DOWNEY - A plan to form a Youth Advisory Committee is heading back to the drawing board after the City Council rejected a set of guidelines proposed by city staff on Tuesday.The Youth Advisory Committee is the brainchild of Councilman Mario Guerra, who first brought up the idea two years ago. It received renewed support when Councilman Fernando Vasquez joined the council in December. The committee's purpose, the council members said, is to give Downey youths an opportunity to share their opinions and visions with local government. A set of bylaws drawn up by city staff members, however, severely restricted the scope of the committee, council members said Tuesday. There is also the question of how to define "youth" and whether young adults should be allowed to serve on the committee. "Councilman Guerra thinks anyone under age 30 is a youth," joked Mayor Pro Tem Roger Brossmer. The council opted to form a subcommittee made up of Guerra and Vasquez that will work in conjunction with city staff on a new set of bylaws. City manager Gerald Caton, however, warned the council that "frankly, staff is stressed out. If this is your priority, other priorities will slip."

********** Published: March 10, 2011 - Volume 9 - Issue 47