Youth Commission Meeting January 28, 2026

All right. Um, I'm going to call the me I'm doing it wrong. I'm going to call the meeting to order. Um, I'd like to call the or I'd like to call to order the meeting of the Dartmouth Youth Commission. I'm opening this meeting, which has been duly posted in accordance with the state law and the town of Dartmouth by law on Wednesday uh January 28th, 2026 at 700 p.m. This meeting is

being conducted remotely due to Governor Healey's executive uh government Governor Healey's execution on March 28th, 2025 of a further extension of a hybrid remote meeting option and to municipalities which legislation extended the option through June 30th, 2027. This is a public meeting held remotely through the Zoom application and is being recorded. Because of this remote meeting, all votes will be taken

by roll call. Um, I'd like to start the meeting with a roll call.

Commissioner Savage here.

Commissioner Moss here.

And myself, Commissioner Mashado.

Um, okay. Um, okay. Um, do we have a And do we have a quorum, Commissioner Mashado?

Because we have only four commissions, we need three. Okay. Uh we we do because we only have three members present and we have four in total. We need three members to be present. So we do have a quorum.

Thank you.

Yes. Um All right. So um okay.

All right. Next on the agenda um so is the approval of the minutes. So I had sent out the um the meeting minutes from our last meeting. Um so um the meeting minutes from last meetings uh which was um back in November have been sent out prior to this meeting. Um does anyone need a moment to review them?

No.

No.

No.

Okay. Um are there any corrections to the minutes?

No.

No.

Okay. Um then the minutes are approved as present as presented.

[snorts] All right.

Okay. So, looking at the agenda, Dolores, would you like to um kind of fill us in on what's been going on with the youth advocate lately?

Yes. Thank you so much. Um Commissioner Mashado and welcome commissioners. Happy New Year. Um I [clears throat] do apologize. because I am under the weather and um I didn't have an opportunity this week to do a formal report to send out to the commissioners um but I do know what I did so I will talk about it but I will um send out the report within the next couple of days so

everyone has it because it is a matter of public record um so what has been going on um since the last time um I definitely want to talk about well let's back up one more thing I wanted to mention that um we did have an applicant who is interested in being part of the youth commission. I got the um request last week. I was attending the Massachusetts Municipal Association conference. So, I didn't get an

opportunity to um look through it and to contact that individual, but um I will review that um within the next few days, probably the beginning of next week because I um am in class on Fridays and I will talk to the commission about that. So once I have opportunity to do that, I will reach out to the commissioners and then we can kind of move forward to see um what this

person's interest is and um as we've done before um if this person once we do everything um can come to a meeting or have conversations with with us to see if this is something that they want to do.

So with that being said um what's been happening I just mentioned that um I attended the Massachusetts Municipal Association conference is held every year. Um it's for um it's called Connect 351 because there's 351 municipalities in Massachusetts. So that's an annual conference that's held in Boston. Um so I did go I went to some interesting workshops. Um one was that's you. Okay,

hold on. I got it. One had to do with um um language and language capacity and um how are municipalities making sure that the information that um the consumers or um constituents need or residents need they're um in language that um is language that um people understand and can comprehend. So um that was interesting and I also I went to a workshop about um AI and how AI could be

used in municipal governments and things that you should look for things you shouldn't look for um that people are getting so savvy with AI now that they are even um what is it called um when they spoof like spoofing even like websites or things that look official like government websites and people think that it's actually the right the website for government. So they talked about how to find out if it's official

or not and things that you should do and look for. So those that things that's was interesting. I'm sorry I'm a little congested so I sound kind of horrible today. Um so that was interesting. But prior to that um what I did was um the holiday the holiday of giving. So each year since I've been here, I've been here 5 years now. Um around December, we do the toy drive with the Dartmouth

Police Department. They do a toy drive at Target every year. So I usually team up with them to Oh god. Sorry. Um I usually team up with them to do the toy drive. I'm sorry. I'm trying to I don't know how to do that, Crystal. To enable your camera. I was having that issue too for when I first came on like it wasn't letting me turn my video on.

Yeah, it's something new that um I don't know if Dartmouth TV is Are you able to do it?

I don't know how to because I'm clicking on your See if you can do it now, Christa.

Okay.

So, and I will so before I move forward with that, there was some correspondence that came out from um DCTV about Zoom meetings moving forward and how things are going to be because unfortunately people have been like Zoom bombing and coming in and putting in inappropriate things. So, I will send that correspondence out so that you all can understand moving forward how Zoom meetings are going to be. But going back

to the toy drive and Chris, you don't have to write this down. I'm going to send you the stuff about the toy drive.

So, don't worry about writing it down.

Um, so, um, did it a little different this year. Usually the toy drive at Target, um, kind of send us around younger kids because when people like go to Target or some of these places and they donate to fill a bus, they're usually buying items for younger kids.

And I always feel bad when some of the older um, youth, maybe middle school and definitely high school youth, they usually don't get an opportunity to benefit from this because the items that are usually bought and donated are for younger kids. So, I decided to do something to experiment this year. So, I reached out to my co-workers to see if anyone was interested in sponsoring like

a older youth, like middle and high school youth um to buy holiday gifts.

So, to make a long story short, um reached out to the schools, send out correspondents asking them to send me information or um about some of the older kids who would benefit from receiving gifts for the holidays. I got such a huge response from my colleagues at town hall that um I was able to provide um holiday gifts for all of the middle and high school students that um I received a request from. I'm looking

through my paper. Plus, additionally, um any of their siblings that um came forward, I was able to also um get someone to sponsor them. So, as far as the toy drive, I did get a few things from the fill a bus, but the children and the young people who were sent to me were sponsored by people who work for the town of Dartmouth. So, I think it was maybe 39 or 40 of my co-workers

who um sponsored kids, and I'm thinking I had probably over like 60 or 70 kids um that I did this year. So, that was really nice. So, I mean, it was some work, but it it was worth it. And I've gotten a lot of positive feedback from my colleague. They definitely want to do it again. I may try to figure out how to expand it a little. I know I did um get

some people from the community who asked um could they sponsor a child. Right now, I don't have the capacity to do that. I'm a department of one. So it's really it would be very difficult to kind of manage that and also to make sure that things are appropriate that are given to young people. I mean I would I would hope that people with in good conscience would not buy something that's inappropriate for a

child or whatnot but um with my colleagues at least I know who they are and I can kind of you know I can keep that contained. So definitely we'll do it again. Um, and then I got some suggestions from co-workers on maybe how to do it. The schools were extremely appreciative and majority of the gifts were wrapped. So, they even wrapped the gifts for all of the kids.

So, it was I was very impressed. Um, I will send pictures because I did send pictures out to um the co-workers. I'm going to look at my email that actually sponsored kids. So, I definitely was not of the kids but of the gifts. So, you know, because I can't do it with the kids, but um I definitely was shar with the commission too. and also the um the

email that I send out as far as like the breakdown of everything so that the commission knows um how well that went.

So I did that. I also signed up for a conference. I went last year. So it's a conference um it is called um the national um youth um like resiliency conference that is held in um Georgia every year. So, it's one of the biggest conferences in the world um for like youth, youth advocacy, whatnot. I think it's been going on maybe like 30 years now. So, I'll be going again. Um it will

be in March. So, the conference starts on the Saturday and ends on a Wednesday.

So, March 1st through March 4th, I will be at that conference. Um I am also in a leadership program. I think I mentioned something about it earlier. So, on Fridays, um I am in class on Friday. So this is a leadership municipal leadership program in conjunction with um Suffix um college and Mass Municipal Association.

Um you can take this year-long um it's a year-long program. It's a um municipal government and leadership program. So I'm in that program and we have a graduation in June but we meet every Friday. So I'm usually not available on Fridays. Either I'm there in person or we do it on Zoom. So, um, we are in our third module of classes. So, I do have class Friday and they do have homework.

So, it's like being back in school again. Um, I'm trying to see like what else. I mean, and Shnie, I apologize, Commissioner Meadows. I said before you came on that I didn't have an opportunity to do the report, which I will make sure that I send it out. Um, if it's not this week, it'll be the beginning of next week to the commissioner so that you have the report because it is a matter of public record.

So, I will make sure um that I send it out. But just the usual things that I do. Um still attending um some of the meetings. Um community meetings. Um still part of um the um DART which is Dartmouth's advocates for addiction and recovery even though they did hire substance use program coordinator. Um we still met we meet and actually we had our last meeting. they're kind of disbanding and kind of making possibly

an advisory board, but I'm still working closely with um that person. What we're working on right now is coming up with a joint referral form because right now for me as a youth advocate, I have a referral form, but it didn't make sense for her to have a referral form that I have a referral form. We're just going to um do a combined referral form and when we send it out, people can choose

like if they're looking for someone um some help or resources around substance use or if they're looking for something that I can help with maybe some referrals for mental health um camps, whatnot. So, um we're working on doing that right now. My goal is to have that done so that it's a fillable PDF because right now it's not. So, I'm hoping to have that done. We have a new communications person. So, I'm hoping

she can help me do that, too. Um, so that we can have it fillable and hopefully put it up on the websites, send it to the schools and community partners so that people are able to just fill it out and it's just sent directly to us. So, that's something I'm working on with her to make sure that the form contains what she needs and what I need.

Also, I'm trying to think if there's anything else. Like I said, just the normal things that I normally do. Um, like go to meetings, you know, helping.

Oh, one thing too is I'm really trying to um make sure that I send out information about like free resources for like kids and parents. Um I'm getting ready to send some I think I already send it out like Dream Out Loud is getting ready to start up. If they haven't, maybe they start it this week or next week. Um because they do free programming. So I make sure I send that

out to schools. I try to post it on our social media page. Um, I also just received something from SAD O that I'm definitely getting ready to send out.

They have a camp um for I think ages 8 to 14 for those young people who've lost a parent or a guardian to um substance use. So, um it's it's free. I think it's in like near the Birkshars or something.

So, it's free for the youth, but um they have limited spots. So, tomorrow hopefully I'm feeling better. I can go to work. Um, I definitely want to draft something up to send that out to the schools to get it in the electronic backpacks. Um, post it on the page and um, send it out um, to community partners. Like I said, it's limited spots, so I'm not sure how many spots it

is, but um, I think that'll be a great opportunity for some of our young people who have unfortunately lost a parent or a guardian um, to substance um, substance use or substance misuse. Um, today was the pit count. I wasn't able to participate. That's something I usually do. So, the pit count is the point in time count where um it's all over the United States. It's usually one

day is the same day in the United States where you go out and you count the unhoused people who are living um um unhoused. I guess I can say it that way because I don't want to say like living in the woods or what not cuz they could be like sleeping in their cars. So, um so that took place today. Um, so we'll be getting the numbers for that and

usually um usually we kind of know who's out there and kind of working with those individuals. I'm not sure if we found any additional ones. It was so cold. So some people um they're not in the shelters during the day cuz they have to be out. But um they may have found other places to go. So that did happen today.

I'm trying to think what else is going on right now. I think that's about it.

I'm just Oh, I want to talk about summer camp.

So, um, we have a new I think where did we meet? Did we have our new town administrator then? Cody Hadad, I don't know if he was on board the last time we met. So, we do have a new town administrator, um, Cody Hadad. And so when I had supervision with him maybe a couple of months back and we were talking about the youth commission and I said one of the things that the youth

commission is charged with um based on funds that um we have from a donor who wants to remain anonymous is to do summer camps like to pick summer camps and that has worked out well for us. Um he asked about the summer camp through um the Dartmouth um parks and wrecks because they do have a summer camp here in Dartmouth for Dartmouth residents.

Um, previously that wasn't an option.

Um, when I approached the person [clears throat] who was in charge at the time, it just it didn't work out. So, now there's a different person who's in charge. Now, I reached out to that individual because there has to be a price point because we only have so much money. Um, we usually spend between, what is it, maybe 12 to maybe $1,700 um a little bit more than that um each year for summer camps to supplement

summer camps for young people. So, um, speaking with the director of parks and reccks, um, and I'll send this to you, Christrista. Don't worry.

Speaking to her, she was open to, um, partnering with, um, us and working with us to, um, supplement or pay for summer camps for the youth who attend, um, the summer camps through the parks or Rex.

So, um I'm excited about that because we know um one of the criteria um Commissioner Savage that the donor asked is that the youth be a resident of Dartmouth. It has to be a resident of Dartmouth. Um the second criteria, it can't be the same youth that has benefited before because they want to make sure that the funds are accessible to as many youth as possible. You know, that could happen, but um so far it

hasn't happened. And I think if we use the summer camp and parking parks and wrecks our younger kids and we definitely they our Dartmouth kids, we probably will get a different set of youth than we have in the past working with the YMCA in Dartmouth, which they've been great. The YMCA in Dartmouth has been phenomenal. But it is up to the discretion of the youth commission um like what summer camps

they want to use. I know we've talked about it before. We've made suggestions um and the Dartmouth by has been a great partner with us. Um but I would love for us to try to explore um some other camps if we can if they're willing to partner with us to maybe broaden the net to try to capture some more Dartmouth youth who may do camps at different places than

the YMCA. So, I thought that was um I was very encouraged about that and, you know, excited to work with the parks and works department um to fund camps for kids. And honestly, I think we may be able to do more kids because when she told me the price, and I'll let you know what it is, but I can't think of it right off hand, but I was thinking about

what we were sending to the YMCA and it actually I think is less than what we were sending to the Y per. So, we may actually be able to help more youth this year, but we'll see. So, um like I said, it's up to the discretion of the commission. I mean, I'm definitely okay with it. I think it would be a great partnership. Um unless the commission decides they want to explore a different

camp. You know, I would like to propose that we um use the Dartmouth Parks and Rex camp this year to fund um supplemental camps for youth. I think that was a big thing. I wanted to get that out of the way because I know we only meet quarterly and it's going to be time to start camps within the next couple of months.

I think that is it for now. Oh, one more thing. Um the MLK is going to be in my notes, too. So, I sit on the um MLK um creative expression committee um and we had an event in that was just this month, a few weeks ago. What we do is we send out like an essay with prompts. Um youth can either do an essay, they can do poetry, they can do

artwork. And um in the past, like a few years ago, it was only open to um young people who lived in New Bedford. But since I've been part of this committee, I've, you know, encouraged them to look at like the greater New Bever area. So we do have youth that participate from Dartmouth. And we've actually had some youth from Dartmouth that win. So, we still this year had a few um youth from

Dartmouth that participated. Um even though they didn't win, I'm just very happy that they are participating um in the MLK um creative expression and our previous commissioner um that worked at Bishop Stang kind of encouraged some of the students at Sting to participate in that too. So, um that still goes on and it's been exciting about that and I'm very happy that youth um in Dartmouth

and even um Friends Academy, we had some youth at Friends Academy um that participated. So, trying to make sure that, you know, if I'm involved in these committees and they're doing things and they're, you know, basically focused in New Bedford, but if they're for greater New Bedford, I always push like we need to get our Dartmouth kids involved. We need to, you know, make sure that we

spread the word here in Dartmouth, too, because it just doesn't serve New Bedford. It's greater in New Bedford.

And I want to remind people that that includes Dartmouth also. So, that was a lot that said, but I will send that all to you guys. I just wanted to give you the lowdown about what I've been doing, but that is it for me right now.

Thank you, commissioners.

Great. And actually, that kind of goes into the the next was about summer camp.

So, um I'm just wondering what type of programming does the parks and rec offer? Do they kind of go into like what type of activities they do for the kiddos or Well, no, not really. But I will say one year um when maybe a few years ago, the camps were at two different um elementary schools, but they just didn't have enough staff one year, so they housed it at is it the Melo or Quinn? in

one in one um year I helped out one day because they you know they needed help.

So um some of the activities I know they do a lot of outdoor activities. They were doing some arts and crafts. Um but I can't give you the specifics but I can get that information for you. But I do know that the new parks the um the director of parks and um Rebecca Armaral that she does like to do a lot of different things like either like with water like like not taking them to the

water but like activities that involve water or like arts and crafts.

Definitely they do a lot of outdoor things too. I know they have to bring their own lunch though so I know that's not provided. Um, but I can definitely um send that information to the commission and um I'm not sure if their application is out yet too and if it is I can send that so that you're you can see what the application process looks like and um what is required for the

young person. So I can make a note of that. I can send that to you.

And I'll let you know how long the camps are too because I can't remember. I know I think it's a full day, but um I will follow up and get give that information to the commissioners. Okay.

Yeah.

Okay. Thank you.

Any other questions about camps or thoughts?

Um, what do they do at YMCA?

It just depends on what camp they sell because they have the different age groups. So, okay.

Yeah. So, I can't tell you that either because I know they have cuz my go So, my son goes so um they What's the age range for that, Commissioner Matt? For your son cuz I know they're different age groups. He's um nine, but he's been going since he was kindergart in kindergarten. So they have like every day is like a structured like every hour they have something going on and then they do they have the

pool so they do the pool but it's all they spend the whole time basically outdoors unless it's um not good weather then they go like inside but the whole thing is like everything is like outdoor activity whether they go um do some farming stuff and then they have I don't know I know they might have a place where they I don't I know if it has a pond or whatever it has, but I know look

at the frogs or something like that.

They do like arts and crafts, play basketball, just like things like that.

Don't they have like specialty camps too? I don't know if that's at the Dartmouth Y.

Yeah. Um I they do and that's an additional cost. So the specialty camp is um more money than just the regular camp. And then they do have for older kids where you can I think at the age I think it's like 14 or 15 like camp counselor like kind of training that they have there.

That's true. I think it's I think it's Yeah, either 14 or 15. Yeah.

Whatever. Yeah, that age. And I do remember I can't remember exactly what the Dartmouth one had. I remember looking at it to sign my son up, but I think it's just basically almost the same like the Y like outdoor except the only thing is that the Y has the pool.

Yeah.

I want to say that's probably it's not like they go on field trips like the Y.

They don't go on field trips or anything like that. Everything is at at that location, right?

Yeah.

If you want, if the commissioners would like, if you want me to get like information about like and thank you, Commissioner Matts, as far as like, you know, if a child was going to the Dartmouth YMCA camp, like some of the things that they do at the camps at the YMCA and then what they do um with the Dart Dartmouth Parks and Rex, I can get that information and send that out to

the commissioners and um and do I mean because it's up to you to decide which one and then with that information um you can make a cho make a decision as far as which camp you would like um to have the funds go to this year. So if you would like I can send that information out to you guys.

Yeah. I could also like um send you a calendar like because every week they'd send a calendar of like what they were doing. So I could just send you one to give you an example of what the week looked like.

Okay. Thank you so much, Commissioner Mats.

You're welcome.

And and Dolores, do you get your um like so how do families hear about the funding? I'm trying to remember. Um and it would probably be good for Commissioner Savage. Um yes. So how it work so we've only been using Excuse me. I apologize. Hold on.

Sorry. The Dartmouth YMCA. So how it works I work great greatly with Rochelle at the Dartmouth Y. So, um, one of the criterias also was that, um, it had to be a camp that, um, like offered scholarships because the the funding is so limited that, um, the money we the funding the funding source wouldn't be able to pay for like a full camp, like $500 per child. They wouldn't be able to

do that. So, what the YMCA camp does is um, it's on a first come, first serve.

So it's not based on a person's income because that's that's not some information that we should p be privy to like are we basing it on need based how many kids they got like we just don't do that. So it's a first come first serve. So um the families they fill out like a scholarship application and um whatever is remaining is what is picked up through um the funding source. So,

for an example, usually um when I get an invoice from Rochelle, um for one youth is probably no more than like $120, maybe $140.

So, the parent wouldn't have to pay that amount. Um we would um cover that cost and then the rest of it is covered through um the scholarship or however they do it at the YMCA. So, they have a process. They know um who is what.

Rochelle and I work really well together. We've been doing it. I think two or three years. So, we've never had a child overlap. So, she has her list. I keep a list of all of the youth because I do have the invoices. So, I know um what names have come through before. She does also. So, um it's a first come first serve because if we had to advert

it it Yeah. I don't know how we would do that. And it would still have to go through the YMCA. So, um it is a first come first serve basis. And once um the funds are up, they're up. So, and the funding is different every year, Commissioner Savage, um because the money is in like a money market account.

So, it just depends on how um well the market did that year um depends on how much money is being used. Um we've calculated through the funding source that whatever amount is in the account.

It's 20% every year is used for camp.

So, 20% this year could be $2,000, 20% next year could be 1,200. just depends on like the what's going on with the market and how much money is in the account. So instead of saying a certain dollar amount every year, we just do 20%. Um, and it's so funny because I send a report out. I don't know if I send it out to the commissioners. So I do a report every year to the funding

source to let them know how many youth um we sponsored and how much money was spent. And the funding source was like, I thought we only had so much money in the account. How how is it that you were able to fund have more funds this year than the previous year? And I explained to the funding source that it was a good year obviously and um we were able to um

fund more kids. I actually have I had to do a town report. I can tell you exactly what we did last year. Let's see, maybe not the um the amount, but I can tell you it was um we were able to support eight youth last year. Um, four boys, five um, yeah, four boys.

Oh, I'm sorry. Four boys and four girls.

I'm sorry. With five youth being between the ages of four and six and three between the ages of seven and 14. So, usually on average since we've been doing this, it's been between maybe like 8 and 12 youth that we've been able to um, supplement the camp. And what happens also, Commissioner Savage, if a parent had actually paid their amount, but um we if a parent paid their amount,

but they were on the list to, you know, to receive the supplemental fund, then we would cut the parent a check for that amount and send them the money. So, thank you for explaining that.

Yeah, no problem. I'm sorry. I forgot to turn around.

Thank you.

No problem. Yeah, I mean I'm fine with sending information just like I've seen like been post recently like they're offering like dance classes and stuff like that at parks and wreck, but I was just curious um on like what the actual camp entails because it sounds fun. I just Yeah.

Yeah. And it could be different things different. Like I said, it's a different um um Rebecca Amaral is open. It's a different director now, too. Okay. Um and um and it was so funny because in previous years I'm sorry my mic can Okay, my thing is jacked up. Um in previous years um for the youth who were running the camps um I was working with parks and reps to do like a mini

training on you know you know working with um young people who um may have um some mental health challenges and like how to approach a child if you know if you see this this is what you should do and you know um how to deescalate situations. So I did that for a couple of years with some of the new campers that were going in. So, that's how I kind of knew about some of the things

that were going on with the camps.

I'm sorry, my m my ear thing is going out.

And I think the the camp at the um Dharm wreck that I I remember that that gets booked up quickly. I feel like once they send out that they're take that you can like sign your kid up, it gets booked up.

It does. It It gets booked. You're right. Um Commissioner Meadows, it does get booked um really fast. And probably if that's the route that the commissioners will go, um I need to speak to the director cuz we hadn't cuz we hadn't earned anything out because I let her know that I needed to speak with the commission to see if this is what they wanted to do cuz they may decide

not to. Um but I told her if this is the route that we're going to go, then we have to talk about how this going to work because you're right, what probably would happen if we use them is that the parents um it is on a first come first- serve basis. So, I don't know if the parents would pay and then we would reimburse them. I'm not I need to figure

out how that process works. Um because with the YMCA, it's more like I got the invoice and I just paid the invoice. So, I'm hoping if that's the route that we take, if I have a conversation with um the director of that department and if we decide to go that route to say um whatever kids have been identified, just let us know, send us an invoice and we will pay like directly to

um I have to figure out how that works because it's going to be going to parks and reccks. I work for the town, too.

So, we'll figure that piece out. I don't know um if that's the route that we're going to go, but um I do know that when she gave me the rate and you know what, I'm going to pull it up right now. It was cheaper. Not to say the Dartmouth Y is phenomenal. The Dartmouth Y is phenomenal, but I do remember and I was like, it's actually cheaper than the invoices that I paid with the Dartmouth

Y. So, I'm like, would that be a better option maybe one year to see if we can get more youth um sponsored because, you know, it just depends. Let me see.

I'm going to see. I'm going look at her email because she did send me an email.

It's going to take me a minute, but you guys can let me talk. But I finally [clears throat] Oh. Aha. I got it right here.

She said, "The program is $125 per week." So, that is cheaper than the money that I would send to the Y. Even for a supplement that is still cheaper because usually the Y I'm sending Oh yeah, it's more than that. Probably 150 to 100. It's more than that. The supplements are more than that. So it's 125.

Yeah. So because she said it's a the reason why they don't reduce the rate is because they're completely self-funded and need full payment to cover um the expenses for the staff. Okay.

All right. So 125 a week. That's I [clears throat] know it's actually that's why it looks up so fast because of how it is.

When I saw that 125 Yeah, that's I thought it was I thought I couldn't remember cuz I remember looking into it. I couldn't remember if it was like 150. I was like, "Okay, the last time I checked, I thought it was like around that price range, but I wasn't sure if it had gone up."

So, I just got that email from her like maybe a month or so ago when um when I was approached by um the um town administrator to say, "Hey, have you thought about using this camp?" And I was like, "Actually, I think the first year we did the very first year when we got the funding source and it just didn't work out." And actually, community voting came up at one time

too. And I mean, we did our due um diligence reaching out to community voting because that would have been great because that was the funding source. That was one of the camps that the funding source mentioned. I and I'm just going to be very transparent. I reached out multiple times and it just they it was no response and I don't know why. I don't I can't give you the answer to that, but we

couldn't wait. We needed to move on with that. So, um and you know, there could be something we can try again. I mean, maybe something was going on that year, but it was I just didn't know why they didn't respond. They just didn't. I don't know.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah. This was actually November when she sent this to me. Wow. This has been a while. So, yeah, we talked about this in November. Sorry. Okay.

Thank you.

Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. Send us some stuff because I'm looking at it. It doesn't look like on their website. The stuff's posted yet, but I last year it looks like it's like 8:30 to 4:15 is kind.

Yeah. So, um if you get any more info, but I mean I'm fine with this, you know, this you know thing.

Okay. So what we can do I mean I I'm in it, you know, for your pleasure if once I send out the information and as the commission um because we probably won't we're not going to meet before um camp starts and then you can make you know because we'll put it in the minutes that um the commissioners will review it and based on the information that I send will let me know email me which one you

prefer.

Okay.

Sorry. You're good. Oh, I'm struggling struggling.

I think the only thing we really had on the agenda was just kind of talking a little bit of [clears throat] around like what the youth commission mission is really and like how like we can be supportive like moving forward. I know a lot of what we've talked about over the past few years since I've been involved has really been summer camps and and um you know we had talked about fundraising

at one point but I guess like with this new group of people that we have a new group of commissioners just kind of like thinking of like where do we want to go?

How could we be helpful? What are we willing to do? You know just kind of having that like conversation with us.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I was thinking about that today because I was like, you know, like the mission because it's um the youth commission is a lot different than some of the other, you know, the boards and and um through the town where they um I don't want to say more structured, but things are just a little different than the youth commission. And I know um years ago with some of the old commissioners, one of

the things they wanted to hopefully do or to start with like a scholarship um to the youth commission can do like a scholarship every year, maybe one or two scholarships um for Dartmouth youth, but that would involve like doing fundraising or getting some type of cash. And I know that um one of the previous um commissioners um wanted to do like some type of fundraising and did the um what was it? Um, Joe.

Yeah. Yeah. Joe's is it called? What is is it called? What is it called? Joe's original.

Okay. I was I was gonna say Joe's basic, but something something with Joe's basic. I'm sorry. Joe's original. Joe's basic. I don't know. It just came. But, um, but that was a fairly e, you know, easy fundraiser. And I think we had talked, I mean, the commission as a commission talked about like maybe do a fundraiser or maybe do some fundraising um, during the year. Um, because we all

have lives. We all have lives. So, it would have to be um you know, really thought through about. But one of the things I thought about and I'm just putting this out to the commissioners because um like I said, I do the holiday drive, but maybe it could be something along those lines. Um Thanksgiving, I usually don't do much. The schools usually have things under control. No, they usually have sources that they're

able to um help um families in need um during Thanksgiving. But I thought to myself, I said, "Wouldn't that be something wonderful if as the commission if they like did like a a small project, whether it be um um let's say Thanksgiving because usually people get like a turkey and the size and I'm thinking everybody doesn't have a kitchen because some people are on house. So, you know, if we're

providing meals for people, maybe provide meals for people um that if we're thinking about our unhoused population that or people who are living in hotels that will still be able to prepare because you're not going to be you're not going to put a turkey in a oven at a hotel because there's no oven at a hotel. So, that might be a project.

Um, even if it's something say like doing um like a like a food drive, like the youth commission is doing a food drive for items um for the holidays that are maybe like non-traditional for maybe some families who may not have a stove, a kitchen, items that people can prepare maybe like in a microwave. I know people don't like microwaves, but I'm thinking about some things that are easy or that

don't require you to have like a full-fledged kitchen. So that could be a project to say like the youth commission is doing this and these are some of the items that if you want to donate because I thought about that that's not I'm not saying something easy lift but I think that's something to start. Um, and I definitely can like help with that. It be the source where people drop it off,

but that could maybe be a project because I was thinking about that like Christmas, like things like that or non-traditional. And also too, um, what I said, I think I said it in the, um, the Dartmouth week, we talk about food insecurities that happens 365 days a year. I know people are really, really generous during the holidays times, and I'm very appreciative of that. But I just want to remind people that food

insecurities happen every day. like there somebody going hungry right now.

So, um that might be like a project like to like like do like food donations. Um I would say like back to school, but I usually have like school on wheels. They usually have that on lock with that with the um back to school thing. But, you know, maybe something like that and maybe doing a non-traditional time because we're always thinking about the holidays and usually that's when people are really

generous, Thanksgiving and um the December holidays, but maybe like an off like, you know, we're doing a food drive and um and maybe to find like families in the community that can benefit from that. some of our unhoused families or um and when I say unhoused doesn't mean that they're living on the street, but they could be like living with a family or living in a car, but something that's

um tangible for them to to use without them needing um a kitchen or appliances or things like that. So, I just thought about that today. I was like, maybe that's something that as a commission um that we could do like a food drive or or something like that.

Well, and I think about like in the summertime, right? like like thinking of in terms of those kiddos that like maybe they depend on the school lunch as as their main source of food and when they don't have that in the summertime like there is there anything that the community does I know like during co we were like letting people come pick up their lunches and we had I know the Y actually has the United Way

but is that something where it's like make sure that the children have food over the summer like I know Newford does the parks housing developments And so something like that too, like non-traditional time like you're saying.

I really love that idea and it's so funny that you brought that up because I was thinking about that and I said um I think one year maybe my first year here or second year I was approached by um what is it the what no the United Way I think that's who approached me to see about it was during a um I think spring break or whatever I got um a call to say

hey we're able to um provide like lunches like during the spring break um for kids in Dartmouth you know would you be interested I was like I definitely would be interested. I just unfortunately, excuse me, it didn't work out as far as like getting a school to say yes, I can do this because it was like who's going to man it, who's going to do I mean, I don't know all the logistics, but um and

the person, I'm not going to say who it was that worked or um the Y um had said they had been trying to reach out to maybe do something like that in Dartmouth and it just for whatever reason didn't work out. But you're right. I'm thinking about things like that, like the summers, like doing spring breaks, things like that. Even if it's um [clears throat] Oh, I have an idea. Even if we like like

do like a food drive like that and like have like some of these non-p perishable things and we just pack them up so that um like in the summer or during the break, you know, I don't know how we would get them to families or kids, but it could be things like peanut butter or like crackers, things like that that are non-p perishables that we can have um that we can give them to families so

that you're right during the summer and I think about you're right during the breaks like these kids depend on you know food from some of them. I'm not saying all um lunches and some schools do breakfast. I don't know if there schools in Dartmouth do breakfast. Do they do breakfast in Dartmouth? I don't know. Do they? Okay. Um but they depend on some of that cuz sometimes that's the only meals that they get, right?

So that I mean I really love that idea.

I was actually going to reach out to this contact I had at the Hawaii I mean the United Way. Um or to reach out to like New Bedford like the you know parks and rec because my son does it here in New Bever. does the food in the park?

Like how how can we get involved in that? And what do you need to do like logistically? Like because there's no it couldn't be at a park. It would have to be maybe like at a school, but like how do you um man that, you know, could we get volunteers? Because I was thinking about that. It may not be this year because it's already J. But I love that idea of trying to do that even

if it's not the whole summer. Even if like the first year we're like we're only able to do it for like spring break or winter break, whatever, right? I mean, I really love that idea. So, let me do some more research on that, too, and get back to you as the commissioners because I was really thinking about that. I was like, I really would like to do something like that. I just don't

like I said, I'm a department of one, so it's really hard. But, um, the manpower and also it would need to be somewhere or a location maybe maybe even the libraries.

I'm just going to say that with the libraries. Um, Dena St. Pierre, she's the director of library services. She is phenomenal. she has, you know, she's willing to partner like with me as a youth commission when I talk about ideas. She's like, I'm on board if, you know, if we're able to partner together.

So, that might be a location like come by between this time and this time to get like a me or, you know, like a bag with like some items in it or whatever.

I like that. You know what? I like that.

I do like that.

I do. And I'm sure that like if you let the schools know, maybe they could identify families that they would say like, "Hey, could you put this bag aside for this family? I'm going to send them here." Like I know they pass with the the holiday stuff. So, yes. Thank you. Yes.

All right.

And daycarees, too, right? Like And the daycarees, too. Yes, you're exactly right. Yes. Thank you.

Okay. thoughts on that stuff like where people see this going or any ideas they have.

Um I just think to do like things like that we would just have to meet more often just to get it working because I kind of feel like us meeting the way we do it's just going to take longer to get it going.

Yeah.

What were you gonna say Bonnie?

Good point. That's a good point. Um I was I don't know if this is the platform, but just um wondering if uh like I doing something to celebrate diversity or culture um could be something that is explored in here.

writing it down.

Is it April is national diversity and culture? Um I know at work we c we do we do some some big stuff in April around that. But I think it is um because I too try to like I have a bulletin board outside my office and whenever we have meetings I'm like this is this month is blah blah blah month. This month is blah blah blah month. Um, and to piggyback

off of what Commissioner Matto said, if that, you know, this is, you know, something that the commission wants to do. Um, as commissioners, you decide how often we meet. We give it monthly, bimonthly, quarterly. I think, um, actually, we were meeting when I first started every month. We were meeting every month. And I think um, it was with people's um, time commitments and things that they had to do. It was getting

difficult for people to meet monthly.

Then we started meeting quarterly. But um even if this is a project that we want to start working on to say um you know we'll meet like every other month to kind of get it off of the ground and then um you can decide because it's not in the bylaws to say that you have to meet every month. It's just said that you just have and you can decide how

But um if the commissioners decide that you know if this is a project they want to work on and um maybe meet more often for the next few months or whenever we want to start to kind of get it off of the ground that is totally up to the commission.

So what like I so I apologize I didn't want to jump I didn't want to cut you off. I apologize. But what I can do on my end, like I said, I'm kind of reach out to some of these places that I talked about like the um United Way um and talk to and just have a conversation with the director of libraries to see like, hey, if this is something that um

the youth commission is looking into, we're just we're in exploratory stage right now, but would you be willing to partner?

um because we definitely we definitely would need a partner and as a north branch library and a south branch and I do know that um there's so many other bar barriers that come into it like you know accessibility transport things like that. So I mean a lot of things that we have to think about but um to see if we have partners and um to reach out to the

schools to say hey this is an idea right now but you know in order for it to work we would need to partner with the schools also to kind of identify maybe youth and families um we can do that.

Um, also, Commissioner Savage, what you were saying, um, if the commission wanted to do something around diversity, um, and culture, like a project or an event, it is totally up to the commission what you decide to do. So, yes. So, that's one of the the good things about um, you know, you being the the youth commission more like an advisory and like, hey, I think this would be, you know, a good thing to do as youth

commissioner, something in the community. Um, I will say this. I don't know if it's going to be this year, but maybe next year, I really wanted to explore um doing um something for Pride Month. I know Westport last year, I think Westport did something for Pride Month. I'm like, Westport is like small like Dartmouth. Like I said, I would love to um to like to celebrate and recognize like like Pride Month um and

maybe some of the other, you know, other things also, but when I saw that Westport did something, I was like, can we do something here?

I said, why? I mean, I I mean, I was very pleased and happy that Westport did something and I was like, wow. Like, that would really be something I would love to explore here in Dartmouth. But um we'll see. So I've been thinking about that, but I said I'm a department of one, so I can't do everything. So I have these great ideas. I have these grandiose ideas, trust me. And you know,

as time goes on, this has been year five and I've been doing some things. I mean, each year I try to do something a little different, you know, um to enhance, you know, what I do and enhance the community and and the youth. But I am definitely I love the um the idea of um with surrounding diversity and culture and maybe working on a project for that too. So I like these ideas.

All right. Anything else? Anyone um anyone any other announcements from commissioners or anything else anyone wants to bring? Anything up?

Okay. Um, so it seems like we're uh just to confirm um right now on the books we have a meeting scheduled for April 8th at 7 p.m.

Does that work with everyone still?

Yeah. And it doesn't conflict with the other meeting that you have to attend, Rachel Loris.

So what happened? I apologize, Commissioner. So I am I'm part of the I'm a commissioner here in New Bever for the Human Rights Commission. So, we switched our meetings to the third Wednesday of the month now. So, that's why that's why it was a conflict. I'm like, "Oh, we meet the third Wednesday."

So, if it's not the third Wednesday, we're good.

I think it's the second Wednesday.

Okay. Good.

Okay.

And then, yeah, my executive and I'm also um um executive committee. I sit on the executive committee for the um New Bedford branch of the NAACP and we meet the first Monday of the month. So, yeah, those things are other than that I'm okay. So we can keep April 8th and then if something comes up in between that we want to meet to if any more research on this project and we want to meet in

between um to discuss that we can we can do that as well. Um and then we can kind of well not vote we'll make a decision off um offline essentially between now and April regarding the summer camps once the information is sent. Okay. Yeah. All right. So we're at the end of our meeting. Um, can I get a motion to adjourn the meeting?

I move to adjourn the meeting.

Can we get a second?

A second.

Okay. Um, it's been moved and seconded to adjourn. Um, all those in favor?

I I All right. Um, all right. Roll call.

Final roll call. Commissioner Moss here.

Jordan. Okay. Commissioner Savage All right. This meeting has been adjourned. Adjoined adjoined at 8:02 p.m.