Local Government 101 class offered

The Learning Center is offering three classes free of charge to the Hot Springs County community beginning on Monday, February 24 at 6 p.m.  The first class is “How does our Town Government work?” featuring Mayor Adam Estenson, Assistant to the Mayor Jim Jeunehomme and Town Clerk Tracey Van Huele.  This class will take place at the Town Hall, 420 Broadway.  Light refreshments will be served.

Lifelong Thermopolite Barbara Rice came up with the idea for a class centered around local governance after hearing from a number of people who don’t vote or participate in government because they don’t have a clear idea of how government works, or the specific roles assigned to different bodies.  Rice formed a multipartisan committee to determine class topics and facilitate discussion.  “We thought it would be interesting to learn from the people who serve us, starting at the local level first.  So Local Government 101 was born.” 

“We hope the community finds these events educational, and that they inspire all types of discussions and ways of thinking about what needs to be done, especially in terms of how we govern ourselves,” explained Dr. John Anderson, who is part of the Local Government 101 committee. 

Meri Ann Dorman, another committee member, joined the group because, “It is our job to educate the voters.”  “As governments run more and more of our lives,” said Charles Curley, committee member and Chair of the Hot Springs County chapter of Moms for Liberty, “we need to know how it works so we can influence the right places in the right way.”

The next meeting, “How does our County function?” will be held on Monday, March 31 at 6 p.m. at the County Annex, 327 Arapahoe, and will feature County Commissioner Tom Ryan, County Clerk Becky Kersten, and County Administrator Connie Guntly. The final meeting in this series, “How do we pay for County services?” will take place Monday, April 28 at 6 p.m. at The Learning Center, 122 N. 5th Street, and will feature County Treasurer Julie Mortimore, County Assessor Dan Webber, and County Clerk Becky Kersten.  Classes will resume this fall.  All are welcome to attend the free classes.