By Andy Sevilla

As Kyle council members bid farewell to their first-ever non-voting youth representative on the panel, a replacement was named Tuesday night.

Incoming Hays High School senior James Collins will take his seat on the Kyle council at the first meeting in August. 

Collins is replacing Nikolas Fisher, who represented the city youths’ perspective on local legislative matters on council. Fisher was the first-ever appointed person to serve in that capacity.

“Thank you for allowing me this great opportunity to represent the youth of the city of Kyle,” Fisher said in his June 29 resignation letter. “I have done my best, and learned many things from many great people along the way.”

But with high school graduation behind him, Fisher will attend Baylor University this fall where he plans to major in Political Science. 

At the July 15 Kyle council meeting, City Manager Lanny Lambert, pleased with Fisher’s performance on the dais, officially offered Fisher a city government internship next summer.

On June 19, members of the Kyle Area Youth Advisory Council (KAYAC), comprised of Hays and Lehman High School students, unanimously nominated Collins to serve as the new ex-officio member on the Kyle council once Fisher’s term ended.

“I have the utmost confidence in my replacement, and I know he will serve the youth, the city, and the council well,” Fisher said.

Collins told council members Tuesday night he was excited and ready to join them on the dais. 

Collins joined KAYAC last November and serves as the group’s vice chair. He also served as KAYAC’s liaison to the Planning and Zoning (P&Z) Commission.

During his eight months on KAYAC, Collins created a new logo for the organization, attended the Youth Council Summit in Rockwall, assisted in the creation of the recently passed e-cigarette ordinance and helped create a youth survey.