Citizen Academy will make government more accessible

A new initiative, Cape Citizen Academy, aims to make city government more accessible to the people, and it's now accepting applications, city officials said.

Cape Girardeau city manager Scott Meyer said earlier this year, fewer candidates for City Council and advisory board positions were applying for positions, and furthermore, some of the city's wards tended to be under-represented in city administration.

So, he said, to develop a pool of informed candidates, the city staff looked at how to capitalize on popular police and fire department experiences to provide a more holistic, engaging program to encourage citizens to be more involved and to improve understanding of the city's operations.

Amanda Rogers, an intern with the city in her second year of graduate school at Southeast Missouri State University, said Meyer asked her to take on the project to get it up and running.

"I have been asking him questions and making sure that my vision is following what he would like to see in this program," Rogers said in a recent news release. "I have had a few meetings with him to discuss the project and so far, we are excited to see where this project goes."

Applications are now being taken online at cityofcapegirardeau.org, keyword Citizen Academy.

Eight sessions, each from 6 to 8 p.m., will cover topics such as how city hall works, taxes and budgeting, and the different city departments, said public information manager Nicolette Brennan.

The first session of the free program begins Aug. 22, with graduation Oct. 10.

Registration deadline is Aug. 5.

Brennan said the program is for anyone who lives or works within the city of Cape Girardeau.

"We're aiming for 25 attendees," Rogers said.

As of early Thursday afternoon, 10 already had signed up, she said.

"We're trying to get more people involved," Rogers added.

Brennan said she hopes people will be empowered to go out into the community and tell others about what they learn in the sessions.

The topics were chosen after a survey indicated residents would like more information on how city hall works, and on how the city's budget process works, Brennan said.

Brennan said they've done some beta testing of the planned topics and have learned quite a bit about how to break the information down so it's more accessible.

"City services affect every aspect of people's day to day lives," Brennan said, adding it's important for people to understand why -- and how -- the city arrives at its decisions.

mniederkorn@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3630