San Dimas City Council has decided to allow citizens between the ages of 17-21 to serve on a public policy commission as a non-voting member. Members will be able to participate in commissions shaping policy around issues such as public safety, Parks and Recreation, equestrian activity, and more. The program presents a fantastic opportunity for students interested in political science to gain real experience in civic service.
AP Government teacher Mr. Milbrandt explains how city commissions work. “City commissions are agencies that help recommend policies to the city council. They deal with concerns from citizens and citizens sit on the committee so they can take those concerns to city council.” Each commission is tasked with considering a variety of issues affecting the city and residents’ daily lives. For example, “The one about public safety might be concerned about patrols around the city or increased homelessness,” states Milbrandt. Commissions allow citizens’s voices to be heard when discussing policies.
Students on the commissions will serve as non-voting members, which Milbrandt explains is a position that allows those interested in public policy, but inexperienced, to “get their feet wet.” Non-voting members will be able to observe and gain knowledge, which could encourage more interest in city government. “In classes, teachers often get frustrated that teach government that most people don’t want to get involved in it,” says Milbrandt. “We’re very passionate about it as teachers. Students are not as excited and this will give them a chance to get involved in the commission, see what it’s like, and maybe say ‘I’d like to do that down the road; that might be interesting to go into either as a volunteer on a commission or actually get a job in public policy.”
Young people can contribute to commissions by bringing a unique perspective on issues affecting them. Milbrandt provides an example of this: “Older people tend to see teenagers milling about in areas as out causing trouble or up to mischief. And teenagers and young adults will say ‘No we’re out because we’re having fun, we’re doing things. Perhaps if we had some resources the city might devote money to like increased facilities of Parks and Recreations, the skate park and some other things like that, people would be out having fun but not be seen as causing trouble.” Young residents serving on city commissions can shed light on the experiences and knowledge that other members don’t have access to. As Milbrandt puts it, “They know things, they hear things that older people don’t know and hear. So that perspective’s invaluable.
A pressing issue affecting government on national and local levels is the tendency for leaders to be older with a lack of representation for younger generations. Regarding city commissions, members will eventually age out and will need to be replaced. “If we’re not encouraging the younger participants and residents in town to replace them, they won’t be part of the process,” says Milbrandt. “So these committees will either die off or it’ll be a bunch of old people making decisions.”
It’s no secret that the students of today are the future leaders of tomorrow. San Dimas’ new city commission initiative is a valuable first step in including younger voices in government. Those interested should email City Clerk Debra Black at [email protected] with the commissions they would like to serve on. Milbrandt makes it clear how significant this opportunity is for students. In the short term, they gain experience, but “long term they get to make and encourage policy that will change the direction of the city for years and decades to come.”
