At a meeting on Monday, February 27, Princeton Council introduced a municipal budget for 2017 of $62.4 million. Among other business, the governing body also heard a report from representatives of the 12-member Youth Advisory Committee, which was formed last year and is made up of students from Princeton High School, The Hun School, Princeton Day School, and Stuart Country Day School.

The $62.4 million budget is approximately $400,000 higher than last year’s and represents a tax increase of 2.3 percent or about $90 per household, according to a presentation by municipal administrator Marc Dashield. The budget is still a work in progress, Mr. Dashield said, and is likely to be adjusted before adoption. “This is only the beginning,” he cautioned.

The unveiling of the budget comes a month earlier than in past years. Mr. Dashield and associates worked closely with the town’s Citizens Finance Advisory Committee in preparation. Initially, a gap of $2 million was projected, but through various cuts it was reduced to $1.3 million. A public hearing on the measure is set for the March 27 meeting of Council.

Seven members of the Youth Advisory Committee gave a “Progress and Projections” report to Council. The group was formed to advise Mayor Liz Lempert and Council and recommend policies on matters related to young people.

Members, who have been meeting monthly, conducted a survey of area youth to try and determine what issues were most important to them. They received 471 responses, 44 percent of which identified mental health initiatives as a priority. Another 12 percent suggested a focus on athletics and recreational facilities, but mental health was clearly the most frequently cited issue of concern.

The group created a subcommittee which wrote a six-page guide of resources for high school students on such subjects as where to find free counseling, free food banks, scholarship information, and more. They began holding a mental health initiative at Princeton Public Library’s Friday Night Live events, and set up an “anti-stress wall” to raise awareness of stress relievers.

The group reached out to Corner House, the psychologist at Princeton High School, peer group leaders at the school, and the library’s Teen Advisory Board for advice. As a result, the students are planning two mental health forums in the coming spring — one for parents, another geared to parents. Future plans include strengthening ties to the student governments of Stuart and Princeton Day School, Princeton Health Behavioral Health, and others.

Councilwoman Jo Butler asked the group’s chairman Sean Carson whether they were surprised at the responses they received from fellow teens about mental health concerns. They were, Mr. Carson said, echoed by his colleagues. Councilman Lance Liverman, who is the governing body’s liaison to the group, congratulated them on their presentation.

“It’s amazing how these young people are thinking about others and not just themselves,” he said. On Tuesday morning he added, “How lucky we are to have such smart, humble, caring and mentally strong young adults in our community. It has been a pleasure to work with these young folks.”