CONWAY — The town administrator has proposed a program aimed at educating people about their local government and encouraging more people to participate.
Tom Hutcheson spoke at a recent Conway Selectboard meeting about the possibility of starting a “Citizens Academy,” modeled after examples in towns like Pittsfield, Auburn, Wenham, Weston and Lexington. The academy would consist of residents sitting down with department heads, who would explain what their departments and staff do on a daily basis.
“It’s a way to introduce the functions of the town to people in the town in kind of a structured way,” Hutcheson said. “Our goal is both to allow people to learn about town departments, in general, and to try to see whether anybody might be interested in participating on one of the committees, or boards, or elected positions.
“So, it’s a way to try to deepen the bench of possible players in the town,” he said and added that citizens academies have been successful in communities that have adopted them.
Hutcheson explained the idea is to hold one meeting a week for eight to 10 weeks, with focus on the more significant boards, committees and departments, including the Planning Board, Conservation Commission, Board of Assessors and Board of Health. He said it might be wise to occasionally combine more than one board or commission in a meeting. He said those who complete the program would get a certificate. He also said it would be roughly a year before the academy could begin.
But Selectboard member Philip Kantor expressed skepticism that people would regularly participate.
“Once a week is too ambitious. Nobody comes out … once a week for anything,” he said, adding that once a month would be more realistic.
Hutcheson said he likely would not want the program to last nearly a year, but said Kantor made a good argument for combining departments for some of the meetings.
O’Rourke said the town “can play it by ear.”
“I think it’s a good idea,” O’Rourke said. “A lot of people don’t understand the processes and the procedures behind what all the committees or boards or councils do.”
Hutcheson said he thinks the town will get responses from residents “if we fly (the idea) up the flagpole.” He explained he learned about citizens academies at a Massachusetts Municipal Association annual conference last year. He told The Recorder he estimates having a Citizens Academy would cost “a few hundred dollars” for publicity, binders filled with information and possibly some refreshments for participants, though he said that was a vague number.
“We are talking not a lot of money,” he said.
Catherine VanBramer, executive assistant to Pittsfield Mayor Linda M. Tyer, serves as the Citizens Academy liaison in her city and was inspired to start one after attending the same Massachusetts Municipal Association conference Hutcheson did. She said the free 10-week academy’s final class is scheduled for this week. The program’s sessions have since September been held from 6 to 8 p.m. at various locations in Pittsfield. Sixteen people participated, said VanBramer, who added that she and Tyer hope to continue the program next year and on an annual basis.
“This was sort of our learning curve year,” she said. VanBramer said highlights included tours of the Pittsfield police department, fire department and municipal airport.
Reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 262.