Ridgway Youth Advisory Council
Current Members
Anna Bartschi, Mayor
This is my second year on the Youth Advisory Council. I wanted to join this group so I could advocate for my peers in the community and help solve their issues. I am passionate about protecting our environment and making Ridgway a welcoming place for everyone.
Cooper Ahern, Mayor Pro Tem
My goal is to be the bridge between the youth and the town. I hope to help contribute to the foundation of the town and address issues that need to be discussed. I am a part of this council to see what it is like on the inside and get a better understanding of our local government.
Kayla Bolane
I love exploring the mountains around Ridgway with my dog and friends, but I have found the effects of living in a small town somewhat damaging. I am passionate about aiding the mental health of Ridgway's youth, and using my position on the Youth Advisory Council to be a voice of those who are struggling and to provide awareness for mental health struggles in Ridgway.
Maizy Gordon
I've always loved being outside and we live in an area with lots of room to explore. I look at the beauty of nature and wonder why we haven't tried harder to save our environment. I joined the Youth Advisory Council so I could have an effect on the world around us. I want to connect the youth of Ridgway with the community and create a support system for anyone who needs it.
Anikah Jordan
I have lived in Ridgway my whole life and I have seen the amazing parts of it as well as the parts that make living here hard. I want to be able to have my own impact on my community and be an advocate for the youth. I am interested in learning how our town makes decisions and works but also be able to help with issues that are important to me such as mental health and environmental sustainability.
Indigo Krois
I have always been interested in the issues that surround us whether big or small. The Youth Advisory Council provides students with an opportunity to have a part in creating solutions. This, along with the people involved is what drew me to this experience. I hope to bring a new perspective to the group and help improve our pretty, little town.
River Randolph
Ever since I was a kid I was in love with the outdoors. Today, I spend most of my free time exploring in the outdoors, but I have noticed some changes since when I was a kid. Effects like Global Warming caused by pollution have effected my experiences snowboarding because the snow is unable to accumulate, causing Ski Resorts to open in December. My goal on the Youth Advisory Council is to increase Ridgway's recycling so that I will still be able to experience what I do today, in a few years.
Eleni Wallin
I joined Ridgway's Youth Advisory Council to be a voice for the youth in Ridgway, so that they can share any thoughts or concerns about our community. I am also here to continue my passion of helping Ridgway to be as eco-friendly as possible. I hope that our group can make an impact and benefit our community
Kaitlyn Winkelmann
My name is Kaitlyn and I’ve lived in Ridgway my entire life. The main reason I joined the youth town council was to learn more about our local community and government since I’ve always been clueless to how everything works. Now being on the team, I’m also looking forward to working with my peers on new projects to help better the community.
End-of-year Presentation to the Ridgway Town Council - May 11, 2022
May 9, 2022 - YAC Meeting Recap
April 13, 2022 - YAC Meeting Recap
Click HERE to check out the agenda from the meeting.
At our April 13th meeting the YAC started out with roll call and approving the last meetings minutes. Indigo Krois made a motion to approve the minutes with Cooper Ahern seconding them. Our main presentation was from Agnieszka Przeszlowska, a member and manager of the Ridgway Community Garder.
The presentation contained information on how the garden started and how it is going currently. Agnieszka explained that a different organization started the garden in a different location and since then it has been taken into new hands and moved to another location. They made a deal with the town to put the garden on public space so it wouldnt have to move again. Recently the town approved a 20 year lease. The garden is a non-profit organization. They now rent out a small portion of the land they were granted from the town to the apiary. She then explained some details about the mechanics behind the garden and then went into how the community could help. After the presentation the floor was opened up to questions. Indigo began a discussion with a question about greenhouses, Agnieszka replied that green houses have been controversial and discussed frequently but it is unsure whether they will ever be built. Anna, mayor, asked if they could use any of the compost that the environmental club has collected at school. The Council sent her out with a round of applause and gratitude.
The next item on the agenda was an update on the community suggestion box. The boxes had been finished and the group checked out the design of our big project. There was conversation about where to put the boxes and it was decided that there would be one placed at the school, along with one at the town hall. In attendance of this meeting was Mayor Clark along with council member Kevin Grambley. Council member Kevin Grambley had not yet been to a meeting, so Kayla explained out mission with the boxes. She described that the boxes were our way of being a bridge between government and the community, especially students.
The group then talked about the upcoming town council meeting that they need to prepare a presentation for. As well as some volenteer opportunities coming up before establishing the next meeting date, Monday May 9th and ajourning the meeting.
March 14, 2022 - YAC Meeting Recap
Click HERE to check out the agenda from the meeting.
On Monday, March 14th after the roll call and approving the minutes from the last session, guest speakers Shane Schmalz, the Ridgway town marshall, and Elaine Wood, the victim services advocate for the victim services program in Ridgway, presented to the council. Schmalz started by giving an overview of how the Ridgway Marshalls office works, the boundaries they work within, how many officers are on the force, when they would be dispatched, etc. He included that a lot of their work was community-oriented as they enjoy helping out with events and getting to know the people they protect. Following Schmalz, Elaine Wood briefly described what the Victim Advocacy Program is and the services they offer not only to victims of crimes but also to victims of suicide or unattended deaths. These services include financial support and medical support. This assistance is provided in all of Ouray County as Wood works with the Ridgway Marshals Office, the Ouray Police Department, and the Ouray Sheriffs Department.
After the presentations, Kayla Bolane asked Schmalz, how we could make communicating with officers less intimidating as new student drivers tend to be wary and scared of police officers, he explained that it's best to be honest and to simply explain what happened, as everyone makes mistakes. He also emphasized that the line of communication between the community and the Marshalls office was always open. After other questions from the council on why schmalz joined the justice system and what a typical day for him looked like, Maizy Gordon gave an update on the construction of the suggestion boxes that will be placed at the school and town hall. The council was then instructed to create a presentation to present to the town council on May 11th to recap the last couple of months.
Mayor John Clark also discussed the Town Cleanup Day Event as well as the Adopt-A-Highway Cleanup Event, which are both good volunteer opportunities. The Town Cleanup Day Event will be a chance for people to get rid of their junk and the Adopt-A-Highway Cleanup Event will keep Ridgways adopted strip of highway nice and clean. Lastly, the council recapped the West Slope Youth Voice Presentation from the last meeting and scheduled the next meeting for April 13th before adjourning.
February 8, 2022 - YAC Meeting Recap
Click HERE to check out the agenda from the meeting.
On Tuesday, February 8, our main topic of discussion was the West Slope Youth Voice group. Our speaker today was Jeriel Clark and she presented information about a group of students who are getting involved in the politics of Colorado. Once a year there is a trip to the Capital in Denver and students are given the chance to meet with Colorado's senators and give their opinions about upcoming laws. Ridgway has previously not been a part of this organization but thanks to Jeriel we are now getting involved. If interested, members of our Youth Advisory Council are invited to take part in the trip to the capital. Jeriel Clark shared a video made by students from other schools promoting the West Slope Youth Voice organization. The purpose of this group is to give a voice to kids because it is common for our voices to be silenced. We were asked how involved we already are in politics and besides the Youth Advisory Council, most of us are beginners. If students choose to join the West Slope Youth Voice organization they will gain valuable information about our state's politics and have a chance to have face to face conversations with our state senators and make real differences.
After Jeriel's presentation we discussed the suggestion boxes we are planning to put around the community. As far as placement, we want the boxes to be available to students as well as the rest of the town. The boxes are still not ready, but once made, they will be put up in appropriate locations. We also discussed creating an online suggestion box for convenience. To wrap up, we chose the date for our next meeting and Cooper Ahern Adjourned the meeting at 4:45 pm.
January 10, 2022 - YAC Meeting Recap
Click HERE to check out the agenda from the meeting.
On Monday, January 10, the Ridgway’s Youth Advisory Council had our third meeting. This week we listened to a presentation by Ames Risch about the group, Safer More Affirming Communities. We discussed their new sticker design and the words that were incorporated. We shared our thoughts over two words, welcome and value, and what each word meant. The first question we were asked was about which word we preferred in reference to their new sticker design. Value stood out to us because it felt more sincere. We all agreed that valuing means to truly accept and appreciate someone. We spoke about how to introduce these stickers into the Ridgway community through businesses in a way that will educate and excite people about what Safer More Affirming Communities is and help Ridgway to be the best that it can be. We hope to bring these stickers in to show that Ridgway is welcoming to all and that it is a safe space for everyone. In the upcoming future, the members of YAC, hope to help the Safer More Affirming Communities group introduce these stickers into the community.
Our next topic was actions we can take to hear from the community. A large goal that all ten members of YAC share, is being a voice for the youth in Ridgway. We all hope to be a safe and comfortable group for Ridgway youth to share their thoughts and concerns within our community. So, we have decided to begin a new project of making suggestions for the community. We are starting out with two boxes, one at the Ridgway Secondary School, and one located near the Town Hall. We hope that these boxes can be useful towards the community and a way we can address problems. Our goal is to benefit our community and everyone in it, so we can make Ridgway a safe, caring, welcoming home for all.