ADRIAN — There are still openings for people to apply for and participate in the upcoming second edition of the Adrian Community Academy, which will be held from Sept. 4 through Nov. 6.
Applications for the academy are being accepted until Aug. 1, which is in about two weeks. To locate the online application, visit adriancity.com and scroll down on the homepage to find "Adrian Community Academy."
The academy is making a return for a second go-around after it was offered for the first time during the fall of 2023. The 10-week course, which will meet weekly on Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 8/8:30 p.m., is the brainchild of current Adrian City Commissioner and educator Mary Roberts.
After some discussion last year and even back to 2022, the community academy was given the go-ahead signal from the city commission and city administration. Roberts met with Adrian’s department heads to review the goals of the academy. That is something she and the city’s department heads have been engaged in recently.
“I contacted the MML (Michigan Municipal League), and met with city leaders from Troy, Midland and Toledo to develop the model that we are using in Adrian,” Roberts explained. “Those communities have been offering academies for many years and have seen improved communication and involvement from their residents. That is the goal for the city of Adrian also.”
Each session features a different department of the city, with presentations by department heads and staff members about how each department operates, how decisions are made and how funds are allocated.
There is no cost involved in enrolling in the Adrian Community Academy. It is free of charge and is open to city of Adrian residents. Last year, the course was limited to 20 participants, but this year that number has increased to 25. The registration deadline could be extended if there are not enough participants, Roberts said.
“If there aren’t more than 25 people, then all 25 people are going to be in it,” she said.
The community academy has largely been promoted and hailed for its efforts of local education by the city of Adrian, Adrian City Administrator Greg Elliott, officials representing Lenawee County and current City Commissioner Bob Behnke, who was one of last year’s inaugural graduates from the academy.
The graduates of the first academy — recognized as ambassadors of Adrian — total 14 in number. Each of the academy participants said they attended the newly offered city program for various reasons. A late November graduation ceremony took place inside Adrian City Chambers.
A main point of focus for the academy is to teach constituents the difference between the city of Adrian government and Lenawee County government, even though the county is located in Adrian.
“They are very different, and some people don’t understand that,” Roberts said. “Teaching them that this is a county issue, and this is a city issue was one of my main goals. Who do you call for what? Who is in charge of what? What do your taxes go toward?”
After graduating from the course, the “ambassadors” are encouraged to take what they learned from the academy out into the community to inform residents, Roberts said. They can serve as a positive voice on behalf of the city of Adrian. All participants must attend eight out of the 10 total sessions to receive the graduation certificate and recognition from the city commission.
“Hopefully, it’s not just (city officials) saying it, there are multiple community members who can explain, ‘That’s not a city issue,’” Roberts said.
The Adrian Community Academy is a city-approved program and is not something organized by Roberts herself.
“There are some tweaks that obviously need to happen,” Roberts told the city commission during a discussion back in January. “But I think for the most part, it will run along the same thing where each (session) will be one or two departments presenting.”
Academy classes last year primarily were held at the city chambers building in downtown Adrian while other classes met at city facilities throughout Adrian including the waste/water treatment plant, the fire department, the police station and the department of public works.
From October 2023:Adrian Community Academy provides lessons in Adrian local government and services
With survey results returned from last year’s academy members, Roberts said it was apparent participants really liked the interactive classes from last year’s session.
“We are hoping there will be a little more interaction,” she said. “...Last year was a complete learning curve, and this year I think everyone is excited and we’ll be making some changes and going from there.”
All prospective presenters were emailed a proposed schedule. There have been some adjustments, Roberts said, but the schedule is coming along.
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Lenawee County Commissioner Terry Collins, for example, who represents District 6 on the county commission, which is the western side of the city of Adrian (voting precincts 4, 5 and 6), is expected to provide a question-and-answer presentation on what it means to be a county commissioner.
“We’ve had great support from (County Clerk) Roxann Holloway and (County Administrator) Kim Murphy, and from Kate Daisher from the (Lenawee Public) Transportation Authority. It’s been great. I look forward to another very successful academy,” Roberts said.
Those who have questions about the Adrian Community Academy may contact Roberts by emailing mroberts@adrianmi.gov.
— Contact reporter Brad Heineman at bheineman@lenconnect.com or follow him on X, formerly Twitter: twitter.com/LenaweeHeineman.
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