I’ll have more to say on this at some point in the future—there is about 100 pages of journal buried somewhere in my office from my own experience in this program in 2001—but for now, I’ll let the official press release from the City of Bloomington do the talking:
City Announces Applications For Citizens’ Academy 2007
The City of Bloomington Housing and Neighborhood Development (HAND) Department announced today that applications are available for its Citizens’ Academy program. Citizens’ Academy provides participants with an interactive learning experience about municipal government services, programs and responsibilities.
The course will meet weekly from August 23 through October 18. The session will be limited to a total of 30 individuals to ensure a quality experience for all participants.
Susan K. Bookout, Executive Director of Meadowood, was a participant of last year’s Citizens’ Academy. “I highly recommend participation in the Citizens’ Academy,” Bookout said. “For nine weeks, we learned about the behind the scene workings of city departments through the eyes of very competent managers. Those experiences helped me better understand the systems and interdepartmental functions of our city government.”
City residents interested in civic participation or increasing their knowledge about local government operation can apply online at the City of Bloomington’s web site.
The deadline for 2007 Citizens’ Academy applications is Monday, July 16. For an application and further information, call Vickie Provine at 349-3505.
Well worth the time to do this, especially if you plan on being in Bloomington for a while or if you want to understand what goes into making local government work.
