JAG-K Student Interns with City of Russell

KRSL, August 7, 2024 – click to see the original article

The Russell City Council met Tuesday and adopted an amended ordinance recommended by the Russell Planning Commission pertaining to fences.

According to City staff, submitted to the City Council was an amendment to the zoning regulations. The change better defines the classifications of fences, primarily class four picket style fences, as well as the addition of class six split rail fence. This amendment also makes changes to fences on retaining walls regarding where the maximum height is measured from.

The Planning Commission held a public hearing on July 11. After review of the information presented, the Planning Commission voted to recommend the approval of the amendment to the zoning regulations.

Also Tuesday, the Council approved moving forward with a Russell Youth Council following a presentation by City Intern Astral Jennings and Deputy City Manager Kayla Schneider.

City staff has developed a partnership with Russell High School’s JAG-K program in an effort to promote workforce development and engage local youth.

The inclusion of a youth representative for the City Council will accomplish several goals according to City staff and Jennings, including encouraging civic engagement, developing relationships between student and City leaders, providing an opportunity to obtain a youth perspective on a broad range of community issues and developing future civic leaders.

Jennings’ final project as an Ogallala Commons intern has been to assist with the development of a Russell Youth Council program. Through her research and collaboration with City staff and JAG-K Career Specialist Raina Tomlinson, a proposal of the program outline was developed, the City Council gave its approval Tuesday and the program will be implemented for the 2024-2025 school year.

Some of the member requirements and duties of the Russell Youth Council representative will be to attend at least one City Council meeting a month, participate in an apprenticeship program with the City of Russell, make and take comments from an online form for youth to express their concerns, advise the City Council based off of these comments from youth, bring issues that youth have brought up to City staff for consideration then to the City Council and report back to the youth of the high school any information from City Council meetings.

(Information courtesy City of Russell.)