A new special committee created by City Council President Norieliz De Jesus will work to encourage youth sport leagues in the city and ensure they have the support they need to continue serving the youth in Chelsea. While the president has the authority to establish special committees, several councilors at Monday night’s meeting said they would like to see the city take additional steps to address programs and opportunities for youth in the city. District 8 Councilor Calvin Brown asked for a separate subcommittee on conference meeting to discuss those issues. Council Vice President Todd Taylor will chair the new special committee, where he will be joined by Councilors Melinda Vega and Tanairi Garcia. “Last year, concerns were raised about actions taken by the leadership of Chelsea Pride Football, the team’s suspension from the league, and the resulting impact on the youth who participated,” stated De Jesus. “Numerous concerned parents came before the City Council to express their concerns, and a consensus was reached among the Councilors present that the Council should have a role in encouraging and promoting youth sports in Chelsea.” While the issues with Chelsea Pride Football were addressed, new leadership put in place, and the team reinstated, De Jesus said lingering concerns remain about the stability of youth sports leagues in Chelsea and the level of support provided by the city. “This is simply an effort for us to create a table where deeper conversations can happen regarding sports and recreational activities for our youth, whether that’s football, little league, soccer, softball,” she said. “I know that these conversations will be in good hands with Councilor Taylor, Councilor Melinda Vega, and Councilor Tanairi Garcia.” Several councilors said there needs to be steps taken beyond the scope of the special committee to address youth issues in the city. “I think it is very important that we look at this, but we need to look beyond sports,” said Councilor-at-Large Leo Robinson. “When I talk about that, you have to talk about mentorships, and you also have to talk about taking Chelsea kids out of Chelsea and showing them about other things in the world. It’s not just about sports, it’s about education and if we’re going to approach it looking at sports, we are going to lose right from the start.” District 5 Councilor Lisa Anne Santagate also noted that there needs to be a discussion about opportunities for youth who may not be involved in sports. “I think that we need to develop a well-rounded program for our youth, and if we can’t have a museum here, we need leaders and mentors, and people to lead Chelsea youth in the city,” she said. “We are a part of Greater Boston, and I think we need to have a broad range of programs and interests for our youth.” Councilors Manuel Teshe and Tanairi Garcia said they both agreed about the council taking broader steps to address youth issues, but noted that the youth sports special committee was established to address a specific need. “I think that there is so much more to offer our youth, but we have to fix the sports part first before we get into anything bigger,” said Garcia. “I think we need to be more supportive for our sports, especially for those who want to be involved and don’t know how to take the lead or be part of a board. Guidance is necessary to keep our sports and youth on the right path.”