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<br />ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: November 20, 2017 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. 8-f <br /> <br />SUBJECT: Establishing a County Government Academy for Orange County Residents <br /> <br />DEPARTMENT: Community Relations. <br /> <br /> <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />Proposed Agenda <br /> <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Todd McGee, Director, Community <br />Relations, (919) 245-2302 <br /> <br /> <br />PURPOSE: To approve the development of a County Government Academy (CGA) as a series <br />of classes held each spring and fall to educate residents about the many services and <br />responsibilities of Orange County Government and thereby benefit Orange County by creating a <br />pool of informed residents who would be more likely to serve on one of the many Orange <br />County volunteer boards and advisory committees. <br /> <br />BACKGROUND: A County Government Academy is designed to educate, inform and engage <br />citizens. Programs are typically conducted by staff at minimal or no cost to participants, and are <br />held at night over the course of several weeks. Many North Carolina cities and counties conduct <br />these courses, including Durham, Chatham and Guilford counties, as well as Carrboro and <br />Hillsborough. Chapel Hill is in the initial phases of creating its own program. <br /> <br />Rick Morse, an associate professor of public administration and government at the UNC School <br />of Government, has conducted extensive research into these programs. In an article for the <br />School of Government’s “Coates Canons” blog, he wrote: "Citizens academies are educational <br />programs conducted by cities and counties aiming to create better informed and engaged <br />citizens. These programs involve ordinary citizens participating in several (between six and <br />twelve) sessions taught by local government officials on the wide range of local government <br />services and operations. Programs are usually taught to cohorts of 20-25 residents and end with <br />a graduation. Participants not only learn about their local government, but also learn about how <br />they can be directly involved in it by, for example, serving on boards or committees." <br /> <br />Morse’s research showed that local governments who host a county college reap several <br />benefits. Graduates of the program are often surprised to learn how many services their local <br />government provides and wind up serving as unofficial community ambassadors. The programs <br />help develop a deeper pool of informed residents who take an active role in their community by <br />serving on boards or committees. Communities also see an increase in social capital because of <br />the positive interactions between residents taking the class and government staff members who <br />participate in the sessions, which helps build trust in the community. <br />1