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County manager proposes twice‑yearly Citizens Academy to explain services and gather feedback
Summary
County Manager Bridal Efley proposed a six‑week Citizens Academy to educate residents about county operations, facilities and budgets and to invite community feedback. The proposal envisions small cohorts, site tours and a dot‑voting prioritization exercise to link resident understanding to budget choices.
County Manager Bridal Efley proposed creating a Citizens Academy as part of the county's community engagement strategy. The program would run twice a year (spring and fall), last around six weeks, and convene once per week for 60–90 minutes.
Why it matters: Efley said the academy is intended to increase transparency about county operations, give residents experience visiting facilities (courthouse, 911 center, landfill, EMS, water/sewer assets) and collect informed feedback that could be useful when commissioners set budget priorities.
Design and format: Efley suggested application‑based cohorts of about 15 residents, a mix of classroom briefing and site tours, and a schedule that pairs county staff and commissioners with participant groups. Possible topics include county government structure, capital planning, public safety, utilities and how the county budget integrates and funds services.
Next steps: Efley asked the board to consider the framework during the workshop's prioritization session and to provide staff direction on pilot timing and logistics.
Selected quote: - "What we've envisioned is a program that we think we could run twice a year, once in the fall, once in the spring," Bridal Efley said while describing the proposal.
Context: The Citizens Academy proposal followed the strategic presentations and is intended to deepen resident understanding and engagement ahead of the formal budget cycle.
