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<br />I parable to the commissions having to do with minorities, aging, handicapped, and
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<br />1 women be invorporated into the human rights ordinance. A detailed report was also
<br /> prepared by the city attorney's office, also distributed to Council members, point- e
<br />I ing out the roles of the present commissions and the fact that their particular
<br /> legal functions and processes could not be applied to a commission on the rights of --
<br />I youth because of state and other laws relating to education, employment, etc.
<br /> That, however, did not mean a youth commission could not serve the purposes set
<br /> out in the ad hoc committee's report. Manager cautioned that there was some
<br /> staff concern about the costs of adequately staffing and helping such a group.
<br /> Jim Forbes, 550 River Road, chairman of the ad hoc committee, expressed apprecia-
<br /> tion to the ad hoc group, saying it was their feeling a workable product had corne
<br /> out of the committee's work. Jim Williams, 138 West 17th Avenue, member of the
<br /> ad hoc committee, reviewed the process leading to the group's consensus that a real
<br />I need existed for some public body to act as an advocate for rights and needs of
<br />1 young people in the community. Problems were encountered with legalities and
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<br /> financial aspects of creating a youth commission, he said. He expressed disap-
<br /> pointment with the lack of help from the city in figuring solutions to those
<br /> problems. He said the attorney's memo indicated about $20,190 would be needed to
<br /> I staff such a commission, including $1250 for activities of the commission itself.
<br /> I He figured that would call for a salary of about $1500 per month, and he offered,
<br /> 1 with the help of some of the other ad hoc members, to do the work for about $300
<br /> I a month. Manager explained that the figures presented would include secretarial
<br /> , and additional staff costs, ringe benefits, etc.
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<br /> 1 With regard to the attorney's mention of difficulties in wording an ordinance to
<br /> take care of the age limits to be covered, Jim Williams wanted to make the dis-
<br /> i tinction clear that the ad hoc committee's work was to document the need for the
<br /> commission, the legal staff's responsibility to work out the proper wording. .
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<br /> i With regard to lobbying, also mentioned by the attorney, Jim Williams said that
<br /> , in no instance had the ad hoc committee recommended a youth commission function
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<br /> : to be that of lobbying in legal matters, only that it was to make recommendations
<br /> I to various organizations on various issues as they affected youth of the community.
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<br /> I He pointed out that the Commission on Rights of Aging was identical to what was
<br /> intended for the youth, and he could see no reason why a commission couldn't be
<br /> created on the sarne grounds. He found it incomprehensible that goals of the pro-
<br /> posed youth commission would be any different from or detract from those of present
<br /> commissions. He suggested that new legislation be drafted to include youth under
<br /> the age of 26 since there was clear documentation that young people wich to be taken
<br /> seriously, and if they are expected to become involved, the processes should be
<br /> changed ,so that they are really included.
<br /> Others speaking for creation ofayouth commission were Sallie Meek, 1045 Monroe
<br /> Street; Michael Hill, 1127 Polk Street; Bernadette Snyder, 2110 East 17th Avenue;
<br /> Amy Borman, 2885 Arline Way; Dan Rice, 1520 West 11th Avenue; Phil Pooley, 290 East
<br /> 28th Avenue; Linda Yapp, 1127 Polk Street; Andria Parker, 830 Hilyard Street; -
<br /> Anne Dwyer, 2780 County Farm Road; Heidi Bullert, 3780 County Farm Road; Laura
<br /> i Bauerschrnidt, 860 Lawrence Street; Catie Parr 684 Country Club Road; Stewart King,
<br /> ! 5315 Saratoga Street; Wendy Edwards, 1435 Olive Street; James De1k, 1789 Orchard Street.
<br /> Several other unidentified persons also spoke in favor of the commission plus Ira
<br /> Brown, Youth Employment Service; Edward Schwartz, School District 4J teacher;
<br /> JoCaveledge, School Distri~t 4J special projects co-ordinator; Todd Snyder, White
<br /> i Bird Clinic. All were in favor of an advocacy body for youth rights, where youth
<br /> I could become involved in and develop a positive attitude toward the governmental
<br /> process. Also, to give help with regard to gaining employment for people under .
<br /> the age of 18, and to help resolve conflicts between youth and "the law" or parents.
<br /> I Public hearing was closed, there being no further testimony presented.
<br /> 6/28/76 - 6 311
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