Buckeye Youth Council

CITY OF BUCKEYE BUCKEYE YOUTH COUNCIL October 15, 2025 Minutes City of Buckeye Blue Horizon Fire Station #707 20080 W Yuma Rd Buckeye, AZ 85326 5:30pm 1. Call to Order/Pledge of Allegiance/Roll Call Meeting called to order by Lena Erickson at 5:31 PM. Attendees Present = X Name Notes (absent, tardy, excused, unexcused) X Alexa Mercado Garay X Alexis Grimaldi Harlow Johnson Absent Haylee Mosher Absent Isabelle James Absent X Ivy Brown Jasper Sternfield Absent Kylah Arceneaux Absent X Lamarion Buie X Lena Erickson X Natalie Eng Paige Black Absent X Paisley Brown X Raelynn Miller X Samuel Russell X Savannah Sanchez Scylee Groseth Absent X Thomas Duarte 2. Approval of Minutes from September 17, 2025 Natalie Eng motioned to approve the minutes from the September 17, 2025, BYC meeting, Raelynn Miller seconded. Approved unanimously. 3. Presentation of Fire Chief Jake Rhoades Fire Chief Jake Rhoades gave an overview of life as a firefighter: touching on daily routines, teamwork, and challenges. He explained the hiring process, requirements, and emphasized the department’s mission of serving others. He shared plans for adding three new fire departments, highlighting the need for careful budgeting and planning. The presentation offered a valuable look into both the rewards and demands of the profession, and concluded with a guided tour of the station. 4. Team Building Activity Teams competed to build the strongest bridge using LEGO blocks, with the goal of holding the most weight. Each team had a different number of members and a unique set of colored blocks, encouraging diverse ideas and creative problem-solving. The variety in team size and materials led to a range of designs, showcasing teamwork, innovation, and collaboration under pressure. 5. Meet in Committees Civic engagement: The team is now shifting focus to the December drive, working on securing permission to place donation boxes in schools, City Hall, and the Center on Main in Verrado. They hope to have the boxes installed before the next meeting. Community Outreach: Preparations are underway for the holiday-themed event before the Glow on Monroe. The team is reaching out to local stores for potential donations, gathering materials, and working on flyers and banners for promotion. They are also looking for volunteers to help support the event and ensure everything runs smoothly. 6. Volunteer Events/Opportunities Alexa Mercado Garay shared the volunteer opportunity tracking sheet with the Youth Council and discussed upcoming events. 7. Comments from the Buckeye Youth Councilmembers Ivy Brown delivered a strong presentation to support her request to attend the conference in DC, highlighting her qualifications as a four-year member with a 4.0 GPA and active involvement, including serving as State Vice President of SkillsUSA. She expressed genuine enthusiasm for the opportunity, eager to gain valuable experience, expand her skills, and bring back knowledge that will benefit both her personal growth and organization. Lena Erickson went over the expectations, emphasizing the importance of attendance and reviewing the handbook guidelines. She explained the 48-hour notice requirement for absences, as well as the difference between excused and unexcused situations, ensuring everyone understands the policies clearly. 8. Adjournment There being no further business to discuss, Lena Erickson adjourned the meeting at 7:10 PM. ____________________________ Lena Erickson, Co-Chair ATTEST: ___________________________ Alexa Mercado Garay, Secretary I hereby certify that the foregoing minutes are a true and correct copy of the Buckeye Youth Council Meeting held on October 15, 2025. I further certify that a quorum was present. ___________________________ Alexa Mercado Garay, Secretary