St. Mary's County, MD Youth Advisory Committee for St. Mary's County, 7 Jun 2021

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From YouTube: 6/7/21 Youth Advisory Commission for St. Mary's County

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A

All right awesome so today is june 7th 2021, and I now bring this meeting to.

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And a smart okay, can I get an emotion.

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All right awesome, okay, so we have minutes for today.

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The objective was to sort of go over our plan for the presentation to the commissioners.

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uh So we can actually move to that as well. So I motion to approve.

B

Can I just interrupt for a quick second, we just want to make sure we're documenting everything.

B

Did you in fact um approve your minutes.

A

Yes, okay, fantastic, then we're good keep rolling. Thank you yeah, of course, um so I'm just gonna.

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Put the presentation up since um you may not be familiar with it, which is totally fine.

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Just give me one moment to share my screen.

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And while we're waiting, how are you doing? I haven't been able to see you in a while.

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Is school? Good is good good.

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Yeah 10th grade's a pivotal year.

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A

Yeah, especially with hybrid.

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I only have like I have one in class where I'm just completely alone, so yeah.

B

Awesome today, oh wow, well you know you get one right better.

A

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So we were also going to like review the presentation, but it was more like for us.

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um Planning how we're going to present it, but since everyone's here um you know.

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We'll figure that out later right now, I guess we can just really see what your thoughts are.

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On it, um what do you think of our plans for 2021? Is it sharing? Is it working.

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Is brianna there awesome.

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So I I started the presentation with showing like how we've grown in the last four years.

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It'd be three days um it just sort of shows like how we started and then how we're going.

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To go through into the future, so my idea is to create a more dynamic unit work as a team to.

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Create positive change in saint mary's county and now you're probably going to ask well why? How.

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But I I put the slide of our accomplishments to go a little bit more into our past.

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So here is the youth.

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Well, the ymca initiative, which was from the other.

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The other board members that were on the commission, which they were actually.

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Quite successful, they just passed um the budget for that which is really awesome.

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And um they also discussed like um racial injustice within the criminal justice system.

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And you know they face those kind of issues and sort of advise the public.

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What they thought, which I think is great um and now I connect that into like our future.

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So these are my ideas, I'm thinking that we could really improve the youth of this community through.

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Giving them opportunities to grow, and you know having that public awareness and that outreach so.

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That means like leadership, programs and volunteer programs and environmental engagement programs.

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Like just giving opportunities to these kids, I think would be really beneficial.

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And also just for the leaders that are, you know putting it together.

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Like my idea is having brand sort of programs- not all of them, of course, but some.

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Like let's say I ask you, what is climate change hypothetically, I'm.

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Not going to put you on the spot because you know what's mean, but.

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Would you be able to explain that or if I asked you about ocean acidification.

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You know- and these are like big things that are impacting the environment that will continue to.

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Impact the environment and thus us and our natural resources, that's a huge issue and if.

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We're not educated, how can we make decisions on what is best for the um progression of society.

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um So now I I put a like picture of the choice program, which is what I'm working on.

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In choptakon and I hope to grow.

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And then I go into more depth about the initiatives such as the choice program.

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Which moves to um you know.

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Entice and um embody like get get students to embody courage, hope.

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Optimism, involvement and change, and also, of course, the youth global green advocates organization,.

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And that would move to globalize the youth and also just stimulate more education on various.

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Cultures and various ecological issues out of our realm, see the issue I feel like in saint mary's.

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County is that we live on a place in the peninsula and we're really like included from this big world.

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Especially as like youth, like we don't see the whole picture, and it's not really our fault.

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um And then this is just like an example of a layout of upcoming events. This is not what it's.

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Really, these are not the logistics of the choice program right now. It's always changing, but.

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Yeah like we're going to have an information session on friday, but um you know.

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And then this is just our plan to you know successfully meet our goals and initiatives.

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For 2021., then, that, like it, includes like public advocacy um and like you.

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Know, educate improving the educational system like partnerships with the educational system.

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And then you know just engaging and doing public outreach, you know and then this is like the.

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The poster I had the choice program voted.

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It would have been like 2019, so it was like last school year and.

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It it honestly, is just awesome. This is like our little logo, but that subject will probably change.

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We're still figuring out the logistics, I mean you come up to this picture. You just.

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See you're like starting out. This is not a huge idea yet like here um towards the far bottom.

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So the choice program moved to create a card for veterans, so I I went throughout the entire school.

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Like scavenging for signatures- and I would talk about like what we were doing and how we.

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Were trying to thank veterans on veterans day and express we're so thankful for them and their work.

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And I was actually able to go with the poetry club, which I was actually in and also um I just wrote a.

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Little letter- and we got over a hundred and like these pictures, it was really awesome and it just.

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Shows how much determination can really get you know. You know they were so thankful um and so kind.

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And it was really heartwarming, like you know what their service and their diligence to protect. This.

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Country really has brought them, so I mean it's: it's a huge experience to feel that and see that.

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And you know awesome so, and those are the kind of opportunities we give. These kind of programs.

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You know, and then that doesn't cost like you know like giving back to your community next to nothing.

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And then um I was thinking about doing like legislation.

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So this is quite ambitious, but um I was thinking about moving towards a more sustainable like.

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Human dynamic in saint mary's county, so what that means is essentially moving towards like.

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Net zero carbon and like moving to um renewable energy like getting rid of coal.

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And also doing like green infrastructure like um more sustainable um operations by businesses that.

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Are here and like you know, if they can't do that, maybe tax credit like this is.

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Something that not only would probably bring revenue, but also you know, prove something.

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To you know, residents and other like companies that are here, but this matters to us.

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You know if we could get this past year would be, and then I was also thinking about doing like.

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I mean it's honestly just going to be built, but it would.

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It would be like a recycling, a federal recycling infrastructure system, where manufacturers would.

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Take responsibility, for you know their single products, because all it's causing.

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Our recycling is causing a lot of stress onto you, know those single-sourced, um cycling programs.

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You know, and some of them are ran by the state and other others. Just aren't like saint mary's.

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Obviously, doesn't have a recycling program, it has like recycling programs like recycling.

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Centers but it doesn't have a facility in which you know actually sorts recycling, and you know.

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Takes responsibility for that and it goes all the way up to capital heights actually.

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And when it gets to capital heights, they sort it um so paper all that stuff. It goes in.

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Separate um you know ways, and then it just comes together in its categorized and organized systems.

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Yes, I'm simplifying this, but um essentially it after that's all done and.

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All that money goes into it like funding the employees, all that stuff, you don't know what.

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To do with it, because the manufacturers are not taking responsibility, so I mean they could.

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Be getting revenue right now, but no one wants to buy these people use products because.

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Technically, it would probably be cheaper for them to just reproduce them.

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So it's it's a huge issue and if the federal government stepped in created.

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Legislation that all states could follow, it wouldn't be an issue and also, you know.

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These big companies and big corporations that are creating this waste, which, by the way, goes all.

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Throughout the all throughout the world because of the gyres and which moves them everywhere,.

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Which is a whole other? You know idea that I won't even get into because environmental science, but.

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Essentially, it's just it's just a huge mess and we need to take responsibility as a developed country.

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As a country of consumerism, I mean consumers um like we have to do something about this.

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But we're silent about it because you know we're scared to jump in.

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Operations- and I totally get that you know it's- it's important to have those sort of decisions, but.

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What are your impact not impacting? I know for a fact we're in how I know for a fact.

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As well, we're impacting environmental health like this is not an issue that we can just.

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Go to the back of the corner anymore. This is important, like you may not.

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Know this, but the average human consumes a credit card worth of microplastics a week.

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Everything we eat is wrapped in plastic and why? Because it's economically efficient.

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I mean it's what it is and I get it, but how is that impacting human health, sometimes some.

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Scientists have found that the organs will release the toxins, but that is not finalized.

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And also that that's not natural, it's a man-made compound, but regardless I'm battling.

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So um I didn't even go onto the side, that's what I was talking about. So these are some of my ideas.

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So um what are your thoughts.

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I felt like you got.

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Into it, there um they're really good ideas.

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I don't know anything else to put in there. I think you got onto a lot.

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uh Well, what do you think about like the recycling infrastructure in saint mary's? Do you think it.

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Will be like effective, do you think it's possible? Do you, what are your thoughts.

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I think it's possible that we could like make a certain group for it.

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So it's not all over the board. um I think it's possible with a lot of help.

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I think it starts with kids. I really do.

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Well, um I mean we have recycling programs, so that's not the issue like we recycle.

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Electronics- here we recycle all this stuff here, but it's really a federal issue and.

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That's why we're not trying to create you know local legislation or state legislation.

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We're trying to create federal, because manufacturers are just not taking responsibility.

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And I mean it's something: that's going to impact us for years like look up a picture of malaysia.

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Look up plastic pollution, malaysia, look up plastic pollution in india, um look up.

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Plastic pollution, china, it all tells a story that you know, manufacturers just aren't taking.

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Responsibility and actually years ago, probably I think it was about two decades ago or something.

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um You know the united states are just were taking all their um single use like.

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Recyclables and just sending it overseas because they're like sure we're gonna cycle it cause they.

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Were getting money from it back then like, but it was such a surplus because of consumerism.

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And because of the unsustainability of the whole thing that you know, they just couldn't.

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Do it anymore, because pollution was like getting out of control and they just couldn't.

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They couldn't sell it to anyone, no one wanted it. It was cheaper to remake it.

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So you see how that's like a really negative like loop, but it's not a loop because it just.

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Okay, so imagine like there's like a plastic bottle. You drink water, hypothetically and you drink. This.

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Water bottle and it went on a prior. um You know adventure, but then after you drink it.

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You put it in the trash and then um the garbage system or how. However, your trash is dealt with.

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They take it, it goes to a landfill or if it's a recyclable, you put it in the recycling.

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It goes to a sorting facility or it could end up in the water if it goes up in the water. It's going.

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To end up getting in the current in the gyres, it's going to spin when it goes somewhere, it could end.

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Up on a beach anywhere in the world, so we're not just impacting our country here, we're impacting.

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Various countries and various ecosystems, so I'm so.

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But yeah, so I guess so you didn't have any thoughts on it.

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Fair enough.

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So I I really don't know, that's all I really have. I don't know what we're going to do, how it's going.

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To be presented, I haven't got any notes. That was just me, obviously speaking freely as you could.

A

Tell but you know it's just if we are going to present it we're going to be prepared for.

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I will make sure, and it will not correct- I don't know how. How would you think about presenting this.

A

You want various people to be presented, or um you know just the person.

A

From my point it would be, I would see it as muted, multiple people, you want to mute.

A

But the way you say it makes you want to, it draws people in it.

A

Yeah I mean so it just. It really depends on who says it.

A

Right, this is a commission and it's not my permission.

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And I I that's very serious to me um so I I don't know it's that we can figure out.

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Together, but you know, it's really important- that we be successful, however, way we do this.

A

I don't know, do I have any. I don't really think I have anything else for you. I'm gonna, look at the.

A

Minutes just to make sure um I already sort of reviewed them well, I'd like to jump in and just.

B

Say something yeah, I think we're good to adjourn. Are you okay with a journey? Can you hear me? Oh.

B

Sorry, cynthia, no that's, okay! I just wanted to give you a little feedback. I didn't want.

B

To jump in early and interrupt, I can't hear you I'm sorry, uh you're, muted. Okay, let's see.

B

Can they hear you oh wait how about now good now uh thumbs up? Can I see.

B

You, okay, fantastic! Thank you, okay, so I didn't want to interrupt earlier because you were.

B

Really on a roll- and I didn't want to get in the middle of the two of you as appointed members.

B

Having a discussion about this um first thought- and I was just jotting down notes, as you were.

B

Speaking, I worked with several citizen advisory boards and members who have more experience.

B

As volunteers on citizen advisory boards than the two of you, and I have to say that I'm very.

B

Impressed with this plan, I can tell that you've put a lot of thought into it. When you discussed.

B

It you know, you brought that that passion and that interest in your presentation- and I I just think.

B

That this is fantastic and the fact that it's being on aired other people will see and hear.

B

What you've done with this report, and certainly I hope that will motivate other young people.

B

To want to get involved, I am wondering since you're you're out of school now right.

B

A

um So somewhat, okay.

B

I'm sorry I didn't hear you.

A

I was just saying we have about one week left just okay, okay, fantastic! So so do you think, would.

B

You be available perhaps on a tuesday, because county commissioners have their business meeting.

B

Which is also, of course, televised on tuesdays, so would you be perhaps available to attend during.

B

That time, you would have to request the time on the agenda have an appointed time date and time.

B

Rather, to come and make this presentation is that something you might be available for or open to.

A

Yeah I I could do that um it would just be I'm. I got this internship, so I would have to have been.

A

Quite exciting, or it would have to happen on like a weekend but um yeah. I could probably do that.

A

Okay, so let's talk offline, let's have a follow-up discussion about what your schedule looks like.

B

And brie you know the same with you certainly come for support and rebecca and see if we could maybe.

B

Set that up because again, you've put a lot of work into this, and these are very important points and.

B

I certainly uh would love for others to hear this. um Let's see something else on the agenda. Your old.

B

Business about oh about community awareness, so latay wanted me to relay that she has taken the.

B

Approved flyer and it's been distributed, it's gone to various youth, related boards or youth advisory.

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Boards boards that support youth efforts, like the local management board, local care team, of course,.

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The public schools, libraries, so again, efforts are being made to get the word out that you're here.

B

Even though you're few in numbers, you are big in energy, that is for sure, and hopefully that will.

B

Motivate some of your peers to want to join you and and take some of these initiatives forward.

B

So that is all that I have to join to say to them or add rather to the meeting I just didn't want.

B

Us to conclude, without giving you that feedback.

A

Yeah, thank you that I didn't even think about looking at the old business, um so I just want.

A

To say quickly about the community awareness, I think we should really do an informational.

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Session and also I'd love to put the yc on the um the csm like community website,.

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Which is like it has a pretty large number and like it is really a community like they will.

A

Look at what you're saying so I I definitely I have the flyer because obviously, but.

A

um I will try and post that is that, okay, I think, since it's approved.

B

Yes, the flyer: absolutely you can do that.

A

And did we did we ever hear anything back about um like starting like social media accounts like like.

A

I have a linkedin and since I have like premium, I don't have it for long. It's like a free trial.

B

um Since I have linkedin, I can post like the yc on my thing and they can apply.

A

I'll send I'll put, the link of you know word apply like on there. I can do that right or no.

B

You're talking about the approved flyer, is that what you're asking not exactly like.

A

Like a volunteer posting on linkedin, like I know where he said, I can put it on like community, but.

B

I am pretty sure that latte has already put that request forward. I'm gonna follow up with her and.

B

Okay, probably get back with you, um I can make that happen, probably tomorrow or the next day.

B

Definitely this week it's not going to have to wait another whole month. I just want to.

B

Make sure that what I tell you is right in sync, with what she's already done, I'm pretty.

B

Sure that's going to be okay, okay, awesome here! I think. That's all okay, anything to say.

B

I don't have any I'm sorry about being a little quiet over here.

A

No you're completely fine. All right, then. I think if it's okay with this probably.

A

um I motion to adjourn, I said again: okay, awesome.

A

Thank you. Everyone for coming tonight.

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