General

STOCKBRIDGE Youth Council Advisory YOUTH COUNCIL Committee ADVISORY COMMITTEE Meeting Agenda Dr. Alfreda Renee Gourdine, Chair July 16, 2026 6:30 PM Ayesha Gambles, Vice-Chair Joc’Quelyn Carter, Treasurer Sharika Zellars, Student Liaison Denita Webb, Secretary Valerie Richmond-Reese, Parliamentarian MEMBERS-AT-LARGE Gernita Johnson Candis Jones Georgia McIntyre Dr. Thomas Smith Vacant STOCKBRIDGE CITY HALL STAFF LIAISON 4640 NORTH HENRY BLVD. Cassandra Lester STOCKBRIDGE, GA 30281 Website: www.stockbridgega.org Phone: 770-389-7900 Fax: 770-389-7912  AGENDA YOUTH COUNCIL ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2026 6:30 PM I. Call to Order 1. Invocation Followed by Pledge 2. Roll Call 3. Approve May 27th and June 2nd Agenda II. Old Business 4. AC Retreat AAR 5. Fill The Bus 6. City of Stockbridge Back to School Drive III. New Business 7. Area Beautification 8. SYC Recruitment 9. SYC Interviews 10. SYC Interviews 11. SYC Retreat - Sep/Oct 12. Upcoming Calendar Year Preparation 13. Budget IV. Adjournment The Youth Advisory Council Committee is to make recommendations to Council based on the following Terms of Reference. 1. To identify and advise on youth issues in the City of Stockbridge. 2. To advise Council on the development of policies that are responsive to the needs of youth. 3. To consult with local youth and feedback results of consultations to Council. 4. To assist in the ongoing development and delivery of youth-targeted projects and programs. 5. To create opportunities for youth leadership development by acting as a resource for youth activities. Note: This Committee meets monthly on selected dates.  Stockbridge Youth Council Advisory Committee Special Call Meeting Minutes May 27, 2026 I. Call to Order a) Quorum was met, and the meeting was called to order at _6:34pm_ 1. Invocation led by _Dr. Thomas Smith__ • Pledge of Allegiance: Recited in unison 2. Roll Call Roll Call Members Absent: Dr. Renee Gourdine Georgia McIntyre Valerie Richmond-Reese Ayesha Gambles Denita Webb Candis Jones Sharika Zellars Gernita Johnson Tykera Goins Dr. Thomas Smith Joc’Quelyn Carter 3. Approve Agenda Joc’quelyn Carter: Motion to approve the agenda, with the changes to add two events to New Business-Summer Months Calendar: Stockbridge Methodist Church-Teen Summer Safety; and Steve Harvey Golf Event. a. Motion: Joc’quelyn Carter b. Second: Ayesha Gambles c. In Favor: All present d. Oppose: None e. Abstain: None f. Motion: Carries 4. Approve March 19, 2026 Minutes a. Motion: Georgia McIntyre b. Second: Tykera Goins c. In Favor: All present d. Oppose: None e. Abstain: None f. Motion: Carries II. Old Business 5. Advisory Council Retreat 1 • The retreat will be held at an off-site location-TBD but will be in the general Stockbridge area, on Saturday July 11, 2026, with a start time of 8:30am. • Breakfast and Lunch will be provided. • There will be a review of the by-laws, leadership positions responsibilities, position nominations opening, and some team building activities. • Budget for this event was proposed to be set at $1,000.00. a. Motion: Ayesha Gambles b. Second: Joc’Quelyn Carter c. In Favor: All present d. Oppose: None e. Abstain: None f. Motion: Carries 6. Track It Forward • Gernita Johnson explained that Track it Forward is a tool used to track attendance and participation. • Two separate sheets will have QR codes that each member will scan at every event and the sheets will be laminated. • One sheet will have the sign-in QR code and the other sheet will have the sign-out QR code. Time will be recorded accordingly. • Gernita asked that members bring their laptops or tablets with them to the retreat to make it easier to follow along as she covers Track it Forward. 7. SYC Recruitment • Ayesha Gambles mentioned we currently have 8-12 pending applications that will need to be reviewed after following up with the city which is where the applications flow. • Sharika Zellars reiterated we plan to target the schools where we do not already have SYC students attending. She explained that our calendar runs alongside the school calendar. • That we do Tasty Tuesdays in the summer and Back to School Drive/Giveaways in July or August. • We need a total of twelve SYC candidates to fill the new positions and fill the position from the six graduating seniors. • Denita Webb reported that two different teachers who lead the Chess Club and one who leads the Junior Beta Club at Stockbridge Middle School and they wouldn’t mind inviting us to their meetings. • Denita Webb sent the contact information to Sharika to reach out to them. Recruitment is ongoing, but we want to start in January. • The committee agreed that recruitment will start again actively in August. 8. Closet Maintenance • Ayesha Gambles asked for volunteers to complete inventory and organizational clean-up of the SYC closet on a Friday in the month of June. • The following members volunteered to assist; Denita, Georgia, Sharika, Gernita and Chair Gourdine. • Ayesha will communicate a definite date as soon as possible. 9. Paraphernalia Re-Order 2  Ayesha Gambles suggested we get new cardigans and Sharika Zellars agreed to place the order and requested that all members send her their sizes. Budget for the apparel order was proposed to be set at $1,500.00. a. Motion: Sharika Zellars b. Second: Joc’Quelyn Carter c. In Favor: All present d. Oppose: None e. Abstain: None f. Motion: Carries 10. Area Beautification • Chair Gourdine reiterated that it is important that everyone attends beautification as it is something we all voted for but not everyone is showing up. • Suggest using A&B Teams in the past and she suggested we go back to that. • Sharika Zellars agreed we should go back to the Teams option and just communicate with each other if calendar conflicts occur. • She also suggested we transition to doing every other month. Many members agreed with the commitment to making area beautification a priority. • Joc’Quelyn Carter suggested also inviting the parents of SYC for additional support. • Tykera Goins suggested that the members pick which team does odd months and the other team does even months. • The members agreed that the two teams will be built and discussed at the AC Retreat and will revisit the Friday option for the fall season. • Sharika Zellars mentioned she will also request a public safety officer accompanies us for every area beautification. III. New Business 11. SYC Interview • Chair Gourdine stated that it is usually in July or August. • Sharika Zellars requested that we do it late August, so we have time to get feedback from the schools. • Tentatively the date for interviews is set for Thursday, August 20, 2026. • Sharika Zellars explained that interviews are done via panel and we typically include the SYC Youth Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem to engage with the prospective applicants. • Every person who submits a completed application and recommendations will get an opportunity to interview. • Her suggestion this year is that we do a better job scheduling the applicants for a specific time slot to keep the flow of interviews consistent and orderly. • Chair Gourdine mentioned that volunteers will be requested to join the panel at the AC Retreat. The interview questions will be pre-selected, and each panel member will receive them ahead of time to become familiar and review them in advance. 12. Summer Months Calendar • The Back to School “Fill the Bus” event that is held at Tasty Tuesday in Clark Park where people can donate money and/or school supplies. • Chairman Gourdine stated that any member who can attend should attend this event on July 14, 2026. We usually donate $500 to this event. • Proposed donation to the city for the back-to-school event was proposed to be set at $500.00. 3  a. Motion: Joc’Quelyn Carter b. Second: Gernita Johnson c. In Favor: All present d. Oppose: None e. Abstain: None f. Motion: Carries 13. SYC/AC Calendar (July-September) • Dr. Smith stated the Stockbridge Police Department would like to invite the SYC and as many teens as possible to attend their “Safe Summer Driving” event Saturday June 6, 2026 from 10:00am to 12:00pm at the First United Methodist Church. • The SYC student retreat will be held in September, date, location, and times TBD. • Chair Gourdine shared that Ms. Lewis has requested a representative to assist at their table for the Stockbridge Development Authority’s Steve Harvey Golf Tournament on Tuesday, June 2, 2026. • Dr. Smith mentioned the General Assembly at the state capital is scheduled for January 2027. • Joc’Quelyn Carter suggested that our SYC students do more impactful events this year regarding legislative issues and initiatives. • Ayesha shared that the National League of Cities is set for November in Nashville, TN. She also mentioned that the Youth Symposium will be in July in Savannah, GA this year. 14. Budget Report Joc’Quelyn reported our current balance as of May 18, 2026 is $20,381.51. IV. Executive Session (if needed) a. Not Required V. Adjourn a. Joc’quelyn Carter made a motion to adjourn at 8:38pm a. Motion: Gernita Johnson b. Second: Georgia McIntyre c. In Favor: All present d. Oppose: None e. Abstain: None a. Motion: Carries 4  Stockbridge Youth Council Advisory Committee Special Call Meeting Minutes June 2, 2026 I. Call to Order a) Quorum was met, and the meeting was called to order at _6:30pm_ 1. Invocation led by _Joc’Quelyn Carter__ • Pledge of Allegiance: Recited in unison 2. Roll Call Roll Call Members Absent: Dr. Renee Gourdine Gernita Johnson Dr. Thomas Smith Ayesha Gambles Sharika Zellars – Candis Jones 6:37pm called in and joined in person at 6:45pm Joc’Quelyn Carter Tykera Goins Valerie Richmond-Reese Georgia McIntyre Denita Webb 3. Approve Agenda Joc’quelyn Carter: Motion to approve the agenda. a. Motion: Joc’quelyn Carter b. Second: Ayesha Gambles c. In Favor: All present d. Oppose: None e. Abstain: None f. Motion: Carries II. New Business 4. Approved Budget for National League of Cities (NLC) • Chair Gourdine provided overview of NLC. Date: November 18-19, 2026; leaving on Tuesday, November 17 after school and returning Friday, November 20, 2026. • Attendees: 4 SYC; 2 AC to attend. Chair Gourdine and Sharika Zellars volunteered to chaperone as the AC but will leave it open if others wanted to volunteer to chaperone closer to the NLC date. • Chair Gourdine recommendation is 2 young ladies and 2 young men in order to have a diverse group attending with two SYC members being the student mayor and mayor pro tem. 1  • Joc’Quelyn Carter suggest traveling by airplane to minimize liability. • It was agreed that the travel mode should be city van to account for flexibility, ease of traveling and cost efficiency. • Budget proposed: $10,000 to cover registration, hotel, per diem, travel. a. Motion: Ayesha Gambles b. Second: Georgia McIntyre c. In Favor: All present d. Oppose: None e. Abstain: None f. Motion: Carries 5. Accept Tykera Goins Letter of Intent to Resign from Advisory Committee • Chair Gourdine read Tykera Goins resignation letter with a resignation date effective June 1, 2026. • Asked for someone to make a motion to accept the letter of resignation. a. Motion: Joc’Quelyn Carter b. Second: Valerie Richmond-Reese c. In Favor: All present d. Oppose: None e. Abstain: None f. Motion: Carries III. Executive Session (if needed) a. Not Required IV. Adjourn Chair Gourdine asked someone to make a motion to adjourn at 6:53pm a. Motion: Sharika Zellars b. Second: Joc’Quelyn Carter c. In Favor: All present d. Oppose: None e. Abstain: None a. Motion: Carries 2