A somewhat more streamlined Peachtree City Commission on Children and Youth will be seen at its next meeting, thanks partly to a recent City Council decision to approve the commission's proposed reorganization.

The council voted at its Feb. 3 meeting to amend an ordinance that would allow the commission to change from nine to five voting members, along with two alternates and a nonvoting student member. Some other minor administrative changes also were addressed in the commission's recommendation to the council.

Under the amended ordinance, anyone appointed to serve on the commission who moves out of Peachtree City will have his or her position immediately declared vacant and filled with a designated alternate.

There is also no longer a requirement for representation from specific professions. The CCY is expanding its focus from alcohol and drug abuse to include all aspects of quality of life for children and youth.

“The duties of the Commission on Children and Youth shall be to improve the quality of life for the youth of the community,” according to the amended ordinance. “The commission will pursue the quality-of-life issues by following the guiding principles of selected task forces.”

The CCY plan is to form three such task forces, each to be chaired by a different commissioner:

The Task Force on Community Inclusion, Exception Children with Disabilities, focusing on community awareness and providing more inclusive programs community-wide for children with disabilities.

The Task Force on Education, Development and Prevention, providing proactive educational programs regarding issues that affect children, youth and families.

The Task Force on Community Programs, putting together youth programs and activities that are reflective of the needs of the community.

Neither the chairman nor vice chairman of the CCY will chair any of these groups.

The Youth Advisory Board has recently been structured to mirror the CCY, according to CCY Chairman Nick Harris. The new format will allow each task force chairman to have a youth counterpart to assist with development, implementation and monitoring of task force projects and activities.

“Organizing into three task forces with specific goals will enable the commission to better focus on key functions and capitalize on available resources,” said leisure services director Randy Gaddo in a memo to the council.

City staff recommended approval of the amendments in the ordinance, and they passed unanimously.

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