- May 5, 2024
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The city of Ormond Beach launched its first Citizens Academy, with 20 residents enrolled, with an introductory "Government 101" session.
The first meeting was held on April 18 in the City Commission Chambers at City Hall on Beach Street. The Ormond Beach Citizens Academy is a free six-week program held on Thursdays from 6-8 p.m. that will give participants a chance to learn how the city operates and about the local police and fire departments and city departments.
Participants will graduate from the academy at the June 4 City Commission meeting. Ormond Beach Public Information Officer Jenn Elston wrote over email that all 20 seats for the academy were filled in just a few days.
“Feedback has been extremely positive,” she wrote. Enrollment has not yet opened for the next course, she said, but the city is happy to take applications from anyone that wants to be on the waiting list. Residents can enroll on the city’s website.
The City Clerk’s office is leading the academy, but each department is in charge if its designated session, Elston wrote, that way the participants are exposed to all areas of the city.
The first course on April 18 was a “Government 101” session where participants met the mayor, city manager and other officials, according to the academy schedule. The session explained the city’s council-manager form of government, reviewed the city’s strategic plan and goals and introduced the city finance director, who reviewed the city budget with participants.
Each week, a different department will host a session. These departments will include, in order of presentations, the Ormond Beach Police Department and code enforcement, the Ormond Beach Fire Department and the Emergency Operations Center, the Public Works and Utilities departments, Planning and Economic Development and Leisure Services.
The sessions will include tours, presentations from staff and overviews of the department’s services and equipment. There is no final exam for the course, Elston said.
