The funds, which come from the city’s fiscal year 2022-23 general fund, will go toward:
- Meals
- T-Shirts
- Academy supplies, including program packets, field day supplies, graduation certificates and clipboards
Residents will learn about the city’s infrastructure, public safety measures and growth. The program will be held on Mondays from 6-8 p.m. from Aug. 7 through Oct. 3 in the council chambers at city hall. Classes may also be held at the public works training room, library meeting rooms or new Public Safety Center.
Originally, the program prohibited individuals running for office to participate, but Council Member Yvonne Flores-Cale motioned to amend the program to remove that provision, which passed with a 5-2 vote.
"I think it's a great opportunity for a candidate to run and then learn about it, and then maybe be like, 'I'm not interested,'" Flores-Cale said.
To qualify for the program applicants must:
- Be 18 years old or older
- Have no current civil or criminal litigation with the city or any city employees
- Not be an elected official
"I think it's much needed. I've spent a lot of time looking at how our community engages with us and the city. I'm finding more and more that there is a lack of information out there on how our local government actually functions and what we can and can't do here from the dais and what staff is and isn't able to do," Heiser said.
According to agenda documents classes will be limited to 24 participants, and dinner will be provided at each class. There will also be three field days where academy participants will be encouraged to attend city events.
Applications will be open July 1-31 and do not require an application fee; however, applicants are chosen on a first-come, first-served basis. Any applicants not chosen will be put on a waitlist for future classes.
For more information on the program, visit www.cityofkyle.com/cityadministration/team-kyle-academy-1.
