By Young Joon Lim

TRENTON -- The idea about the setting up of a youth council was presented at the Town Council Thursday night.

Town Clerk Kelly Campbell, who proposed forming it at last month's meeting, said 12 youths between age 14 and 18 have signed up for a youth council membership and a few more are considering the same.

The coming Trenton Youth Council will aim at learning how local government works, increasing communication between young people and adults and developing service projects with community activities, she explained.

Councilman Scott McKendrick requested that Campbell submit a written final plan to the Town Council so that the Council can approve and finance the Youth Council by the next meeting on Dec. 2.

"Campbell needs to call Stan Gary [Community Development Educator at Utah State University] and get some advice from him to organize our youth council," McKendrick said. "She will find out how much it costs and how we can train young people."

If Campbell draws up successful detailed plan, including its cost, objectives, initial date and attribution for Trenton, the Youth Council will be authorized under the Town Council.

"I guess we can support from $500 up to $2,000 for it per year," Mayor Perry Spackman said. "In the next meeting, we will review Kelly's final plan. Then, if everything looks feasible, we will approve it."

He said if approved, the new Youth Council could make its initial meeting in January 2004.

To accelerate forming of the Youth Council, Campbell appointed a Heber City native Megan Dering as their adviser. Dering moved to Trenton five months ago. Dering said she raised funds by washing cars for the Heber City Youth Council. The youth council members used the funds to decorate around the City Hall with flowers.

"Getting something done for the city, youths could have a voice in their local communities," Dering said. "We represented our peer group's thoughts and the city got great assistance. That was a win-win game for the city and our youths."

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