A youth representative could be joining Gibsons council at the next regular meeting, now that councillors have signed off on the terms of the reference for the position.
Mayor Bill Beamish put forward the idea of a youth representative in his inaugural speech last fall and the Town has been fine-tuning the details with School District No. 46 over the past few months.
There was more fine-tuning at the Feb. 5 council meeting, as councillors voted to add clauses to make it clear that the youth representative would be expected to speak for the student bodies of Elphinstone Secondary and the Alternate School as a whole by reporting back to groups like the student council and leadership groups.
The amended terms of reference also specify the youth representative can’t take part in in-camera meetings and won’t have a vote.
Beamish said during the enquiries period after the meeting that council already had applications to consider and would likely appoint a Grade 12 student as the representative with a Grade 11 student acting as an alternate.
Council also plans to hold a formal swearing-in ceremony, with guests from the District of Sechelt and Sunshine Coast Regional District present.
“This is new for us, and it’s something we’ll have the opportunity to work with and amend,” Beamish said. “This [first] appointment will end in June, so we will have an opportunity to learn from it and see what we need to adjust, and we will ask them what they think we need to change.”
