By Steve Brown
Why do city councils need a quorum in order to make formal decisions?
Does the city manager have more or less authority than the mayor?
What are the city’s major departments?
Who creates the annual city budget?
If these questions leave you scratching your head, the City of Estacada’s inaugural Civics Academy may be for you.
The program is designed to give members of the community an inside look at the local government’s structure, projects and processes. The first cohort will meet from 6-8 p.m. Thursdays for six weeks beginning Jan. 13.
Each meeting will have a different topic and an opportunity to meet different members of local government. Topics will include: local government operations, budget, decision making, and overviews from departments. The culmination of this series will be a greater understanding of government operations and opportunities to get involved.
The city hopes this series helps residents feel more connected and involved in their community.
Program participation is free, but spots are limited so if you are interested in being a part of the city’s first Civics Academy fill out the form on the website — https://www.cityofestacada.org/civics-academy/ — or pick up an application at City Hall to apply for a spot. The city asks that all applicants be able to dedicate the time to attend a minimum of five of the six meetings. The deadline to apply is Dec. 16.
“The Civics Academy is a project which was identified from the council’s goal ‘Community Engagement and Education – Stronger Together Connections and Knowledge.’ This program educates community members on how their local government functions, what each department handles, and ways that they can get involved. We expect that residents who participate will complete the series with the ability to understand how their city runs,” said Melanie Wagner, city manager.
This article first appeared in Estacada News and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.