Applications are now closed for the Spring 2026 session as the class is full. Any applications submitted after December 31, 2025 will be considered for the Fall 2026 session. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to view and complete the online application. If you prefer a paper application, please look to the column on the left.

What is Citizens Academy?

Local governments are where the rubber meets the road. The tasks of providing for safety, essential services and your protection are not always inherently clear and may be easily taken for granted. Have you ever wondered if you are getting a good value for your taxes and fees paid to the City, or what is involved in providing safe drinking water to your home 24 hours a day, 365 days a year? Do you wonder what it takes to provide top rate Police and Fire Departments to respond to emergencies? Do you know how your Mayor and City Council are elected to office and how they plan for the future of the City? 

These functions happen every day so we can live our busy lives comfortably. So, what do you know about how the City works? How can you make a difference in your own community to make it the best it can be? Learn and engage in driving your community’s future! 

Horseshoe Bay leaders have initiated programs promoting understanding of your City with a goal of creating a long-term partnership for shared community expectations and actions. The City’s Citizens Academy seeks to educate our citizens through direct contact with City staff and elected officials, site visits, and hands-on activities. 

In 2016, the Citizens Academy for Horseshoe Bay began to provide an interactive education on how our City functions. In remembrance of long-time Horseshoe Bay resident Dottie Anderson, a spring 2019 graduate, the Academy has now been renamed the Dottie Anderson Citizens Academy. 

To date, 220 HSB residents have participated in the academy, gaining knowledge while fostering a sense of community.

When is Citizens Academy?

A new Citizens Academy class begins each spring and fall. Spring academies begin in February and fall academies begin in October. Academies run for a total of nine class sessions (8 sessions and a graduation). Each Thursday from 2 to 4 p.m., a different subject about local government will be covered by the City's various departments. Classes will cover a range of topics including City Council and Elections, Open Government, Fire, Police, Utilities, Finance, Code Enforcement, Development Services, and Municipal Court. The final session is a graduation ceremony. 

Class Requirements

Class size is usually limited to 15 people. Applicants must be a City of Horseshoe Bay resident with preference given to full-time residents. Emphasis will be given to creating a diverse class from as many neighborhoods as possible within Horseshoe Bay.

There is an attendance policy to ensure there is a full, dedicated class. Participants missing more than two classes will not graduate; however, they will have the option to make up the classes they missed when the next Academy takes place. If they make up the sessions, they may graduate with the next class.

During the graduation ceremony, each student is presented with a certificate of completion signed by the mayor and a gift featuring the City logo.

Want to Apply?

If you are interested in learning about your local government and having a little fun in the process, please complete a brief application or scroll down to complete the application electronically. For questions about the Citizens Academy, please send an email to Communications Director, Cindee Sharp.