pieces related to the Youth City Council.
  3. Assist in maintaining the Youth City Council website.
  4. To keeps a historical record of all council activities to include photographs, biographical data, etc.
Limitations of Power
1. All activities and plans must be approved by the advisor(s) of the Youth City Council and if necessary, the City Council.
2. All purchases made by members of the Youth City Council for Youth City Council use and using Youth City Council funds requires strict adherence to the following policies and procedures. Failure to follow these guidelines will result in possible removal from office, loss of personal funds, or other disciplinary action.
  1. All purchases are subject to final review and approval of the adult advisers.
  2. Certain purchases may be subject to review and approval of city officials up to and including the city council.
  3. All purchases requiring a check from the city require an invoice be submitted with an authorized purchase order. Checks will be delivered to the vendor in two to three weeks from submission. All vendors need to be a made aware of these terms.
  4. All purchases require three bids where possible. Purchases will be made with the lowest bidder unless there are certain quality issues to consider.
  5. All major purchases, that is purchases over $40.00, require a vote of the Youth City Council.
  6. Purchases over $300.00 require at least a two week waiting period with the city for approval of a purchase order. It is important to plan enough time to allow for this.
Code of Conduct
1. Because of the role as youth leaders in the community it is important to maintain the highest standards of personal conduct as an example to their peers and to receive the respect of adult leaders. For this reason, if youth fail to maintain the standards set forth in code of conduct , they will be removed from office. If the conduct involves criminal misdeeds, participation in Youth City Council may be terminated or placed under restriction for a probationary period at the sole discretion of the adult advisors.
2. The Code of Conduct prohibits the following:
  1. Dishonesty, including, but not limited to, cheating, plagiarism or knowingly furnishing false statements.
  2. Forgery, alteration, or misuse of city, county or other official documents, record, or identification.
  3. Physical abuse or threat of any person or conduct which threatens or endangers the health (both mental and physical) or safety of any such person.
  4. Theft of, or damage to, property of others.
  5. Unauthorized entry to, or use of, city supplies, equipment and/or facilities.
  6. Violation of city ordinances.
  7. Use, possession or distribution of narcotics or dangerous drugs, including, but not limited to, marijuana, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD, cocaine, heroin, crystal methamphetamines or other drugs on file with state law enforcement agencies which are classified as illegal, except as permitted by law or documented medically safe or necessary for individual health.
  8. Disorderly conduct or lewd, indecent or obscene conduct or expression (profane, sexually explicit, or personally demeaning) as heard or seen by others.
  9. Failure to comply with directions of police officers acting in the performance of their duties.
  10. Possession or use of alcoholic beverages.
  11. Possession or use of tobacco products.
  12. Conduct which adversely affects the youth’s suitability as a member of the Youth City Council. In general this conduct may be interpreted as conduct which is disruptive, vulgar (either verbal, written, or physical), unsafe, threatening, abusive, or violent.
  13. Any violation of state or federal laws.
  14. Use or possession of any weapon, explosive device, or fireworks or storage of such on city property without prior written approval from Chief of Police.
  15. Any crime or other offensive behavior recognized or prohibited by law related to race, religion, national origin, ethnicity, age, or gender. Physical, spoken or written threats or associated actions taken by one person against another will constitute grounds for implementing severe disciplinary action.
  16. Computer fraud.
Attendance
1. Attendance policies are to help the Youth City Council accomplished its goals in an organized and timely manner. Failure to meet the requirements of this policy will result in removal from office. It is important to respect the time of other members of the Youth City Council by being in attendance. This also provides an opportunity for others to hold the position.
2. Attendance will be reviewed four times through the year. It will be reviewed at the end of February, April, September, and November. If it is found that any officer has failed to attend 80% of all meetings and activities during those periods they will be removed from office or placed on probation at the discretion of the adult advisors and the youth mayor.
3. Attendance is based on being to all meetings and functions on time, fulfilling your responsibilities, and remaining for the time you committed for. This includes the entire time we hold our meetings.
4. If you have an emergency event which is out of your control, such as, a death in the family, a wedding, or illness, contact the adult advisor to be excused. Only two of these excuses may be used in any two review periods.
Dress Code
1. The dress code for formal meetings is long pants, or a skirt and collared shirt or nice t-shirt. Youth City Council shirts are acceptable.
2. At work meetings, dress should be clean, shorts are acceptable.
3. At all public events, unless soiling that would stain the shirt is possible, the Youth City Council shirt should be worn. This includes at adult City Council meetings, service projects, activities, and other such events.
Meetings
1. The Youth City Council shall meet twice monthly for formal meetings.
  1. These meetings shall be held on the second and fourth Wednesdays.
2. All other Wednesdays the Youth City Council shall meet for work meetings, planning and training.
3. Any fifth Wednesday shall be reserved for a social activity.