Title
Encouraging youth engagement through District Councils.
Body
WHEREAS, The City of Saint Paul officially established a citywide community participation process by council resolution in October 1975; and,
WHEREAS, for over 40 years, the citywide community participation process has relied upon Saint Paul's 17 district councils to facilitate effective, informed and representative participation of neighborhoods in government; and,
WHEREAS, Saint Paul's district councils are community-based organizations that identify neighborhood needs, initiate community programs to meet these needs, and recruit neighborhood volunteers to carry out these programs; and,
WHEREAS, City Council adopted resolution number 267389 on June 17, 1976 recommending that all district councils throughout the City give due consideration to the lowering of the age requirements for participation in district planning activities; and,
WHEREAS, the Phase II Community Engagement Research Project completed by district councils in 2018 through support from the Innovation Fund and presented to the Organizational Committee on July 18, 2018 identified guidelines for district councils adopted by City Council in 1975 prohibiting residents younger than 18 from voting in district councils elections; and,
WHEREAS, the City considers youth engagement with local government and neighborhood organizations to be necessary to understanding the aspirations of all the city's residents; and,
WHEREAS, the City considers youth engagement with local government and neighborhood organizations to be necessary to utilizing the abilities of all of our residents to contribute to the collective good; now, therefore be it
RESOLVED, that neighborhood organizations certified as district councils and receiving funding through the Community Engagement Programs shall allow for residents age 16 and older to serve as electors for the board and serve as directors or officers of the board; and be it further
RESOLVED, that the City Council encourages district councils to actively identify opportunities for young people to participate in leadership positions in order to enrich our neighborhoods and ensure that all residents are appropriately represented in district councils.