Citizens Academy

The City of Lynchburg has made it easy for citizens to be better informed and more involved in the day to day business and operation of our government. Our City Council often refers to citizens and their neighborhoods as the backbone of our community. This involvement is vital for us to maintain a healthy community that continues to meet the needs of its citizens. In our effort to solicit even more citizen participation, we offer the Citizens Academy.

Citizens Academy is designed to give participants an insight into the operation of the various departments of the government. The goal of the academy is to have better informed citizens who will bring their specialized knowledge of how city government works back to their respective neighborhoods.

A series of 12 weekly informational sessions are presented each Thursday evening, 6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m., at various government locations around the city with an optional Saturday tour scheduled as well. Each week, City government experts will discuss diverse topics, often with a hands-on approach to learning about specific services provided by the City. Enrollment is limited to 30 participants, 18 years of age and older. Lynchburg City residents will be given first priority. Participants are encouraged to attend all 12 sessions but miss no more than three sessions.

Citizens Academy sessions include the following departments and offices (all subject to change):

• City Manager, Deputy City Manager, Asst. City Manager, City Attorney, Human Resources
• Constitutional Offices: Commissioner of the Revenue, Circuit Court Clerk, Commonwealth’s Attorney, etc.
• Lynchburg Police Department
• Lynchburg Fire Department
• Public Works: Buildings and Grounds, Streets, Engineering, Refuse Collection
• Water Resources: Water, Wastewater and Stormwater
• Parks and Recreation & Lynchburg Public Library
• Economic Development and Tourism, Community Development & Airport
• Human Services: Social Services & Juvenile Services
• Lynchburg City Schools
• Financial Services, Assessor’s Office & GIS Division
• Communications & Public Engagement, City Council members
• The optional Saturday tour may include the Regional Jail, Fleet Services, GLTC, Emergency Services & the Lynchburg Museum.