Youth Lead By Example

Something amazing happened at the June 4 meeting of the Saratoga Town Council, something that gives us at the Saratoga Sun hope for the upcoming generations.

Jaxon Owen, age 12, and Archer Burau, age 10, stood before the governing body to not only identify a problem, but provide a solution. While it came with some help from their parents, the fact that these young residents stood in front of the town council is impressive. In this day and age, there are adults who would rather make complaints on social media or at local coffee groups rather than make their voice heard at a town council meeting.

Not only did these two young residents speak in front of the governing body—which is hard enough for some adults to do—they also came with a petition. That petition had more than 100 signatures, which goes to show the dedication they had to grassroots organizing.

The problem identified was the bike track located just behind the Saratoga Branch Library on Elm Street. This track, which was established more than two decades ago, has certainly seen better days. As Saratoga grows and once quiet side streets see more traffic, it has become even more important that there is a safe space for children to ride their bicycles.

The solution presented to the Saratoga Town Council was the rehabilitation of the current bike track and, eventually, the addition of a new pump track. There is no cost to the Town of Saratoga for the improvements to the existing bike track, as Ben Owen—Jaxon’s father—told the governing body he would volunteer his time to do the improvements.

It seems nearly impossible anymore to get people involved in their community. Municipal and county boards go without members, elections see either little competition or almost no involvement and volunteer efforts see “the Same 10 People.” Just a few weeks ago, the recreation department announced the cancellation of the youth soccer program due to lack of sign-ups and parent volunteers.

The Saratoga Town Council, for its part, approved the proposed work on the existing bike track pending a review by their legal counsel. The governing body also thanked Jaxon and Archer for presenting their plan.

We commend the town council for encouraging young residents to get involved in their community, as it’s most important to foster that involvement at a young age. We also commend Ben Owen for leading by example in volunteering his time to work on the existing bike track.

Most importantly, we commend Jaxon and Archer. To see two young residents see a problem and provide a solution, rather than waiting for someone else to address it, is inspiring. We believe that not only should these two be an example to others their age, but an example to adults in our community who may be waiting for someone else to take up a cause they are passionate about.