TAVARES — In place for more than six years, the Lake County Citizen’s Academy continues its strong commitment to the community with a session planned for this spring.

Typically held in the summer and winter, the first edition of Citizen’s Academy in 2005 has been rescheduled for March 3 to April 21. Classes are held each Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m. as the eight-week program provides citizens with information and materials explaining how the various departments within Lake County government work to serve the community.

“The classes really help citizens put names to the faces of people they should contact for certain issues,” said County Manager Bill Neron.

The three-hour classes allow citizens to learn and ask questions about aspects of government operations in an informal setting. Each week, a different branch of County government is featured. A favorite class occurs the second week of the academy when the four divisions of the Department of Public Safety (Fire Rescue, Emergency Management, Animal Services and Communications Systems) convene at the Lake County Animal Shelter.

The facilitator of the academy is Denise Gainer, Public Education Specialist for the Department of Environmental Services. Beside her primary role of organizing the program and keeping it on schedule, her occasional comedic relief is a hit with citizens. Other benefits of the program are free refreshments, an official class shirt and a certified academy diploma.

For more information and to register for the free course, call 343-3776 ext. 224 or register on the Lake County Web site at www.lakecountyfl.gov/residents. The academy is limited to 24 citizens.

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Contact information:
Christopher Patton
Communications Coordinator
Office: (352) 343-9609; Cell: (352) 455-0445
cpatton@co.lake.fl.us