* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [Mayor’s Youth Council on January 9, 2024.] [00:00:12] ANYWAY, I'M JUST HERE TO SAY HI. 'CAUSE MARLEY REACHED OUT AND WE JUST HAD A NICE MEETING IN MY OFFICE AND SHE SAID, Y'ALL WERE MEETING TONIGHT. I HAVE TO LEAVE, UM, RIGHT AFTER THIS TO GO TO A, A MEETING IN ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, WHICH IS UP TOWARDS CLEAR LAKE, KIND OF LEFT EDGEBROOK. THE MEETING'S ACTUALLY OFF FAIRMONT PARKWAY IN PASADENA, WHICH ISN'T IN HOUSTON, BUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS ACTUALLY IN HOUSTON. THAT'S SOME OF THE REALLY FUN, SEXY STUFF YOU GET TO DO WHEN YOU'RE A COUNCIL MEMBER. YOU SPEND YOUR EVENINGS AT HOAS, HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS AND CIVIC CLUBS AND SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS, AND YOU LISTEN TO EVERYBODY COMPLAIN ABOUT EVERYTHING AT THE CITY ALL NIGHT. SO IT'S GREAT FUN. UM, BUT THANK YOU ALL. I'M REALLY JUST HERE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS. I, THIS IS A BIG COMMITMENT. SHE WAS TELLING ME ABOUT ALL THE COMMITTEES THAT Y'ALL HAVE AND, UM, ABOUT YOUR MONTHLY MEETINGS. I WANT EVERYBODY TO MEET JUSTICE COIE. SHE'S ON MY STAFF. HEY JUSTIN. SHE JUST GRADUATED FROM RICE AND GO S UM, SHE'S ALSO A TRACK STAR. SHE WAS A HURDLER THE WHOLE TIME AT, UM, AT RICE. SO SHE'S FAMOUS AND SHE'S BEEN A GREAT KIND OF COMMUNITY, COMMUNITY LIAISON FOR ME AND REALLY DOING GREAT WORK IN MY OFFICE. SO SHE'LL STAY HERE FOR A LITTLE BIT 'CAUSE SHE'S GOING TO THE CITYWIDE PIP MEETING, POSITIVE INTERACTION WITH POLICE MEETING. AND THEY HAVE A CITYWIDE ONE. THEY HAVE 'EM IN ALL THE DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT THEY HAVE A CITYWIDE ONE TONIGHT. SO I'M REALLY JUST HERE TO SAY THANK YOU. I HOPE ALL OF YOU REACH OUT TO THE COUNCIL MEMBER FOR WHOM YOU ARE REPRESENTING, UM, TO MEET WITH THEM LIKE, LIKE MARLEY DID WITH ME TODAY. SO THEY CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT YOU DO AND YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT WE DO. AND JUST THANKS FOR YOUR ENGAGEMENT AND FOR, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE GO TO THESE CIVIC CLUBS AND WHEN YOU GO TO PUBLIC SESSION, THERE'S NOT VERY MANY YOUNG PEOPLE. IT'S, IT'S THE OLD PEOPLE ARE RURAL IN THE WORLD. SO IT REALLY TAKES Y'ALL TO STEP UP AND GET 'EM, GET INVOLVED AND ENGAGED, UM, TO SEE MORE OF THE INITIATIVES AND PRIORITIES THAT YOU HAVE, MAKE, MAKE THEIR WAY THROUGH, THROUGH CITY GOVERNMENT. SO THANKS FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING. GREAT TO MEET YOU. AND OH, AND LET'S GET A PICTURE. BY ALL MEANS. I'M IN POLITICS. I NEVER SAY NO TO A PICTURE, . ALRIGHTY, GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY. UM, I'LL OFFICIALLY CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 9TH, 2024 AT 6:24 PM HAPPY YEAR EVERYBODY. UH, I'LL FIRST, I'LL, I'LL PASS IT TO, UM, OUR SECRETARY, AUDREY TO TAKE ATTENDANCE. THANK YOU. UM, FIRST OF ALL, HAPPY NEW YEAR, AND IF YOU HEAR YOUR NAME CALLED, JUST PLEASE CONFIRM THAT YOU ARE PRESENT. UH, MICHAEL. PRESENT. JEREMY, PRESENT. JURY. PRESENT. PRESENT. UH, TOUGHER. TAYLOR. PRESENT. UH, ALEX. XAVIER, PRESENT? GO AHEAD, BELLA. PRESENT, AIKA. PRESENT. LANCE ANNA. OH, WAIT, SORRY. SORRY. LANCE. ARE YOU, DID YOU SAY ANYTHING? UH, YEAH. PRESENT. THANKS, ANNA. ANNA, PRESENT, MARLEY. PRESENT. ARIAN. PRESENT TO COREY? PRESENT. SU WHO PRESENT. JOCELYN PRESENT. ASHA PRESENT. ASHTON PRESENT. AVEN PRESENT. AND MARIEL PRESENT. AND RIC PRESENT. THANK YOU. AWESOME. THANK YOU AUDREY. WE'LL NOW TURN TO OUR CHIEF OF STAFF, ALEX XAVIER, FOR OUR QUORUM STATUS. WE HAVE A QUORUM. AWESOME. THANK YOU, CHIEF OF STAFF. NOW WE'LL TURN TO OUR VICE CHAIR, JEREMY, FOR APPROVAL OF, UH, THE MINUTES FROM OUR MEETING ON DECEMBER 12TH. I APPROVE THE MEETING MINUTES FOR DECEMBER 12TH. [00:05:02] AWESOME, THANK YOU JEREMY. WE'LL NOW MOVE INTO EXECUTIVE BOARD REPORTS. I'LL START US OFF. UM, I ONLY HAVE A FEW THINGS TO SAY. I FIRST WANT TO DISCUSS, I KNOW I THINK MR. GMO ELABORATE A BIT MORE ON IT. UH, WE HAVE OUR, UH, FIRST, UH, LEARN A LEARNING SERVICE PROJECT OF THE YEAR, UM, THIS SATURDAY. I BELIEVE THAT'S THE 13TH. YEP. JANUARY THE 13TH. UM, FOR MLK DAY, I BELIEVE WE'LL BE PARTNERING WITH, UH, U OF H DOWNTOWN FOR A PARK CLEANUP IN DISTRICT H, UM, AT MOODY PARK. UM, I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT THE TIME IS. I KNOW MR. GI WILL GO MORE INTO THAT. UM, SO WHO'S OUR DISTRICT H REPRESENTATIVE? WAIT, WHAT DISTRICT? H LANCE. OKAY. AWESOME. PERFECT. SO HOPEFULLY YOU'LL BE THERE. UM, NOT PUTTING ANY PRESSURE ON YOU, UH, I KNOW THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT THAT SOUNDED LIKE, BUT WE HAVE THAT. SO, UH, HOPEFULLY A LOT OF Y'ALL WILL BE ABLE TO ATTEND FOR THAT AND CLEAR UP YOUR SCHEDULES IF YOU CAN, UM, TO START OFF THE NEW YEAR WITH A NICE PROJECT. AND THEN ALSO REGARDING COMMITTEE MEETINGS. I KNOW WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DELAYS REGARDING MEETINGS FOR THOSE. UH, BUT THOSE WILL RESUME, UH, THIS WEEK. SO PLEASE GO BACK TO YOUR NORMAL SCHEDULE FOR YOUR COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND MEET WITH YOUR, UM, COMMITTEE CHAIRS REGARDING THAT. UH, THAT IS IT FOR ME AND I'LL PASS IT TO OUR VICE CHAIR. JOIN ME. I DON'T HAVE ANY COMMITTEE REPORTS AT THIS, UH, ANY EXECUTIVE REPORTS AT THIS TIME, REPORTS AT THIS TIME. BUT, UM, PLEASE CHANGE YOUR NAMES IN THE SLACK AS WELL. AND THEN I DID HAVE A QUESTION IF WE'RE GONNA BE INVITING THE, UM, THE AUXILIARY COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO THE SERVICE LEARNING PROJECT AS WELL. UH, YES, WE WILL BE DOING SO. GOT IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VICE. NOW TO OUR CHIEF OF STAFF, ALEX XAVIER, UH, I HAVE NO, UH, REPORTS. UH, JUST HAPPY NEW YEAR. THANK YOU. A XAVIER AND NOW TO OUR CHIEF OF STAFF TAYLOR. UM, I HAVE NO NEW REPORTS, BUT THANK YOU TO THE COMMITTEE LEADERS WHO SENT ME THEIR MEETING DATES AND SCHEDULES. AWESOME, THANK YOU TAYLOR. AND NOW TO OUR SECRETARY, AUDREY. I ALSO HAVE NO NEW REPORTS, JUST THAT IF YOU KNOW YOU ARE GOING TO BE ABSENT OR HAVE SOME, UH, SCHEDULING ISSUE, PLEASE REACH OUT TO ME BEFOREHAND. THANK YOU AND HAPPY NEW YEAR. THANK YOU, AUDREY. NOW OUR TREASURER, JO, HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE. I HAVE NO NEW REPORTS, BUT JUST LIKE WE DISCUSSED, WELL JUST LIKE I DISCUSSED LAST MEETING, THE, UM, THE PEOPLE THAT PAID THEIR THE PIN PAYMENT, UM, WE'RE GOING TO MEET TO DISCUSS RECEIPTS FOR THAT. AND I MEAN, WHAT IS IT? RETURN REIMBURSEMENT, REIMBURSING REFUND, REFUNDS. AND THEN THE, UM, TWO PEOPLE PAY ME IN CASH ON DECEMBER 2ND. AND SO IF THAT'S YOU, YOU CAN GET YOUR CASH FROM ME BOTH TIMES. I PAID YOU TWICE . OKAY. THAT'S IT. AWESOME. THANK YOU JORDAN. AND LASTLY, OUR MASTER WEB TOFFER. HEY TOPPER. PERFECT TIMING. OH, PERFECT TIMING. ALL RIGHT, TOPPER, I KNOW YOU JUST WALKED IN. I DON'T WANNA PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY, UH, WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE EXECUTIVE BOARD REPORT, SO IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY, ANYTHING YOU MENTION REGARDING SOCIAL MEDIA, UM, WE PUT OUT A POST, UM, CONCERNING ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ABOUT THE EFFECTS OF GLOBAL WARMING AND YEAH. AWESOME. THANK YOU TO OFFER. AND THEN ONE, UH, LAST QUICK NOTE FOR ME. UM, I, I KNOW I ASKED IN THE, IN THE GENERAL SLACK CHANNEL, UH, FOR EVERYBODY SIMILAR BIOS, UH, AND THAT WAS GONNA GO TO MR. GREEN FOR OUR, UH, MYC WEBSITE. I BELIEVE I GOT IT FROM EVERYBODY, BUT JUST TO MAKE SURE, IF ONE OF Y'ALL KNOW YOU DIDN'T SEND IT IN, PLEASE GET THAT TO ME AND, AND, UM, IT'S NO ISSUE. JUST GET IT IN TO ME AND I'LL SEND THAT TO MR. GREEN. OH, GO AHEAD ALEX. UM, SO I FORGOT TO MENTION THIS, BUT UM, WE DID HAVE ANNA, UM, RIGHT? YEAH. UH, UH, THE INAUGURATION. SO, UH, WE, WE WERE ABLE TO, UM, SEE THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL GET SWORN IN. UM, JUST WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT. AND THEN, UM, MARLEY WAS THERE TOO, I BELIEVE, BUT I YOU DIDN'T GO. OH, I THOUGHT YOU DID. SORRY, . UM, BUT YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT OUT THERE. UM, WE [00:10:01] HAD SOME YOUTH COUNCIL REPRESENTATION THERE AND WE HAD SOME FORMER YOUTH COUNCIL MEMBERS THERE AS WELL. SO IF YOU ATTENDED, WOULD YOU MIND STANDING UP SO WE CAN GIVE YOU A ROUND OF APPLAUSE? WHO, ANNA, IS SHE NOT HERE? OH MY GOD. . LET'S GIVE HER A ROUND OF APPLAUSE. ANYWAY, . ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU ALEX. WE'LL NOW MOVE INTO COMMITTEE REPORTS. I KNOW WE, THE COMMITTEES HAVE NOT MET, UM, BUT I'LL, I'LL OPEN THIS TIME FOR THE COMMITTEE CHAIRS TO, UM, UH, INFORM THEIR MEMBERS OF UPCOMING MEETINGS OR, OR REMIND THEM OF THE USUAL MEETING TIMES. UM, IF Y'ALL WOULD LIKE TO FOR STARTING WITH ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE. UM, SO OUR LAST MEETING WAS QUITE A WHILE AGO. IT WAS IN EARLY DECEMBER, BUT WE DISCUSSED, UH, WELL FIRST, AS TOFFER SAID, WE PUT OUT THE, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE POST REGARDING GLOBAL WARMING. AND THEN WE REACHED OUT TO EVELYN'S PARK TO POTENTIALLY DO A WORKSHOP THERE. AND WE ALSO REACHED OUT TO BUFFALO BAYOU TO DO A CLEANUP, UM, AND PARTNER WITH THEIR ORGANIZATION AND DO AN ANOTHER SERVICE LEARNING PROJECT EVENT PARTNERING WITH TEXAS WILDLIFE AND PARKS. SO FAR WE HAVEN'T HEARD BACK YET, BUT WE'RE STILL WORKING ON IT. UM, AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN HAVE ONE OF THESE EVENTS TAKE PLACE AROUND EARTH DAY. SO, BUT YOU KNOW, ALL THESE DATES ARE STILL TBD. AND THEN, UM, WE, I THINK OUR NEXT MEETING IS PROBABLY SCHEDULED FOR TOMORROW, SO JUST ENVIRONMENTAL MEMBERS BE LOOKING OUT FOR THAT. AWESOME. THANK YOU BELLA. NOW, OUR VOTER ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE, UM, WE ALSO HAVEN'T MET SINCE, I THINK IT WAS EARLY DECEMBER, BUT WE WERE, UM, TRYING TO GET A SERVICE LEARNING PROJECT APPROVED. IT WAS OUR VOTER REGISTRATION EVENT THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE HELD JANUARY 20TH, UH, AT 1:00 PM WE DID PLAN TO GET THERE AT 11:00 PM I KNOW WE NEVER REALLY GOT IT APPROVED BECAUSE EVERYTHING KIND OF GOT PUT ON PAUSE. SO IF WE CAN DISCUSS THAT AND GETTING THAT APPROVED SO THAT WE CAN SET UP OUR TRAINING DAY, UH, BEFORE THE 20TH. THANK YOU, LANCE. NOW OUR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE, UH, WE ALSO HAVE NOT MET SINCE EARLY DECEMBER, BUT WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING OUR, UH, YOUTH TRIVIA NIGHT EVENT HAPPENED IN, I BELIEVE LIKE FEBRUARY. AND WE MEET, IT SAYS IT ON THE AGENDA THAT THERE'S LIKE QUESTION MARKS REGARDING IT. WE MEET ON THE SECOND THURSDAY AND FOURTH TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH AT FIVE 30. AWESOME. THANK YOU. YARN. AND LASTLY, OUR MENTAL HEALTH COMMITTEE. OKAY, SO EXCITED. OKAY. GET THE BORING STUFF OUTTA THE WAY. OUR NEXT MEETING IS GONNA BE JANUARY 18TH, WHICH IS NEXT THURSDAY AT 7:00 PM ON TEAMS. UM, SO THE MENTAL HEALTH COMMITTEE IS WORKING WITH HARRIS COUNTY HEALTHY MINDS, HEALTHY COMMUNITIES, AND TODAY WE HAVE MS. SYDNEY MITCHELL. SHE WANTS TO STAND UP, WAVE. UM, AND WE ARE GOING TO BE DOING, UM, A SORT OF LIKE VIDEO SERIES THING, JUST DISCUSSING, UM, YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH ABOUT DIFFERENT TOPICS, CULTURAL EXPECTATIONS, FINDING YOURSELF. GOT IT. UM, AND SO THAT FILMING DATE IS PLANNED FOR JANUARY 27TH, WHICH IS THE SAT IS TWO SATURDAYS FROM NOW. MM-HMM . AT 10:00 AM SO IT'LL BE HERE LIKE NINE 30, UM, FOR THE MENTAL HEALTH COMMITTEE. UM, BUT SYDNEY, IF YOU'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND SAY SOMETHING, I HAVE TO CLICK THE BUTTON OR IS IT, I THINK IT'S ALREADY ON. OKAY. UM, YEAH, SO I'M WITH HEALTHY MINDS HEALTHY COMMUNITIES. WE'RE A INITIATIVE FOUNDED OUT OF THE ARPA DOLLARS AT, CAME OUT OF COVID. UM, WE ARE WORKING IN 10 SPECIFIC NEIGHBORHOODS WITHIN HOUSTON. 'CAUSE UNFORTUNATELY THERE ARE HIGH RATES OF DEATHS BY SUICIDE IN BLACK AND BROWN YOUTH. SO WE ARE TARGETING YOUTH. UM, AND SO WE ARE COLLABORATING WITH MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL, UM, IN THE MENTAL HEALTH COMMITTEE, UM, HANNAH, WHO'S OVERSEEING THAT PROJECT TO DO LIKE A ROUND TABLE, UM, WITH I THINK LIKE SEVEN TO EIGHT YOUTH. UM, AND WE HAVE OUR OWN SERIES CALLED MINDFUL MOMENTS. SO THAT'S HOW ME AND HANNAH GOT CONNECTED THROUGH THAT. SO YEAH, WE'RE REALLY JUST TO OFFER OUR ASSISTANCE IN ANY WAY THAT WE CAN. AWESOME. THANK YOU. WE'LL NOW MOVE INTO OUR ADVISOR REPORTS. I'LL OPEN THE FLOOR TO MR. GREEN. HAPPY NEW YEAR AGAIN, EVERYONE, UM, THE PROJECT THIS WEEKEND, JANUARY THE 13TH. THANK YOU. I'M BLIND. JANUARY 13TH IS GONNA BE, IT'S A MOODY AT MOODY PARK. IT'S GONNA BE A CLEANUP. UH, WE NEED YOU GUYS TO BE THERE, OBVIOUSLY. UM, YOU'RE GONNA ASSIST, THE VOLUNTEERS WILL BE CLEANING UP THE PARK, PICKING UP DEBRIS, UH, POWER WASHING, UH, SOME OF THE, UM, THE BUILDING ESSENTIALLY. AND SO, UM, IF YOU ARE, IF YOU ARE PLANNING ON ATTENDING, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. UM, [00:15:01] MR. ROMAN WOULD HAVE LOVED TO BEEN HERE, UH, BUT HE IS OUT TODAY. SO THIS WEEK WE HAVE BEEN DOING ACTIVITIES IN PREPARATION FOR MARTIN LUTHER KING JR'S, UM, DAY OF REMEMBRANCE, WHICH WILL BE ON MONDAY. WE ALSO HAVE, UH, PLANS FOR THAT AS WELL. UM, IF THE WEATHER PERMITS, WE'LL BE OUT IN DISTRICT D UH, DOING A SIMILAR DEAL WHERE WE'LL BE CLEANING UP THE PARK, UM, WORKING WITH, UH, SENIORS THERE IN THE DISTRICT D AREA. AND I'LL DEFINITELY GET THAT OUT ON SLACK TO EVERYONE, UH, TOMORROW MORNING. OKAY. QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS? UH, WHAT TIME IS THAT EVENT SUPPOSED TO BE HELD? AGAIN? THIS SATURDAY IS GONNA BE FROM EIGHT TO ONE. UH, AND MONDAY'S EVENT. SAME TIME FROM EIGHT 30 TO ONE. YES MA'AM. SO WE'RE HAVING TWO SERVICE LEARNING PROJECTS. YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME. IT IS REALLY ONE, BUT I'M LETTING YOU KNOW WE HAVE AN ADDITIONAL SERVICE LEARNING PROJECT IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND. OR IF YOU CAN'T ATTEND THE FIRST ONE, YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO ATTEND THE FIRST, THE SECOND ONE WITH US. OKAY. AND DO YOU HAVE TO BE THERE AT EIGHT OR ? YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE THERE AT EIGHT. . IF YOU DO PLAN ON ATTENDING, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE MY CELL PHONE NUMBER SO YOU CAN CALL ME. 'CAUSE I'LL BE AT BOTH. UM, AND SO I CAN BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR YOU. NOW, MONDAY'S WEATHER IS SUPPOSED TO NOT GET OUT THE FORTIES, SO BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER, MONDAY'S PROJECT MAY BE RESCHEDULED, I'LL DEFINITELY LET YOU KNOW. BUT AS OF TODAY, SATURDAY IS A DEFINITE GO. RIGHT? MONDAY IS TENTATIVE DUE TO THE WEATHER. MAKE SENSE? QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU GUYS. AWESOME. THANK YOU MR. GREEN. UH, THAT IS, THERE'S NOTHING ELSE WE NEED TO DIRECTLY ADDRESS ON THE AGENDA. UM, I'LL OPEN THE FLOOR TO ANYBODY WHO HAS ANY QUESTIONS OR REMARKS. ANYBODY? GO AHEAD MARLEY. GUYS. UM, AS WE KNOW, WE'RE UNDER, UM, A NEW MAYOR, SO WE NEED A BUDGET. IT'S BAD GUYS. WE CAN, LIKE, WE HAVE NO RESOURCES TO DO ANYTHING. THIS IS WHY PLANNING THESE EVENTS TAKES SO LONG. LIKE, IT, IT SHOULDN'T BE THIS HARD TO GET EVENTS PLANNED. LIKE SOME OF OUR EVENTS WE'VE BEEN, I KNOW BECAUSE I'M IN THE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE BEEN FIGHTING . IT REALLY IS A FIGHT TO GET A BUDGET AND TO GET STUFF DONE BECAUSE WE HAVE NO RESOURCES. UM, IT'S JUST, IT'S VERY FRUSTRATING. I'M SORRY. AND THEN ALSO HOW WE WERE TREATED AT THE MIRROR. TREE LIGHTING, THAT'S ANOTHER THING. , WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE THE VOICE OF THE YOUTH. IT'S A NEW YEAR. I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE THE VOICE OF THE YOUTH ON THE MIRROR TREE LIGHTING, ESPECIALLY IF WE WERE ASKED TO BE IN ATTENDANCE. WE HAD NO SEATS. WE HAD TO , WE HAD TO WALK AROUND TRYING TO FIND SEATS. LIKE THAT'S JUST NOT OKAY. WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE TREATED LIKE THAT. AND I HAVE TO LAUGH, BUT LIKE, THAT'S FRUSTRATING. AND THEN THE LADY TRIED TO MAKE US MOVE . I'M SORRY, BUT THAT, THAT'S LIKE A BIG ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BECAUSE IF WE'RE ASKED TO BE IN ATTENDANCE OF SOMETHING OR THEY ASK FOR OUR PRESENCE AND THEN WE'RE TREATED LIKE LESS THAN , THAT'S AN ISSUE THAT MAKES ME LIKE NOT WANNA DO THIS. LIKE IF WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE THE VOICE OF THE YOUTH HMM. UM, BUDGET IN THAT, THAT'S LIKE A REALLY BIG ISSUE THAT LIKE, IT NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED LIKE PRETTY QUICK GUYS. IT'S, IT'S ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. BUT, UM, THOSE ARE MY GRIEVANCES. CAN I ASK A QUESTION? CAN I TRY OH, SORRY. FIRST TO OUR TREASURER FROM THE FUNDRAISER? WE DID. I KNOW I'M NOT ASKING FOR LIKE ACCOUNT NUMBERS OR ANYTHING, BUT LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHERE, DID YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? WHERE DID IT GO? IS IT AVAILABLE FOR US TO USE FOR PROJECTS AND STUFF LIKE THAT? I'LL ANSWER THAT, MS. TREASURER. SO, UM, THE MONEY IS AVAILABLE, UM, BUT THERE IS SOME CITY, UM, WHAT'S THE WORD THAT I NEED TO USE? WE, WE STILL NEED TO GET CLEARANCE FROM, UH, FINANCE. SO ONCE FINANCE GIVES US CLEARANCE, CLEARANCE FOR THAT, UM, THEN WE WILL BE ABLE TO USE SET RESOURCES [00:20:01] RAISED FROM THE FUNDRAISER. SO, UM, NOW WE'VE ASKED FINANCE TO GIVE US DIRECTION ON HOW TO UTILIZE THOSE FUNDS, WHETHER IT'S A GRANT, WHETHER IT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU NAME IT. UM, AND, AND THEY ARE, UM, DOING RESEARCH AND LET, THEY WILL LET US KNOW. SO I SHOULD HAVE AN ANSWER TO THAT SPECIFIC QUESTION NEXT WEEK, PREFERABLY, BUT REALIZE, UM, LIKE YOU SAID, IT IS A NEW ADMINISTRATION AND UM, THINGS ARE KIND OF TOPSY-TURVY BECAUSE IT IS NEW. UM, THIS NEW MAYOR, UM, HE HAS HIS OWN PRIORITIES. HE HAS HIS OWN INITIATIVES, HIS OWN AGENDAS THAT HE WANTS TO FOCUS ON. AND, UM, YOU, YOU HAVE TO UNDER, YOU HAVE TO JUST UNDERSTAND THAT. SO, UM, WE'RE PUSHING ON OUR END AND LIKE I SAID, ONCE WE GET A AN ANSWER, WE'LL I'LL BRING IT TO THE, THE GENERAL BODY AND LET EVERYONE KNOW. THANK YOU. YOU ARE WELCOME. ALSO, BEFORE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, PLEASE TEXT Y'ALL'S PARENTS. UM, THAT MEETINGS IN THE ENDING VERY SOON. AND START HEADING BACK OVER HERE, . SO WE'RE NOT HERE UNTIL EIGHT O'CLOCK. JUST SAYING, AIN'T NO WAY I DROVE AN HOUR FACE . UM, JUST TO ASK IS, 'CAUSE I KNOW EVERYONE WANTS TO QUITE DO QUITE A BIT OF FUNDRAISERS, BUT MOVING ON FROM WHAT I HEARD IS THAT WE CAN'T BE DOING THAT ANYMORE. UM, JUST BECAUSE WE DO, THE CITY DOES GET MONEY FROM TAXPAYERS AND, AND WE'RE FUNDRAISING AND TO TAXPAYERS, IT COULD LOOK LIKE, WHY ARE YOU ASKING FOR MORE MONEY IF I ALREADY GIVE MY TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO Y'ALL? SO I JUST WANTED TO ASK, JUST TO, FOR THE RECORD, IS THIS SOMETHING WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO OR IS IT NOT, OR WE HAVE TO GET APPROVAL? UM, ONCE WE GET APPROVAL, THEN WE WILL BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD, BUT UNTIL WE GET THAT APPROVAL, WE CAN'T MOVE FORWARD. SO, OKAY. WORKING ON THE APPROVAL. OKAY. UM, I AGREE WITH, WITH MARLEY, UM, THAT WE DO NEED A BUDGET. I THINK, UM, I'VE BEEN TRYING TO ADVOCATE FOR THAT FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS. UM, FOUR YEARS, HUH? TH IS IT FOUR? IT'S FOUR FOUR YEARS. UM, THERE HAS BEEN SOME DISCUSSIONS THAT HAVE GOTTEN STARTED, BUT I MEAN, AGAIN, WE'RE IN A NEW ADMINISTRATION. I DID SPEAK BRIEFLY WITH MAYOR WHITMEYER LAST WEEK. YEAH, LAST WEEK. UM, AND HE DID WANT ME TO REACH OUT TO HIS CHIEF OF STAFF TO SEE HIS EARLIEST AVAILABLE DATE SO THAT WE CAN MEET WITH HIM. UM, AND I ALSO DID TALK TO SOME NEWLY ELECTED AND REELECTED COUNCIL MEMBERS. UM, AND THEY DID SAY THAT THEY WANNA MEET WITH US, THEY WANNA KNOW MORE ABOUT THE COUNCIL. UM, I JUST THINK WE NEED TO START FIRST WITH BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEM AGAIN, UM, AND THEN MOVING, MOVING FROM THERE. UM, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THERE'S REALLY NO LIKE, RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM AND THERE'S NO, LIKE THE MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL DOES THIS, DOES THAT, AND, UM, LET'S INVITE 'EM TO OUR EVENTS OR LET'S HELP SPONSOR ONE OF THEIR EVENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO I THINK THAT'S SOME, UH, UH, A STEP WE NEED TO TAKE. UM, AND I'M HAPPY TO HELP IN EV WHATEVER WAY POSSIBLY CAN TO CONNECT OUT WITH THEIR CHIEFS OR WHATEVER MAY BE THE CASE. I'M PRETTY SURE PAUL HAS SOME CONTEXT AS WELL, UM, TO BUILD THAT RELATIONSHIP AND TRY TO GET SOME MONEY. OF COURSE, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO GET LIKE A $500,000 BUDGET, YOU KNOW, IN THE FIRST YEAR, BUT, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE THOUSAND DOLLARS WOULD HELP, UM, YOU KNOW, FROM THE, FROM THE ACTUAL, UH, CITY COUNCIL. SO, YEAH, GO AHEAD, MARLEY, TO BUILD ON THAT TOO. UM, I HAD A MEETING WITH A COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, ALCORN TODAY, AND IT REALLY IS LIKE BAD WITH RELATIONSHIPS. LIKE, SHE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT WE WERE DUE. LIKE, SHE, SHE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT WE HAD FOUR DIFFERENT COMMITTEES. LIKE, IT'S A REALLY BIG ISSUE. SO LIKE, REACHING OUT TO YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS IS LIKE REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, REALLY HELPFUL BECAUSE IF THEY GET LIKE ALL, HOWEVER MANY OF US IT IS, I CAN'T COUNT RIGHT NOW, BUT ENOUGH OF US, THEN SOMETHING'S GONNA, IT IS GONNA HAVE TO, LIKE MOVEMENT WILL HAPPEN IF THEY GET 10 KIDS COMING UP TO THEIR OFFICE SAYING, HEY, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE THE VOICE OF THE YOUTH, BUT WE HAVE NO BUDGET TO DO THAT SOMETHING ROLL TIE FOR ALABAMA. BUT YEAH, THAT'S BEST WAY I COULD EXPLAIN THAT. BUT, UM, AND THEN, UM, I HAVE A QUESTION TOO FOR MR. PAUL. [00:25:01] WHY WOULD THAT MONEY BE TIED UP WITH FINANCE? UH, LIKE THAT DEPARTMENT IF IT WAS LIKE OUR, OUR THING, IF THAT MAKES SENSE. THE MONEY'S WITH FINANCE BECAUSE ANY REVENUE THAT COMES INTO THE CITY, THAT'S WHERE IT'S GONNA GO. AND THEN, SO THEY'RE GONNA GIVE US DIRECTION ON HOW TO UTILIZE THE FUNDS. IF WE HAVE, LIKE, I, I'M JUST REPEATING MYSELF THAT I SAID EARLIER, UH, IF WE CAN USE IT FOR A GRANT, IF WE CAN, WHATEVER THEY'RE GIVING US DIRECTION FOR THAT, I CAN, I CAN ANSWER YOUR QUESTION MORE SPECIFICALLY OFF MIKE. UH, UM, TABLE IT SO WE CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION. YOU AND I AND I HAVE NO PROBLEM ANSWERING THAT. UH, BUT TO THE LARGER QUESTION AT HAND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE CAN DEFINITELY, AND, UH, WE'VE DONE THIS IN THE PAST WITH THE MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL, WE CAN DEFINITELY MAKE INROADS TO YOU GUYS MEETING YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, SPENDING A DAY WITH YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER. UH, A LOT OF TIMES THE ISSUE WAS BASED ON SCHEDULING. SO DURING SPRING BREAK, WE WOULD BRING, UH, MAYOR'S, YOUTH COUNCIL FOLKS IN TO MEET WITH THEIR COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUT SOMETIMES COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE ON SPRING BREAK AS WELL, RIGHT? UM, AND THEN EVEN WITH YOUR INAUGURATION. SO WHAT WE DO ON OUR END, WE DEFINITELY SEND THAT INFORMATION OUT TO COUNCIL MEMBERS AND, YOU KNOW, BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THEY'RE SO INUNDATED WITH SO MUCH STUFF AND THEY SERVE SO SUCH A VAST POPULATION. SOMETIMES THEY KNOW ABOUT CERTAIN THINGS, SOMETIMES THEY DO NOT. SO, UM, THAT'S JUST PART OF IT. BUT I THINK THE, THE, THE BEST THING THAT WE CAN DO AS A GROUP IS BUILD THOSE RELATIONSHIPS, HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS. UH, I THINK YOU MADE A GREAT IDEA, UM, SAYING, YOU KNOW, SPONSORING ONE OF THEIR EVENTS, HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM IN THEIR, IN, IN THEIR DISTRICTS. AND I THINK THAT'LL GO A LONG WAY. SO IT MIGHT NOT AFFECT YOU GUYS, RIGHT? IT MIGHT, YOU MIGHT NOT SEE, YOU MIGHT NOT GET THE BRASS RING, SO TO SPEAK, BUT THE NEXT ITERATION OF THE MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL WILL BE FURTHER ALONG THAN YOU GUYS ARE, AND THEN THEY MIGHT GET WHAT YOU GUYS ARE CRAVING FOR. SO, UM, I SEE, UH, JEREMY HAS HIS HAND UP. GO AHEAD JEREMY. YEAH, I JUST HAD A QUESTION. SO MS. SHAUNA LAST YEAR TOLD US NOT TO REACH OUT TO OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS. I'M ASSUMING THAT WE SHOULD START DOING THAT NOW, IS THAT CORRECT? AND THEN I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION TO FOLLOW UP. YOU CAN, WE CAN ORGANIZE SOMETHING FROM MICHAEL AND MYSELF, THE CHAIR. WE CAN ORGANIZE AN EVENT FOR YOU GUYS, WE CAN HELP WITH THAT PROCESS IN REGARDS TO REACHING OUT TO YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS IF YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO IT. UH, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE AT LARGE, IT MAY BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT IF YOU, YOU, YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THAT LARGE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, BUT IT, WE CAN DEFINITELY HELP FACILITATE THOSE THINGS FOR YOU. OKAY. AND THEN MY NEXT QUESTION IS THAT SOME OF THE EXEC BOARD MEMBERS DON'T HAVE A COUNCIL TECHNICALLY BECAUSE OF THE RESTRUCTURING THAT HAPPENED. SHOULD I JUST GO TO THE COUN? SHOULD I JUST LIKE MEET WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBER THAT I'M ZONED TO? IF THAT MAKES SENSE? THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION. HOW ABOUT WE DISCUSS THAT AT OUR EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING? OKAY. SO RIGHT. MAKE SURE YOU WRITE THAT DOWN. 'CAUSE I'M NOT GONNA REMEMBER . THANK YOU. UH, I THINK I SAW BELLA'S HAND FIRST. GO AHEAD. JUST MAKING SURE. I KNOW WE WERE TOLD NOT TO LIKE EMAIL OUR COUNCIL MEMBER FROM A PERSONAL EMAIL. NOW, IS IT OKAY IF WE DO THAT? YEP, THAT SHOULD BE GOOD. I KNOW WE, WE ARE SUPPOSED TO, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO GET CITY EMAILS AND I BELIEVE THAT'S STILL IN THE WORKS. MM-HMM . UM, I KNOW, I'M NOT SURE IF Y'ALL HAVE BEEN SENT EMAILS REGARDING THEM TO BE ABLE TO ACTIVATE THEM AND YOU'RE, BUT WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO, IF EVERYTHING DOES WORK, IS CALL HR AND THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO ACTIVATE IT FOR YOU. UM, BUT FOR NOW, IF YOU DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THAT, YOUR PERSONAL EMAIL SHOULD BE FINE. UH, TAYLOR, I THINK YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP EARLIER. MR. PAUL, WOULD IT BE RECOMMENDED, MR. PAUL, WOULD IT BE BEST FOR 'EM TO CC YOU ON THE EMAILS? CORRECT. AWESOME. GREAT POINT. THANK YOU MR. MCCLENDON. AND NOW FOUR IS YOURS. HANNAH, GO AHEAD. I HAD THE SAME QUESTION AS BELLA. OKAY, SOUNDS GOOD. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CONCERNS REGARDING EMAILS, COMMUNICATION, EVENTS PLANNING? MARLEY, GO AHEAD. I'M SORRY. THIS IS MY LAST THING. I KNOW I TALKED A LOT. . UM, ONE MORE THING MENTIONING, UM, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE OPENING TO LIKE ONCE A MONTH, HAVING US COME AND GIVING UPDATES ABOUT OUR MEETING SO THEY KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. UM, MICHAEL, YOU'RE THE CHAIR SO THAT, THAT IS GONNA BE ON YOU. BUT LIKE TO COME AND GIVE UPDATES BECAUSE THEY MEET ON TUESDAY FOR LIKE, PUBLIC SOMETHING. MY BRAIN IS BLANK RIGHT NOW. AND THEN WEDNESDAY IS OUR BUSINESS MEETING. SO THEY MAY BE OPENING FOR, UH, OPENING, AH, THEY MAY BE EIGHT. AH, I CAN'T SPEAK, BUT, UM, THEY'RE OPEN TO US COMING ON WEDNESDAY DURING THEIR BUSINESS MEETINGS BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN THEY DISCUSS THEIR ITEMS AND JUST SO THEY CAN HAVE AN UPDATE ON WHAT WE'RE DOING AND [00:30:01] TO BE MORE INVOLVED. AND YEAH, THAT'S IT. THAT'S MY LAST TIDBIT. MARLEY, WHAT TIME ARE THOSE MEETINGS AT ? FOUR OR FIVE. DON'T QUOTE ME. IT'S DURING THE DAY. IT'S DURING THE DAY. OKAY. SO THAT, THAT'S WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE CAN DO. WE CAN PUT TOGETHER AN UPDATE. I CAN GO DOWN THERE. THOSE THAT CAN MAKE IT, CAN MAKE IT, THOSE THAT CAN'T, CAN'T. BUT WE CAN DEFINITELY UPDATE OUR INDIVIDUAL, THE BODY ITSELF ON WHAT THE MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL IS UP TO. UM, WHAT IT, WHAT IS THROUGH THAT PROCESS OR JUST MEETING, UH, DIRECTLY WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND LETTING THEM KNOW THIS IS WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON, THESE ARE THE PROJECTS, UH, THAT WE'RE PLANNING. AWESOME. THANK YOU GUYS. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CONCERNS? UM, REAL QUICK, MY LAST COMMENT, UM, BUT JUST TO PUT ON Y'ALL'S RADAR, I THINK I PUT IT ON Y'ALLS RADAR IN THE BEGINNING OF, UM, EVERYONE'S TERM, BUT IN AROUND JUNE OR JULY, THAT'S NORMALLY WHEN WE HAVE OUR LIKE, REFORM, LIKE KIND OF LIKE COUNCIL RETREAT TYPE THING. UM, AND LIKE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP LIKE RIGHT NOW ARE GREAT THINGS THAT CAN BE BROUGHT UP AT THAT MEETING BECAUSE WE'RE JUST BASICALLY TRYING TO MAKE THE COUNCIL BETTER FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR. UM, SO THAT'S PUTTING NEW THINGS IN THE BYLAWS THAT'S LIKE MAKING MORE GOALS, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR THE NEXT YOUTH COUNCIL THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH AND JUST THINGS LIKE THAT. SO JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT ON YAS RADAR, UM, THAT WE NORMALLY DO HAVE THAT, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH OUR LAST MEETING OF, OF EVERYONE'S TERM, UM, WHEN, WHEN THAT HAPPENS. THANK YOU ALEX. I'LL OPEN THE FLOOR ONE LAST TIME. OKAY. AWESOME. THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH. GREAT SEEING Y'ALL AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR. UM, AND I'M VERY HAPPY TO CONTINUE HAVING THIS SHOW. GET BACK ON THE ROAD AFTER THE LITTLE HICCUP WE HAD. UM, BUT UH, WITH ALL THAT SAID, THANK YOU GUYS FOR COMING OUT. HAVE A GREAT EVENING. GET HOME SAFE. AND WAIT, MICHAEL? MICHAEL? MICHAEL? YES. OH, SORRY, JAMIE, GO AHEAD. UH, NO, MR. DEANTE, YOU'RE GO. YEAH. OH, MR. MCCLENNAN, GO AHEAD. I DIDN'T HAVE MUCH MR. CHAIR. I THOUGHT I I THOUGHT YOU WERE GONNA CALL MY NAME ON THE AGENDA. IT'S OKAY IF I GET IGNORED THIS TIME. DON'T OH NO, GO AHEAD. GO AHEAD. NO, NO, IT IS REALLY QUICK. I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, UH, THANK YOU TO MS. SIDNEY THAT'S BEEN WORKING. I'M NOT SURE IF SHE'S STILL THERE, BUT, UH, HANNAH HAS BEEN DOING AN INCREDIBLE JOB WITH THE COMMITTEE, UH, GETTING THAT DONE. UH, SO I WANTED TO, UH, STRESS THAT EVEN THOUGH THE COMMITTEE IS LEADING THIS, THE WHOLE COUNCIL IS INVITED TO BE PRESENT ON, UH, THAT SATURDAY THE 27TH. SO WANTED TO FIRST SAY THAT. AND SECONDLY, WE ARE WORKING WITH NAMI. WE DID FIND A CONTACT THAT HANNAH REACHED OUT TO SOMEONE AND WE ACTUALLY FOUND THE RIGHT CONTACT. THEY WERE ALL OUT ON VACATION. WE WANNA FOLLOW UP ON THAT LAST YEAR. THAT EVENT WAS IN MARCH, THE WALK THAT SOME OF US PARTICIPATED IN. SO YOU'LL HEAR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT. BUT, UH, THE COMMITTEE IS DOING GREAT WORK. SO DID WANNA WEIGH IN AND, AND SAY THAT AND SEE YOU ALL ON THE 27TH. AWESOME. THANK YOU MR. MCCLENNAN. DO NOT MEAN TO SKIP OVER. YOU APOLOGIZE. ALRIGHT, IT'S ALL GOOD. ANY LAST QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CONCERNS? NO MORE SURPRISES. OKAY, AWESOME. ON, UH, JANUARY 9TH, 2024 AT 6:54 PM MEETING IS ADJOURNED. THANK YOU GUYS. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.