YOUTH COUNCIL RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Evaluating and reviewing issues facing youth in the City.
• Representing youth in the City of Framingham, and advising elected officials and other policymakers regarding matters of interest or concern to young people * Providing information to and advocating before public entities including the mayor, municipal government, state government, federal government, police, school districts, and high education institutions, in support of young people in the City of Framingham.
• Providing a structure for all young people in Framingham to learn the value of civic participation and thereby encouraging lifelong participatory residents.
• Offering policy recommendations on issues affecting and of interest to young people.
• Engaging with young people in Framingham to inform them of opportunities and listening to their suggestions regarding how the community can better serve its residents.
• Conduct an annual joint meeting with the Superintendents in January of each year.

Applicants shall demonstrate a desire to serve as a Youth Council member, to participate in Framingham’s government processes, and provide unique perspectives, leadership, and input on matters that shape and influence the future of Framingham

MEMBERSHIP: 

The 13-member Youth Council is comprised of four at-large youths — two appointed by the at-large City Councilors and two by the Mayor for 2-year terms — and nine district Youth Councilors, appointed by their district counterpart on the City Council for a 1-year term.

Terms of Youth Councilors end on June 30. Member can continue to serve until re-nominated or replaced.

ELIGIBILITY: Members must be between the ages of 13-22, and must reside in Framingham. Those eligible to vote must be registered voters.

WHEN MEET: The Youth Council will meet at least monthly in the City of Framingham and shall post notices of its meetings in accordance with the state’s Open Meeting Law and the Framingham General Bylaws/Ordinances.

LEADERSHIP: 

Elections shall be held at the first meeting after appointments are made by the Council and the Mayor. The longest-serving member of the Youth Council will call the first meeting of each new session for the purpose of electing leadership.

The Framingham Youth Council shall elect its Chair to conduct meetings, a Vice Chair to conduct meetings in the absence of the Chair, and a Clerk to record and submit minutes to the City Clerk for each meeting. 

Officers shall serve one-year terms and be eligible for reelection to an officer position in a subsequent year.

YOUTH COUNCIL RULES: 

 Youth Council agendas shall be prepared by the Chair in response to the needs of the City's youth, upon request by fellow Youth Councilors, or upon request by the Mayor, Council, or School Committee. Meeting postings must adhere to the State’s Open Meeting Law.

Minutes will be submitted by the Youth Council Clerk after being approved by a majority of the Youth Council. The timing of approval and filing of minutes shall be compliant with the guidelines of the State's Open Meeting Law and Framingham's Ordinances.

The Framingham Youth Council shall also elect two liaisons, one to the School Committee and one to the Council. The liaisons would be required to attend at least one meeting each month in order to establish better communication between the Framingham Youth Council and the School Committee and Council, respectively. 

COLLABORATION:

The City Council shall appoint up to three Councilors to serve as advisors to the Youth Council.

The School Committee appoints one member to serve as a liaison to the Youth Council.

The Youth Council shall hear from the Superintendent of Schools at its January meeting annual – both Framingham Public School and Keefe Technical High School.

SUBCOMMITTEES OF THE YOUTH COUNCIL:

The Youth Council has five subcommittees each with its own chairs. The Chair of the Youth Council will appoint the subcommittees and name the chair and the vice chair of each subcommittee. The goal of creating the subcommittees was to provide more leadership opportunities for all members.

The subcommittees are:

• Diversity & Inclusion
• Academic Achievement
• Outreach & Youth Engagement
• Health issues
• Environmental & Sustainability

VACANCIES:

• Vacancies on the Framingham Youth Council will occur when a member moves out of Framingham or registers to vote in another community, resigns, or fails to attend three consecutive meetings, except in the case of severe illness or injury.
• Members of the Youth Council may be removed upon a vote of nine members of the Framingham Youth Council and a majority vote of the full Council.
• The advertising for and nomination of the candidates for the Youth Council shall take place at the same time as all of the other annual appointments to City Boards, Committees, and Commissions.

REPORTS: The Youth Council shall provide an oral or written report to the 11-member Framingham City Council on its activities in February, May, and October of each year.

HISTORY: The Framingham City Council unanimously voted to create a Youth Council in 2019. The 13-member Youth Council was created after Isabella Petroni, 17, of Framingham, wrote an ordinance asking the legislative branch of the City to change the Charter to create a committee focused on the City’s youths. Petroni served as the Council’s first chair, resigning in 2021 when she was elected Library Trustee.

Members of the Youth Council