24 local citizens graduate from 2025 Paducah Citizens’ Academy

PADUCAH, Ky., (KBSI) – Twenty-four local citizens graduated from the 2025 Paducah Citizens’ Academy on June 24, as part of the City Commission Meeting. The ceremony honored the graduates who completed the free, interactive program that ran for nine consecutive Thursday evenings starting April 17.

The Paducah Citizens’ Academy offers an in-depth look at local government operations through a mix of classroom instruction, hands-on activities, site visits, and tours. The program covers various topics, including:

– City Government 101: Administration, City Clerk, Customer Experience, Grants, and Communications
– Keeping You Safe: Fire Department
– Serving with Pride: Police Department and E911
– Always Something to Do: Parks & Recreation Department
– Dollars and Sensibility: Finance Department
– Internal Services: Technology and Human Resources departments
– Streets, Streams, and Strategies: Engineering Department
– Basic Necessities: Public Works Department
– Building for Tomorrow: Planning Department

City Clerk and Director of Customer Experience Lindsay Parish coordinated the academy with Senior Customer Experience Representative Cathy Bryant-Quimby. Parish expressed pride in the community’s engagement and enthusiasm for learning about local government.

The academy was last held in 2020 but was paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s graduates praised the program, with one participant, Dana McAfee, recommending it for those curious about city government operations.