By Taitelyn Morris-Wise, Neighborhood Services/Community Relations Coordinator
Did you know the City of College Station’s Traffic Control Center has a massive wall of cameras showing every major intersection? Or that the College Station Police Department has the only bomb squad in the Brazos Valley?
Have you ever heard of a fatberg?
Local government often seems like a maze of unusual terms, complicated processes, and odd acronyms.
Thankfully, the City of College Station offers a way to ease the confusion and help you better understand how our municipal government functions.
Citizens University is a free, 13-week course from Jan. 27-April 24. You spend about two hours (6-8 p.m.) each Monday getting a behind-the-scenes look at nearly every department through insightful presentations and meaningful activities that bring city services to life. Participants are encouraged to ask questions and provide feedback.
The course concludes with a special Thursday night class on April 24, followed by graduation ceremonies on April 28 at City Hall.
Applications are accepted through Dec. 13. The only rules are that you are a registered Texas voter, can commit to attending at least nine sessions, and can’t be a political candidate during the course.
Here’s a sample of what last year’s participants said:
“The fiscal presentation was my favorite, and I better understand the challenges our city staff faces in determining a yearly budget and planning for future needs.“
I enjoyed the planning and development presentation because I had no prior knowledge of the subject. It was interesting to see how urban planning is laid out step by step.
I’m amazed at everything they are responsible for maintaining on our roadways—signs, streets, waste, traffic, etc.
Seeing the 911 control center was an eye-opener and certainly gives a better understanding of those people’s important role in our city’s safety.
I left the meeting with a thorough understanding of what the municipal court does, especially compared to other courts throughout the state.
You could tell exactly how passionate they are about their departments. Subjects I thought would bore me excited me! I’m so happy that these are the people working in our city.
Citizens University is for you if you desire insight and a deeper understanding of your local government’s services and operations.
For more information, go to cstx.gov/cu or email me at tmorris@cstx.gov.act Neighborhood Services at 979-764-6262 or NeighborhoodServices@cstx.gov, or visit cstx.gov/neighbor.
About The Blogger
Taitelyn Morris-Wise is in her second year as the city’s Neighborhood and Community Relations Coordinator. She worked as a policy advisor for the Texas House of Representatives last spring and was a graduate fellow at the Communities Foundation of Texas in 2022. Morris also served as an intern in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2021 and was an internal audit intern for the City of College Station in 2020. A native of Waco, she earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics from Texas A&M in 2021 and a master’s in public service and administration from A&M’s Bush School of Government and Public Service in 2023.
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