Cape Council to select its first Youth Council members
City Council will put the final puzzle pieces together at Monday’s regular meeting when it decides which high school students will serve on the first Youth Council.
The idea of creating a Youth Council has been spearheaded by Councilmember Rick Williams and his goal of it becoming a functioning group this school year will be realized. Council will choose the first 14 high school students from among 29 applications at Monday’s meeting.
One junior and one senior from each of six high schools and two at-large students will form the council. The at-large members could come from homeschooled sources, private or charter schools or other source. Juniors will serve two-year terms. The first group of seniors have just one year, actually just the remainder of the current school semester.
The two students to represent North Fort Myers High must be Cape residents.
The Youth Council will advise City Council on matters relating to youth issues, wants and needs. It will hold public meetings advertised in advance just like city council, and supported by city staff like any other appointed board or committee.
Former council member Derrick Donnell and Williams were attending a Florida League of Cities conference in 2015 when they saw a youth council at work and decided Cape Coral needed to form one.
“It will be an educational experience for them,” Williams said last September when the Youth Council concept was approved. “They will learn about meeting schedules, procedures, Robert’s Rules and the sunshine laws. It’s a win-win-win for everyone. Everyone I’ve talked to is excited about it, not just me.”
Council also will attempt to fill two vacancies on the Planning & Zoning Commission in addition to appointing two alternate positions.
In other matters before the panel, Council is expected to approve a contract with the firm CPH, Inc., to provide design services for design services related to the Southeast 47th Terrace Streetscape project. The contract amount for services is set at $57,810.
A resolution to select a Construction Manager at Risk for the Streetscape project also is up for approval.
Five bridges on Del Prado Boulevard are in need of bridge recoating with CL Coatings, LLC out of Lakeland in the amount of no more than $65,945. The money will come from the city’s general fund.
The meeting starts at 4:30 p.m. in Council Chambers at City Hall.