YOUTH CITY GOVERNMENT

CHARTER

PURPOSES:

1. To provide an opportunity for the youth of Riverdale city to acquire a greater knowledge of and appreciation for the American political system through active participation in that system.

2. To help the Mayor and City Council to solve the problems and accomplish the goals of this community by working directly with the representatives of the youth.

3. To serve the youth of Riverdale City by:

A. Informing the Riverdale municipal government of the needs and wishes of the youth.

B. Planning and implementing social, educational, cultural and recreational activities for youth.

C. Working with the Mayor, City Council, City Department Heads, schools, Chamber of Commerce, civic clubs and service organizations to provide service and leadership opportunities for the youth of the City.

D. To instill a feeling of positive self worth and esteem. To teach respect for the rights and property of others. To promote community pride and to eliminate potential negative influences among our future community leaders.

 

YOUTH CITY GOVERNMENT (YCG)

May consist of a Youth Mayor, five or seven Youth City Council (YCC) members, Recorder, Treasurer, Parliamentarian Historian and committee chairs as required who are selected by the YCG advisors and a selection committee and approved by the Youth City Council and the Riverdale City mayor and advisors(s) (positions may be held by Council members when there is not enough youth to fill all positions).

 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE YOUTH CITY COUNCIL

1. To meet twice monthly to conduct business or as required.

2. To develop and adopt, by majority vote, a Youth City Government Charter.

3. To modify this Charter as needed by a majority vote.

4. To present to the Mayor and City Council this Charter and all amendments for their approval.

5. To select one if its members to act as temporary Youth Council Mayor (Mayor Pro-Temp) when the Youth Mayor is absent

6. To appoint Committee chairman and members to designated committees.

7. To appoint a Youth City recorder, with the responsibility of attending all meetings and taking minutes of said meetings.

8. To appoint a Treasurer, with the responsibility to track and report financial matters to Youth City Government.

9. To appoint a Parliamentarian, with the responsibility to keep the Charter up to date and educate the Council about parliamentary procedure.

10. To appoint a Historian with the responsibility to update the YCG scrapbook and to act as Deputy Recorder.

11. To pass motions and resolutions as necessary by a majority vote. A majority vote is one vote more than one half the voting members who are present.

12. To carry out the purposes of the Youth City Government as outlined in this Charter.

13. To plan activities for the youth of the community, coordinating all such activities with Riverdale City Mayor and the Youth City Government Advisors.

 

COMMITTEES

The Youth City Government may have four permanent committees to assist the Council in carrying out their plans, goals and projects. Each committee shall have a chair and as many members as deemed necessary by the chair and the Youth City Council. The members of the committees are to be appointed by the Youth City Council with the approval of the Youth Mayor, Youth City Council, and Youth advisor(s). Committee membership shall be for one (1) year period (committees may be combined as needed). Permanent committees shall be named as follows:

1.     Committee for Service Projects

2.     Committees for Fourth of July (Old Glory Day) Celebration

3.     Committee for Public Relations

4.     Committee for Fund Raising

5.     Committee for Education/Training

 

SELECTION PROCESS FOR YOUTH CITY GOVERNMENT

1. Submit application and supporting documentation to Riverdale City.

2. Applications are reviewed by YCG advisors. A review committee may be appointed to aid in the review/recommendation process.

3. Recommendations are presented to the Riverdale City Mayor and advisors for approval.

4. Applications for the position of Council member will be solicited and accepted between May 1 and May 31.

5. All other positions shall be chosen by the Youth Council members by July 15.

 

QUALIFICATIONS TO SERVE ON RIVERDALE YOUTH CITY GOVERNMENT

1. Must be a resident of Riverdale City.

2. Must attend a Utah State recognized Junior High School, Senior High School, or home school.

3. Must be between the ages of 7^th grade to 12^th grade while serving on the YCG and between the ages of 9^th and 12^th grade to council member or youth mayor. The Council and Youth Mayor must maintain passing grades a 2.5 Grade Point Average. All Riverdale youth are encourage to participate as committee chairs or as committee members.

4. Must maintain good citizenship.

5. Must demonstrate community interest and a willingness to serve the youth and community of Riverdale.

 

REQUIREMENTS TO REMAIN ON THE RIVERDALE YOUTH CITY GOVERNMENT

1. Recorder, Parliamentarian, Historian and Treasurer must attend a minimum of 75% of all YCG meetings.

2. Committee Chairs and Committee members must attend a minimum of 75% of all Committee meetings and Youth Council meetings at which their committee has business before the Council.

3. Committee Chairs must report to the Youth Council at least one a month.

4. Must fulfill the responsibilities of the office held.

5. Must set a good example for the youth of the community.

NOTE: YCG members can be removed from office upon violation of one of more of the above criteria and by a majority vote of the YCC or may be placed on probation for a period recommended by the Youth Mayor and approved by the Youth Council. Individuals removed from YCC have 10 days in which to submit a written appeal. The YCC has 10 days to review the appeal and provide a response. The decision of the YCC is final.

 

LIMITATIONS ON THE YOUTH CITY COUNCIL AUTHORITY

1. The Youth City Council must have a quorum in order to conduct business. A quorum is one more than half.

2. The Charter and all amendments to the Charter are to be approved by the Youth Council with concurrence by the Riverdale City Mayor and City Council.

3. The agendas of all Youth City Government meetings are to be posted publicly at least 24 hours in advance of each meeting.

4. All activities are to be coordinated with the Youth City Government Advisor and the Riverdale City Mayor.

 

TERMS

1. Terms of the Youth Mayor/Council, Committee Chairs and members will be concurrent with the school year. (Actual term being from September 1 to August 31^st.)

2. If a Youth City Government member has previously been removed for cause, they may apply the next year. If chosen as a member they will be placed on an automatic probation period of 90 days.

3. The Youth Mayor will be chosen from the position of Youth City Council member by the currently serving Youth City Council members, by a majority vote. (In case of a tie, the YCG advisor will vote.) Qualifications to be YCG Mayor are:

1)    Served on the YCG for one year,

2)    Meet the qualifications for service on the YCG

3)    Maintain requirements to remain on the YCG.

 

VACANCIES

Any vacancy on the YCG, either by removal or by resignation, shall be filled by nomination of the Youth Mayor with the advice and consent of the Youth City Council.

 

SWEARING IN

Swearing in of the newly elected officers shall take place in September or in the case of replacement members the first City Council meeting after appointment.

 

YOUTH CITY GOVERNMENT ADVISOR

The Youth City Government shall have at least one advisor. The advisor will attend Youth City Government meetings and become involved, in the advisory role only, in all Youth City Government activities. The advisor shall be a resident of Riverdale City with approval from the Riverdale City Mayor and Council.