The City of Gastonia is accepting applications for the 2024 Gastonia Municipal Government Citizens’ Academy. Have you ever wondered how the City of Gastonia government works or how important decisions are made? The Academy is offered to interested citizens free of charge and will start January 2, 2024 and end June 18, 2024. Class size is limited to 20 persons.
“The City offers the Academy for citizens to learn more about local government operations,” said Tyler Davis, Neighborhood Program Administrator. “We see participants making vital connections with city employees and gaining a better understanding of the city that serves them. Graduates from the class also become our ambassadors to share information with their family and communities.”
Participants will meet two Mondays per month from January through June with each session beginning at 6:00 p.m. for a total of 10 sessions. Each two-hour session includes presentations by City employees, hands-on activities, group discussions, facility tours, an optional ride-along with a patrol officer, and an opportunity to ask City leaders and staff questions.
Tarik Cranke, who graduated from the Academy in 2023 said, “What was amazing about the Academy was that I thought I knew how things worked. I learned so much. It is amazing to see all that our City workers do, the responsibilities they have, learning what roles the mayor really plays and more. With this new knowledge, I can navigate better and can advocate better for things that are important in my City. I can’t wait for more people to experience it.”
Application forms are available at this link and due by Thursday, November 30. For more information about the Municipal Government Citizens’ Academy, see this link.