About 15 people sat in a classroom at the Monroe County Extension Office, on their way to complete a voluntary educational program meant to educate people and encourage civic participation.
County Extension Director Amy Thompson said the program, Monroe County Citizens Academy, has been relatively successful.
“We’ve probably put 120 people through it within five years,” Thompson said. “We don’t have it unless there’s 15 people.”
Thompson said the extension office serves as an educational resource and that was part of the reason for ?initiating the program.
“In my high school experience, you learn about federal, you learn about state government, but not really county government,” Thompson said. “People are often confused with the two.”
Most of the people were Bloomington residents. But some of them were also ?government employees.
They included Don hall, a Salt Creek township trustee, and Mary McInerney, a member of the Benton County township board.
“It’s not that I’m not qualified for the position,” McInerney said. “I’d just like to learn more.”
McKim said he was there to help people do just that.
“I love doing this,” he said.
McKim has been a council member for the past six years. In his Powerpoint, McKim mostly focused on structural topics: how the county government was organized and the various departmental functions. But every now and again he dropped a fact that drew a reaction from the group.
“We actually get about $300,000 from riverboat gambling taxes,” McKim said. “We don’t even have a riverboat.”
He explained this was part of a legislature that made sure counties without casinos ?benefited from those that do.
“So much of Indiana legislation is based off who’s the better lobbyist,” McKim said.
Some people snickered. But McKim seemed ?unmoved.
“I don’t think it’s cynical to say that,” McKim said.
The class is taught from 6 to 9 p.m. every Monday night.
