A. The Auburn junior city council shall consist of nine members and two alternate members. The members and the alternate members shall be appointed by the mayor, and confirmed by the city council from among students who submit a completed application. The nomination of members and alternates shall be based upon consideration of criteria including: interest in government, positive participation in civics classes, academic accomplishments, involvement in school and community activities and other factors that identify a prospective member as a valuable contributor to the Auburn junior city council. Those considering prospective members, making nominations and appointing or confirming members to the junior city council shall endeavor to include diverse members of the city’s population, including one or more representatives of the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe.

B. In the process of nominating members and alternate members to the junior city council, those nominating such members shall strive to seek representation of various schools, and to the extent reasonably possible, assemble a slate consisting of a member from each of the four high schools and the four middle schools, and one member at large, or such other strategy representing various schools so that their membership represents a diverse cross section of the student population of middle schools and high schools in the city.

C. All students on the junior city council shall be enrolled and in good standing in a middle school or high school in the Auburn School District or Muckleshoot Tribal Schools, and shall remain enrolled during their entire term of office. If a student is a resident of the city of Auburn, but attends a school located outside the city, e.g., such as a private school or a school in another city, such student would be eligible to participate on the junior city council as the at-large member, if selected.

D. The junior council members and alternate members shall serve without compensation.

E. Each member and alternate member shall serve a term of two years. Interested students shall submit a completed application that includes a letter of recommendation from the principal of the school they attend and one teacher or counselor to the mayor. The mayor and city council will appoint and confirm new members and alternates to fill the expiring terms on the Auburn junior city council. The city council may remove an Auburn junior city council member or alternate member at any time if the city council determines that member is not fulfilling their responsibilities to the satisfaction of the city council. Members and alternate members of the junior city council who fail to attend two consecutive regular meetings of the junior city council without being excused by the chairperson, or excused by a majority of the membership of the junior city council, shall forfeit their positions on and be removed from the junior city council.

F. In the event of a vacancy on the junior city council, an alternate member shall be appointed to fill the unexpired term of the vacating member. The mayor shall appoint, subject to confirmation by the city council, the alternate member to replace the vacating member. If possible, the mayor shall appoint an alternate member who attends the same school as the vacating member. If an alternate is unavailable, unwilling, or unsuitable, as determined by the mayor, to fill the vacancy, the mayor and city council shall solicit nominations from the school principals and shall appoint and confirm a new member to fill the unexpired term of that Auburn junior city council member; provided, that the junior city council may also nominate members to fill the unexpired term vacancies. Unless the appointed replacement member is replacing the at-large member of the junior city council, the appointed replacement member shall be from the same school as the member being replaced. Notice must be made to that school to solicit applications and nominations for the position to be refilled at least 30 days before the appointment is intended to be made. A vacancy in an alternate member position shall not be filled until the expiration of the term of the position.

G. All members of the Auburn junior city council shall serve until the mayor appoints alternate members to fill their positions or their successors are duly appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the city council.

H. The members will elect a chairperson from among themselves. The chairperson will be elected annually at the first meeting following the beginning of the school year. The chairperson will be allowed to vote on all matters.

I. A quorum of the junior city council shall consist of a majority of the currently appointed members, including alternate members appointed to serve for an absent or disqualified member, and a quorum of members must be present to vote on matters. Members who are aware that they will be unavailable or unable to attend a meeting shall notify the mayor’s office. If a member is absent at the time the chairperson calls roll at a meeting, the deputy mayor, or the chairperson if the deputy mayor is absent, may appoint an alternate member in attendance at the meeting to serve as a member and to vote. The alternate member shall serve as a member until adjournment of the meeting.

J. The deputy mayor or designee shall serve as liaison to the junior city council, participating as a nonvoting member of the junior city council, to encourage and counsel the members of the junior city council in connection with their duties as members of the junior city council. (Ord. 6926 § 1, 2023; Ord. 6834 § 1 (Exh. A), 2021; Ord. 6808 § 1, 2020; Ord. 6594 § 1, 2016; Ord. 6441 § 1, 2013.)