Henrico County to Launch Citizens Academy in May

Thirty Henrico residents will learn the nuts and bolts of county operations, programs and services when the inaugural Henrico Citizens Academy gets underway in May.

The free, 10-hour program will take place from 7-9 p.m. each Thursday of the month beginning May 2. Classes will be led by Henrico officials and staff and will be held at a different county facility weekly in each of Henrico’s five magisterial districts.

The 30 spaces available for the first academy have been filled. Interested residents are encouraged to check back in late summer for an announcement regarding the next academy, tentatively scheduled for the fall.

The Citizens Academy is designed to give Henrico residents insight into the full range of county operations — from maintaining a fleet of school buses and producing millions of gallons of drinking water to running a youth sports league, providing emergency rescue services and recruiting a Fortune 1000 corporation. Classes will feature presentations and discussions on community and economic development; schools and human services; public safety; libraries, parks and recreation facilities; county history; and other topics. Classes will include facility tours as well.

Henrico’s divisions of Police and Fire have been holding academies for residents since 1995 and 2000, respectively. The Henrico Citizens Academy is the first such effort to offer a comprehensive look at county operations.

“We want to provide an opportunity for our citizens to learn more about their local government, which has a more direct impact on their lives than any other level of government,” said Joseph P. Casey, deputy county manager for administration. “Engaged and informed citizens can further support their community. We want to offer an opportunity and a way for that to happen.”

For more information, call (804) 501-4206.

 
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