Image from Ashland YAC Instagram page.
The future belongs to young people and their voices are being heard by some local politicians. In April 2022 Ashland High School junior Isadora Millay persuaded Ashland Oregon Mayor Julie Akins to set up a Mayor's Youth Advisory Council (YAC). Hear the story from Jefferson Exchange here.
Eight Ashland High School students have been meeting weekly and with the Mayor once a month. The YAC is working on a project to implement recycled water in Ashland schools and City facilities. On July 11, 2022 the YAC presented a proposal to the Ashland School Board about utilizing recycled water or greywater throughout the district. They then met on September 28, 2022 with Southern Oregon University about this proposed recycled water project and is currently working on a presentation to the Ashland City Council about redirecting a portion of the wastewater currently piped into Bear Creek into irrigating parks.
They have initiated a petition advocating for recycled water use by Ashland City and Ashland School District with 448 signatures at the time of this post.