Kids’ Council (Coordinating Council for Children, Youth and Families)

Authority: 
Chapter 2.84 of the Cambridge Municipal Code, established on April 1, 1991.

Purpose: 
Direct a comprehensive local response to the needs of children, their families and other caregivers, in accordance with the guiding principles set forth in the Children, Youth and Family Policy Plan.

Membership: 
Council members shall be comprised of the Mayor (who shall serve as Chair of the Kid's Council); a member of the City Council; a member of the School Committee; the City Manager or a designee of the City Manager; the Superintendent of Schools; the Assistant City Manager for Human Services; the Commissioner of Health and Hospitals; the Police Commissioner; and the Director of the Cambridge Public Library. In the absence of a permanent appointment for the previous five named positions, the City Manager shall shal appoint an interim, temporary designee in his or her place until the position is filled. Additional members shall include a member of the philanthropic community; a representative from a State agency serving children, youth and families; a representative from the corporate/business community a representative from the university community; a representative from the early childhood community; 5 members who are residents of the city shall represent the community-at-large and/or represent active parents’ groups or other groups involved with children and their families; 3 members to represent specific areas to be addressed by The Kids’ Council’s agenda or other identified interests relating to children; 3 youth members who are residents between the ages of 14-18. 

Meeting Schedule:
Unless otherwise noted, general meetings are generally scheduled on the third Thursday of the month*, from 5-7 p.m.., at the Cambridge City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway, 2nd floor conference room.

*Some Upcoming Meetings will be held on the 4th Thursday to accommodate member schedules:
   January 17, 2013
*  February 28, 2013 (4th Thursday) 
   March 21, 2013
   May 16, 2013    

 Minutes:

 01-17-13, 02-28-13,

 01-19-12, 04-26-12, 09-27-12, 10-18-12 

  01-20-11,  02-17-11, 03-24-11, 05-18-11, 09-15-11, 11-17-11

 03-25-10,  04-15-10,  05-20-10,  09-23-10, 11-18-10.

Committee Members:

Committee Members:

Mayor Henrietta Davis, Mayor of Cambridge
Denise Simmons, Vice Mayor of Cambridge
Tina Alu, Associate Director of CEOC
Charlotte Avant
Betty Bardige, Cambridge Community Foundation
Sally Benbasset
Andrea Collymore
Jessica Daniels
Louis DePasquale, Asst. City Manager for Fiscal Affairs, City of Cambridge (City Manager’s Designee)
Susan Flannery, Cambridge Public Library Director
Robert C. Haas, Cambridge Police Commissioner
Michelle Godfrey, Director of Center for Families
Shubham Dhital
Barbara Kibler, Executive Director of Margaret Fuller House
Susan Lapierre, Senior VP of Community Relations for Cambridge Savings Bank
Marc McGovern,  School Committee Member
Neal Michaels, Director of Family Based Services, DSS
Robert Healy, City Manager
Ellen Semonoff, Asst. City Manager for Human Services
Isobel Schpeiser
Steven Swanger, Director of Resident Services, CHA
Patrick Wardell,  CEO of Cambridge Health Alliance
Heather Wise, Director of Harvard Family Research Project
Jeffrey Young, Superintendent of the Cambridge Public Schools