Dane County

Minutes - Final Unless Amended by

Committee

Youth Commission

Consider:

Who benefits? Who is burdened?

Who does not have a voice at the table?

How can policymakers mitigate unintended consequences?

Wednesday, May 6, 2026

5:30 PM

Hybrid meeting: Attend in person

in Room 354 of the City County

Building or virtually via Zoom

Interpreters must be requested in advance; please see the bottom of the agenda for more information.

Los intérpretes deben solicitarse con anticipación; consulte el final de la agenda para obtener más

información.

Yuav tsuam tau thov txog cov neeg txhais lus hau ntej; thov saib hauv qab kawg ntawm qhov txheej

txheem rau cov ntaub ntawv ntxiv.

معلوما

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من

لمزيد

ما

جدو

أسف

لى

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مقدما

رجمة

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خدمات

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The May 6, 2026 Youth Commission meeting will be conducted in hybrid fashion. Members of the public

can either attend in person or virtually via Zoom.

The public can attend in person in Room 354 of the City County Building.

The public can access the meeting virtually with the Zoom application or by telephone.

To join the meeting in Zoom, click the following link (after you fill out the form, the meeting link and

access information will be emailed to you):

https://countyofdane.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_lNbcf-_ZRLWU8upz8SOk-A

This link will be active until the end of the meeting.

To join the meeting by phone, dial-in using one of the following three toll-free phone numbers:

1-833-548-0276

1-833-548-0282

1-888-788-0099

When prompted, enter the following Webinar ID: 981 8398 5459

PROCESS TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT:

IN PERSON: Any members of the public wishing to register to speak on/support/oppose an agenda item

can register in person at the meeting using paper registration forms. IT IS HIGHLY ENCOURAGED TO

In person registrations to provide public comment will be accepted throughout the meeting.

VIRTUAL: Any members of the public wishing to register to speak on/support/oppose an agenda item

MUST REGISTER USING THE LINK ABOVE (even if you plan to attend using your phone). Virtual

registrations to provide public comment will be accepted until 30 minutes prior to the beginning of the

meeting.

In order to testify (provide public comment) virtually, you must be in attendance at the meeting via Zoom

or phone, you will then either be unmuted or promoted to a panelist and provided time to speak to the

body.

If you want to submit a written comment for this meeting, or send handouts for board members, please

send them to: erickson.bonnie@danecounty.gov

A. Call To Order

Staff present: Bonnie Erickson

Vice Chair MASCIOPINTO called the meeting to order at 5:35 p.m.

7 -

Present

Absent

MEGHAN BENSON, ASHLEY PLETZER, Vice Chair EMILY MASCIOPINTO,

CHRISTINE BENEDICT, KORBY WHITE, AMY SNYDER-HEITMAN, and HENRY

FRIES

3 - CHELSEY TUBBS, Chair VISHNU KATA, and DAVID PETERSON

B. Consideration of Minutes

MINUTES FROM MARCH 4, 2026

2025

MIN-652

Attachments: 2026_0304_Youth Commission Minutes

A motion was made by PLETZER, seconded by SNYDER-HEITMAN, that the

Minutes be approved. The motion carried by a voice vote 7-0.

C. Action Items

D. Presentations

None.

E. Discussion Items

1. Elections for Chair and Vice Chair will be held during the June meeting. Members are

encouraged to begin considering leadership roles.

Christine Benedict was nominated by Emily Masciopinto to serve as Chair. Amy

Snyder-Heitman expressed interest in a leadership role. Members suggested holding

an annual conversation about leadership roles, developing a vice‑chair‑to‑chair

pathway, and preparing newer members for leadership.

2. Disseminating Dane County Youth Assessment data in the community: Confirm overall

approach & expectations from DCDHS (Erickson)

Youth Commission will commit to annual work on DCYA data dissemination,

including selecting topics, researching, and presenting findings in the community. Ideas

included focusing on timely topics, partnering with community organizations,

convening discussions, and keeping the Youth Assessment data active between

cycles. Proposed annual timeline aligns with the three‑year Youth Assessment cycle:

survey (Jan-Apr), analysis (summer), overview report/webinar (fall), and

topic‑specific work in following years.

3. Webinar planning: DCYA data (gun access & mental health / HHN Committee content).

Identify key points to share from the HHN presentation, speakers/expertise needed, target

date/month, platform/recording, and promotion needs

Members discussed holding a webinar on gun violence and mental health, the

Commission has existing data and slides; planning will include identifying speakers,

panelists, and roles. Ideas included presenting data followed by a panel of 2-3

community stakeholders. The tentative goal is to hold an online, recorded webinar in

fall 2026.

Attendance Update

White departed the meeting at 6:25 p.m.

6 -

Present

Absent

MEGHAN BENSON, ASHLEY PLETZER, Vice Chair EMILY MASCIOPINTO,

CHRISTINE BENEDICT, AMY SNYDER-HEITMAN, and HENRY FRIES

4 - CHELSEY TUBBS, Chair VISHNU KATA, KORBY WHITE, and DAVID PETERSON

4. Panel discussion planning: DCYA data (youth mental health, broader focus). Plan

separate panel on DCYA mental health findings. Clarify virtual vs. in-person, date, location

(if in-person), and proposed panelists/moderator. (Planning required.)

The Commission agreed to pause planning for a separate mental health-focused panel

discussion until after completing the first webinar on gun violence and mental health.

5. Youth Governance Program (YGP) project update: YGP is developing a group project

focused on supporting student well-Being and reducing substance use. The group has been

reviewing DCYA data and is exploring a youth-led awareness effort to increase knowledge

of available resources, reduce stigma, and help students make healthy choices.

YGP youth are developing a project focused on supporting student well‑being and

reducing substance use, using DCYA data to guide a youth‑led awareness effort.

Bonnie Erickson met with Ely Moya, Positive Youth Development Educator with UW

Extension, who coordinates YGP; members agreed to invite Ely Moya to a future

Youth Commission meeting

F. Future Meeting Items and Dates

Next Meeting: Wednesday, June 3, 2026 at the City County Building and via Zoom

G. Public Comment on Items not on the Agenda

None.

H. Such Other Business as Allowed by Law

None.

I. Adjournment

A motion was made by BENEDICT, seconded by SNYDER-HEITMAN, that the

Meeting be adjourned. The vote carried by a voice vote 6-0 and the meeting was

adjourned at 6:45 p.m.

Note: If you need an interpreter, translator, materials in alternate formats or other accommodations to

access this service, activity or program, please call the phone number below—preferably at least three

business days but no fewer than 24 hours prior to the meeting.

Nota: Si necesita un intérprete, un traductor o materiales en formatos alternativos o cualquier otra

adaptación para tener acceso a este servicio, actividad o programa, llame al número de teléfono que

puede encontrar a continuación — de preferencia con al menos 3 días de anticipación y como mínimo

24 horas antes del evento en cuestión.

Sau tseg: Yog koj xav tau ib tug neeg txhais lus, txhais ua ntaub ntawv, cov ntaub ntawv uas nyob rau

lwm yam kev lawm los sis lwm yam kev pab nkag rau qhov kev pab no, kev ua si los sis kev pab cuam,

thov hu tus xov tooj rau hauv qab no—xav kom hu li peb hnub ua ntej tuaj tab sis tsis pub tsawg tshaj

24 xuab moos ua ntej rau lub rooj sib tham no.

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Minutes submitted by Bonnie Erickson pending Commission approval.