Citizens Academy

From city streets to park trails, staff at the City of Victoria lay the foundations for the community to connect and grow. In this year’s Citizens Academy program, residents will discover how the City plans for future growth while preserving its natural amenities.

Over the 5-week program, City of Victoria staff and partners will discuss the impact and background of a number of topics.

Citizens Academy 2022 Sessions

Citizens Academy Session #1 Information

Date and Time: April 6, 2021, 5:30-7:00 PM
Location: Council Chambers, City Hall, 1670 Stieger Lake Lane, Victoria, MN 55386

• Welcome 
  Debra McMillan, Mayor, City of Victoria
• Meet Victoria Today: An Overview of the City of Victoria
  Dana Hardie, City Manager, City of Victoria
• A Look at Victoria Before: A History of Victoria
  Jayna Hulleman, Curator of Education & Exhibits, Carver County Historical Society

Citizens Academy Session #2 Information

Date and Time: April 13, 2021, 5:30-7:00 PM
Location: Public Works Building, 8001 Bavaria Road, Victoria, MN 55386

• Keeping Victoria Together: The Many Jobs of Public Works
  Dave Shoger, Public Works Director, City of Victoria
• A Map of Victoria: Laying the Groundwork to Grow
  Cara Geheren, City Engineer, City of Victoria

Citizens Academy Session #3 Information

Date and Time: April 20, 2021, 5:30-7:00 PM
Location: Victoria Fire Station, 1500 80th Street, Victoria, MN 55386

• Keeping Victoria Safe: A Look at Public Safety in Victoria 
  Mark Randall, Sheriff’s Deputy, Carver County Sheriff’s Office
• Protecting Victoria: Inside the Victoria Fire Department
  Andrew Heger, Fire Chief, Victoria Fire Department, City of Victoria

Citizens Academy Session #4 Information

Date and Time: April 27, 2021, 5:30-7:00 PM
Location: Council Chambers, City Hall, 1670 Stieger Lake Lane, Victoria, MN 55386

• A Growing Victoria: Planning What’s Next for Victoria
  Marty Doll, Community & Economic Development Director, City of Victoria
• Victoria’s Voice: The Election Process in Victoria
  Cindy Patnode, City Clerk, City of Victoria

Citizens Academy Session #5 Information

Date and Time: May 4, 2021, 5:30-7:00 PM
Location: Picnic Shelter, Wassermann Lake Preserve, 9175 Church Lake Blvd, Victoria, MN 55386

• Victoria, City of Lakes & Parks: A Place to Connect and Enjoy the Outdoors
  Ann Mahnke, Parks & Recreation Director, City of Victoria
• A Responsible Victoria: Balancing the Needs of Victoria
  Trisha Pollock, Finance & Human Resources Director, City of Victoria

The Victoria Citizens Academy draws on learning from successful citizen academies across the nation. These academies are often modeled after citizens police academies, which began in the mid-1980’s as a tool to foster stronger citizen commitment to police department and community, in an effort to reduce crime. Citizen police academies are now popular in communities large and small throughout the country.