The newly-organized Laurel Mayor’s Youth Council is continuing to have an impact on the lives of the young people in the City of Laurel.

In November, city officials met with a group of teenagers at an organizational meeting for the Mayor’s Youth Council.

Since then, city officials have worked with the young people to become active in local and state events.

Mayor Melvin Mack oversees the group of young people — which has advisors that include Ward One Councilwoman Willie Evans, Ward Three Councilman Tony Thaxton and various school and community officials.

City officials said the Youth Council is designed to get young people involved and interested in local and state government and politics as well as their communities.

The purpose of the Mayor’s Youth Council is to act as a mediator between the youth of Laurel and city government, to keep city government informed of the needs of youth and to help them stay informed of the actions of city government.

The youth council is also designed to give the youth of Laurel an active voice in affairs of city government by expressing their ideas through council members, and to advise city officials on, and take action concerning matters which will work toward development of Laurel’s youth into responsible citizens.

The youth council, which has advisors, is also led by youth leaders, Corbin McDavitt as president and Joshua Agee as vice president.

During the group’s meeting this week, members began looking at developing by-laws for the organization.

“We are still in the planning stages,” Thaxton said.

Evans agreed.

“We are just continuing to develop the group and get all our information finalized,” Evans said. “We are constantly looking at ways to get the young people involved and becoming concerned about various events in the community.”

Members of the Laurel Mayor’s Youth Council attended the first Mississippi Municipal League Youth Leadership Summit held recently in Hattiesburg.

Local teens are now planning to attend the “Just Wait” Abstinence Summit being held in Jackson this weekend.

The summit, which is being conducted from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Mississippi Coliseum, will address various issues relating to young people.