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2019 Citizens' Academy

CitizensAcademyLogo (1)Welcome to the City of Largo's Citizens' Academy! 

Largo Citizens' Academy is your hands-on solution to learning about your government. Led by Largo City Commissioners and Department Directors, the Academy guides citizens first-hand through the myriad of operations that keep Largo running. Academy participants will tour key facilities, learn the challenges facing future development, talk with City leaders about current issues and events affecting Largo, and work side by side with City staff members to learn about the essential functions they serve.

Your Citizens Academy Deans

Diane Bruner, City Clerk
[email protected]
727-587-6710 Ext 7003

Courtney Fogarty, Deputy City Clerk
[email protected]
727-587-6710 Ext 7002

Brandon Graham, Multimedia Supervisor
[email protected]
727-587-6740 Ext 4050 
Things to Know

In order to graduate from Largo Citizens' Academy, you will need to attend a minimum of 8 sessions. For the courtesy of your classmates, please arrive promptly. Class will begin at 6pm. If for any reason you are unable to attend a session, please email Diane Bruner at the email address listed above. Extra credit may be available.

A class agenda is available below with the address of each location. Citizens are encouraged to dress comfortably and wear long pants for facility tours including Environmental Services and Public Works. Closed-toe walking shoes are highly encouraged for the duration of this course.
 

Week 1 - Sept. 16 - Orientation

Location - City Hall
Agenda

2019 Citizens’ Academy of Largo

Orientation, Community Building, Communications and Marketing

September 16, 2019

 1. Citizens’ Academy Opening – Brandon Graham

2. Welcome – Mayor Woody Brown, City Manager Henry Schubert

3. Dinner Served

4. Introduction of Class Members

Break

5. Communications and Marketing Presentation

6. Q & A

7. Session Wrap Up

**Important Information**
All sessions start at 6:00 p.m., please try and arrive on time as some sessions have tours that require daylight.

Wear comfortable clothes and flat closed toed shoes to all sessions.

We will let you know in advance if dinner will not be served at the beginning of a session.

Surveys will become available the Tuesday after a session.

Surveys are anonymous.

Do not worry if you did not get a question answered or if you think of something to ask after the fact, the surveys have a space for unanswered questions that we will get answers for and send out to the group.

Sessions are standardly 2 hours long but some nights will go over that time, we will let you know in advance for a session that may run long.

Please let us know in advance if you will be absent for a session.
Survey
We please ask you to take a moment of your time to complete a brief survey regarding your Orientation Session, link below.

http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07eghl1wv6jyh955zv/start

Week 2 - Sept. 23 - Fire Department

Location - Fire Station 41
https://www.largo.com/facility_detail_T64_R26.php
Agenda
Largo Fire Rescue Agenda

Introduction
  •  Overview of Largo Fire Rescue                         
  •  Staff Introductions
Dinner
 
Fire Fighter Fashion Show: Division Chief Tokarz              
  • Uniform Demonstration
Group Stations (Rotate every 20 minutes)
Division Chief Don Rooks-Time Keeper

Apparatus
  •   Division Chief McDonald/Specialty Team Personnel
  •   Assistant Chief Cody Johnson/ Truck 41 Driver
Station Tours
  •   Assistant Chief Joe Manning
  •   Assistant Chief Hillary Sanford
  •   Truck 41 Lieutenant
Medical Code/Cardiac Arrest         
  •   Assistant Chief Mike Carpenter/District Chief Snell/Station Personnel
 Q and A with Staff
**Important Information**
This tour does contain walking, please wear something comfortable.

Expect to stay over the standard 2 hours for this session.
Survey
We please ask you to take a moment of your time to complete a brief survey regarding your Fire Department Session, link below.

http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07eghl2zq4jyh9ckvu/start

Week 3 - Sept. 30 - Environmental Services

Location - Environmental Services
Agenda
2019 Citizens’ Academy of Largo
Environmental Services
September 30, 2019

1. Tour of the Treatment Plant

2. Lab Presentation/Reclaimed Water Facility

3. Dinner

4. Presentation

**Important Information**
This tour does contain walking, please wear something comfortable.

Dinner will be served after the tour.

Expect to stay over the standard 2 hours for this session.
Survey
We please ask you to take a moment of your time to complete a brief survey regarding your Environmental Services Session, link below.

http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07eghl2zycjyh9j16v/start
Unanswered Questions
Reclaimed vs. Potable Water to wash animals:
It is not recommended to wash animals in reclaimed water. It is more chlorinated than potable water and it would probably dry their skin out or irritate their skin.

Week 4 - Oct. 7 - Engineering Services

Location - City Hall
Agenda

2019 Citizens’ Academy of Largo

Engineering Services

October 7, 2019

Department Overview

Department Functions

Department Services

Major Initiatives

Largo.com City Infrastructure Projects

How to submit a Service Request (Overview and Activity)

Traffic Calming Policy Overview
Survey
We please ask you to take a moment of your time to complete a brief survey regarding your Engineering Services session, link below.

http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07eghl3052jyh9mf78/start

Week 5 - Oct. 14 - Recreation, Parks and Arts

Location - Central Park Performing Arts Center
Agenda

2019 Citizens’ Academy of Largo

Recreation, Parks and Arts

October 14, 2019

  • Opening, presentations and food
  • CPPAC tour & Central Park Discussion with Phil
  • Travel to McGough to include drive by Whitesell Field
  • McGough Tour
  • Travel to Southwest Recreation Complex to include drive by Largo Golf Course
  • Southwest Recreation Complex Tour
  • Travel to Highland Complex
  • Highland Complex Tour
  • Travel to Community Center
  • Community Center Tour
  • Travel to Central Park Performing Arts Center to end 
**Important Information**
This evening will have extensive travel and is crucial you arrive on time.

You will be away from where you are parked on a bus tour.

Do not expect to get back to your vehicles until close to 9:00pm.

Please wear comfortable clothes and shoes.
Survey
We please ask you to take a moment of your time to complete a brief survey regarding your Recreation, Parks and Arts session, link below.

http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07eghl307bjyh9ozxa/start

Week 6 - Oct. 21 - Community Development

Location - City Hall
Agenda

Citizen's Academy
 October 21, 2019 6:00 p.m.
Community Development
Agenda

  1. Welcome and Introductions

  2. Dinner

  3. Department Overview

  1. The Rosery Apartment Story

    • Economic Development
    • Community Standards
    • Planning
    • Building (Tour of Customer Service Center)
    • Housing

  1. Adjourn

Survey
We please ask you to take a moment of your time to complete a brief survey regarding your Community Development Session, link below.

http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07eghl48byjyh9t7h0/start
Unanswered Questions
Pricing for Annexations
Information regarding annexations can be found at www.largo.com/annexation. The contact information for Isabella Nunez can be found there, she is the City's Economic Development Coordinator and handles all annexations for the city. If you have any questions that the web site cannot answer, she encourages you to call her. She noted to sign an annexation agreement there is no cost; so the process itself is free.

Week 7 - Oct. 28 - Public Works

Location - Public Works
Agenda
Citizen's Academy
October 28, 2019 6:00 p.m.
Public Works
Agenda
  • Facility Tour
  • Vehicle Tour
  • Dinner
  • Presentation
**Important Information**
This tour does contain walking, please wear something comfortable.

Dinner will be served after the tour.
Survey
We please ask you to take a moment of your time to complete a brief survey regarding your Public Works session, link below.

http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07eghl48q4jyha3emc/start
Unanswered Questions
What is the difference between Public Works Solid Waste and Environmental Solid Waste?
Public Works Solid Waste is waste that we throw away. This would be along the lines of garbage and food waste.

Environmental Services Waste is waste that comes from the human body and goes down the drains.

Week 8 - Nov. 4 - Police Department

Location - Largo Police Department
https://www.largo.com/facility_detail_T64_R14.php
Agenda
Citizens Academy
Police Department
November 4, 2019

1730: Introduction

1735: Police Department Welcome

1740: Dinner with Chief Undestad with questions and answers

1830: Group 1  Police Department Tour
             Group 2  Firearms Training Simulator

Tour includes;

Communications

TAC Team display to include MRAP and HMMWV

Mobile Command Vehicle
Police Cruiser
Police MULE

Special Incident Response Team display

2000 K-9 Demonstration in front of police department

2020: Reassemble in read-off room for a  question and answer session

2030: Dismissal
**Important Information**
This night will start at 5:30pm. There is no requirement to be there this early but the Police Chief will be there at this time for a "Dinner with the Chief".

He will use this time to answer questions and concerns and to hear out any comments.

Please wear comfortable clothes as you will be walking.

Plan to be out late this night. We have seen this night go until 9-9:30pm.
Survey
We please ask you to take a moment of your time to complete a brief survey regarding the Largo Police Department session, link below.

http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07eghl48vtjyha73vj/start
Unanswered Questions
1) How do they recruit?
The police department has a full time recruiting position currently filled by Ofc. Matthew Williams. Recruitment is achieved through various methods to include; speaking at Sepsi (the local police academy), online advertising, social media, job fairs, and military transition events to name a few. Officer Williams works collaboratively with Valerie Knight from Human Resources and is very proactive in recruiting a diverse workforce.

2) Do they provide the training for academy?
The police department has recently started sponsoring approximately four cadets per year through the police academy at Sepsi. This sponsorship includes paying the cost of the academy and paying the Cadet a reduced wage while attending the academy. The Cadets wear the Largo Police Department patch on their academy uniforms and are employees of the police department during their time at the academy.  

3) Is "awareness of bias" training incorporated into the scenario platform for officer response or in any other trainings? E.g., analyzing officer responses to video simulation by cross-tabbing response with gender, age, race/ethnicity of individual in scenario?
Certified law enforcement officers in the State of Florida are required by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) to take scheduled continuing education training to maintain their law enforcement certification. This includes topics such as Discriminatory Profiling & Professional Traffic Stops, and topics based on ethics, and biased based policing.  

4) In what cases are officers trained to shoot multiple rounds vs. shoot to incapacitate?
Police officers are trained to comply with state & federal laws and department policy when using a Response to Resistance to include deadly force. Officers are trained to "stop the threat" when using deadly force. Officers are not trained to shoot to incapacitate or wound, as a requirement for the use of deadly force is an imminent threat of death. In order to maximize effectiveness and minimize danger to innocent bystanders, officers are trained to shoot at the center of body mass.

Week 9 - Nov. 11 - Largo Public Library

Location - Largo Public Library
Agenda
Largo Citizens' Academy
Largo Public Library
November 11, 2019

  • 5:45 – 6:15 – Bookmobile tours

  • 6:15-7:15 – Dinner, Remarks from the Director, Refugee Basket Drive 2019 video

  • 7:15 – 7:45 – Tour of library

Survey
We please ask you to take a moment of your time to complete a brief survey regarding the Largo Public Library Session, link below.

http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07eghl72r1jyhb97pk/start

Week 10 - Nov. 18 - Finance and OPB

Location - City Hall
Survey
We please ask you to take a moment of your time to complete a brief survey regarding the Finance and Office of Performance and Budget Session, link below.

http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07eghl9vdujyhc97m1/start

Graduation - Dec. 3 - Commission Meeting

Population Size

4th

Largest City in Tampa Bay

Acres of Park Land

4.5K

Largo Businesses