Oswego Village Board adds students to advisory commissions

Oswego village trustees are moving ahead with plans to add students to the village’s advisory commissions.

At the May 7 Oswego Village Board meeting, trustees unanimously voted to add student members to the Cultural Arts, Economic Development and Historic Preservation advisory commissions.

Two students will be appointed for each advisory commission. One student from Oswego High School and one student from Oswego East High School will serve on each commission for a total of six students.

The students must be village residents and attend 75% of scheduled meetings.

‘”It gets the students involved.”

—  Oswego Village President Ryan Kauffman

Students are expected to actively participate in the meetings but not vote, Oswego Village Administrator Dan Di Santo said. Their terms would be for one year.

In a similar vein, School District 308 board has two student ambassadors that are appointed to the board but do not vote on agenda items.

“The School District has been great in preparing for this,” Di Santo said. “They have offered to help us with the application process and get the word out in the schools.”

Students will be required to have a letter of recommendation from a School District 308 teacher or a staff or faculty member.

Oswego Village President Ryan Kauffman liked the idea of adding students to the advisory commissions.

”It gets the students involved,” he said. “Maybe we’ll get a future Jean or a future Andrew.”

Oswego assistant village administrator Jean Bueche grew up in the village. In addition, village trustee Andrew Torres is an Oswego High School graduate.

The village also is looking at giving students the opportunity to job shadow staff members.