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Apply for second annual City Works Academy beginning June 1

The City of Austin will begin accepting applications from the community on June 1 for the second annual CityWorks Academy which provides an insight into the workings of municipal government.

The academy is an opportunity for Austin residents to get involved in local government and learn first-hand about the programs and services the City provides, directly from the people who deliver them.

Participants will have the chance to learn the "A to Z" of City operations at 11 weekly sessions designed to give a hands-on, behind-the-scenes look at their City government. Classes will be from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays, Sept. 7- Nov. 23, 2010, at various City facilities.

Application deadline is July 31. The classes are limited to 30 participants.

CityWorks Academy will be led by City of Austin Executive Team members, Department Directors and other City staff who will share information about the City’s operations and discuss key issues facing this community. Mayor Lee Leffingwell and other members of the Austin City Council will also participate.

You can apply for the CityWorks Academy in one of the following ways:

• Application in PDF format
• Online Application
• At Austin City Hall, 301 W. Second St., third floor reception area.
• By calling (512) 974-2969.

In the program’s inaugural year, the City received more than 300 applications for the program’s 30 spots.

The CityWorks Academy provided a wonderful opportunity -- as someone who is interested in what’s going on with the City -- to learn about the City departments themselves, how each of them work, the best contacts to reach, and to really understand how the various departments work together," inaugural session graduate Cookie Ruiz said.

Graduate Ted Hadzi-Antich said the sessions personalized City government: "The biggest benefit that I derived from participating in this program is learning that folks that help run the City actually genuinely care about the city and are no different from residents like me," he said.